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Captain Alexander Smollett
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Captain Alexander Smollett is the captain of the schooner Hispaniola in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He plays an important part in disciplining the main characters on the ship as the story progresses, and helps the protagonists survive against the pirates later on. He first appears to the reader as a strict, bitter man who finds fault with everything and is never satisfied. However, he quickly reveals that not all is well aboard the ship, and his first conversation with Jim Hawkins, Dr. Livesey, and Squire Trelawney foreshadows the eventual mutiny of many of the Hispaniola's members under the leadership of Long John Silver, a cunning and wealthy one-legged pirate. When the Hispaniola finally reaches its destination and the pirates rebel, he organizes the faithful crew's flight from the Hispaniola onto the shores of Treasure Island, and helps in gaining a stockade on the island. The next day, he attempts to negotiate with 'Captain' Long John Silver, but the negotiations fail due to the arrogance of Silver and the stubbornness of Smollett. (Indeed, Smollett admits that he has goaded Silver on purpose, reasoning that battle is probably inevitable and might as well be fought sooner rather than later, while they are alert and fresh.) As a result, Silver storms off in a rage, and Smollett is left to organize the defence of the stockade. In the battle of the stockade, he is seriously wounded by two bullets, though neither incapacitates him, and he disappears from the story for the most part. In the end, he and the faithful crew sail back to Bristol laden with treasure, and he retires from sea life, exhausted by the whole affair.
Captain Smollett's role in the story is crucial, but he is usually remembered for his temperamental personality. He is obsessed with duty and expects all his orders to be followed to the letter. When the stockade's defences break down during his negotiations with Silver, he explodes, venting his rage on the Doctor and Squire Trelawney for abandoning their stations to watch the negotiations. Yet he doesn't fail to reward those who perform well, and praises Abraham Gray, a mutineer who defects to their side, for staying at his post dutifully.
In the 1988 Soviet screening of the Treasure Island, Captain Smollett was portrayed as a light hearted humorous take on Soviet military ranks, with obsessive personality that, on one hand, really demanded his orders to be followed to the letter - but, on the other hand, that was more loyal than anyone else to the cause and the letter of the law (since the cartoon omitted a large part of Treasure Island events to fit into the format, Captain Smollett became a lot more one-dimensional, though more colourful).
In the 1996 Disney film Muppet Treasure Island, this character was renamed Captain Abraham Smollett (Kermit the Frog) by Brian Henson and the scriptwriters, in which he is rewritten as easy-going and fair in deference to Kermit's amiable character.
In the 2002 Disney film Treasure Planet, this character is replaced with Captain Amelia, a female cat-like alien. She is voiced by Emma Thompson.
In the 2006 film Pirates of Treasure Island by The Asylum, the character is renamed Captain Smollette and depicted as a Frenchman trading with the then-new United States.
Played by the actors
Filmography of Captain Alexander Smollett (4 films)
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, 3hDirected by Steve Barron
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about disabilities, L'Or
Actors Toby Regbo, Eddie Izzard, Rupert Penry-Jones, Daniel Mays, Philip Glenister, Donald Sutherland
Rating61%
Young Jim Hawkins (Toby Regbo) discovers a map to a legendary island of treasure belonging to the infamous Captain Flint (Donald Sutherland), and embarks on a journey abroad the ship Hispaniola to find it, however, the enigmatic Long John Silver (Eddie Izzard) and crew have other plans.
Treasure Island (1999)
, 1h38Directed by Peter Rowe
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about disabilities
Actors Jack Palance, Kevin Zegers, Patrick Bergin, Anthony Booth, Christopher Benjamin, Malcolm Stoddard
Rating52%
The narrative diverges from that of the novel in that Captain Smollett convinces Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey to cut Jim out of his rightful share of the treasure and so Jim then teams up with Silver. Smollett, Trelawney and Livesey are killed, and Jim, Silver and Ben Gunn escape with the treasure.
Treasure Island (1972)
, 1h34Directed by Antonio Margheriti, John Hough, Andrea Bianchi
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about disabilities, L'Or
Actors Orson Welles, Walter Slezak, Rik Battaglia, Lionel Stander, Ángel del Pozo, Michel Garland
Rating57%
Jim Hawkins (Kim Burfield) is a young boy who works at a pub with his mother (Maria Rohm). When a drunken old sailor named Billy Bones (Lionel Stander) comes in for a drink and dies, Jim gets his hands on a map which shows the whereabouts of pirate Captain Flint's treasure. Immediately taking action, he then enlists the help of Squire Trelawney (Walter Slezak) and Dr. Livesey (Angel DelPozo) to join him as he locates the island on the map. Together, they join a ship commanded by Captain Smollett (Rik Battaglia) that will lead them to their destination. Word of the treasure map gets around and most of the crew are recruited with the help of the ship's cook, Long John Silver (Orson Welles), an ex-pirate who had sailed with Captain Flint and intends to get the treasure by mutiny and murder. Already on the island is a marooned pirate, Ben Gunn, who has spent his time on the island gathering the treasure. With his help Jim, the Squire, the Doctor, the Captain and a number of loyal crewmen outwit the pirates, killing most of them in gun battles. Silver is captured, but escapes, when the ship reaches harbour in the West Indies. Much of the plot and the linking narrative - spoken by Jim Hawkins - is faithful to the original book.
Treasure Island (1950)
, 1h36Directed by Byron Haskin
Origin USA
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about disabilities, Children's films, L'Or
Actors Bobby Driscoll, Robert Newton, Basil Sydney, Finlay Currie, Walter Fitzgerald, Denis O'Dea
Rating68%
In the West Coast of England in 1765, a young boy called Jim Hawkins lives with his mother in a tiny country inn which they run. Captain William Bones, a sickly lodger, gives Hawkins a treasure map after being visited by two pirates, the second of whom gives the captain a note marked with the black spot. That same night Bones is found dead at the inn, and Hawkins shows Squire Trelawney the map. Trelawney recognises the map as belonging to the buccaneer Captain Flint and bankrolls a voyage to discover the pirate's lost treasure. Trelawney hires Captain Smollett and his ship, the Hispaniola, bringing along his friend Dr. Livesey as the ship's doctor and Hawkins as the cabin boy.