Main Cast: Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Dennis Price, Lila Kedrova, Gert Fröbe
Release Year: 1965
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 103 minutes
Plot
Based on a novel by Richard Hughes, this drama takes an unusual look at both seafaring pirates and the true nature of children. The Thorntons, a British family living in Jamaica, decide to pull up stakes and sail back to England after Frederick Thornton (Nigel Davenport) and his wife (Isabel Dean) decide that life in the Caribbean is having a negative effect on her children's sense of order and discipline. While returning home, their ship is attacked by Capt. Chavez (Anthony Quinn), who along with his first mate Zac (James Coburn), begins to loot the ship for valuables. However, in the midst of the confusion of the pirate raid, the Thornton children scurry onto the pirate ship, and it's not until they've left the other ship behind that Chavez and Zac discover that they have new passengers. While most of the pirates are unenthusiastic about having a pack of kids on board, Chavez declares that they must be allowed to stay on board until they can be taken to a safe port. As they get to know each other, Chaven develops a soft spot for the children, especially ten-year-old Emily (Deborah Baxter), but in time, the kids' mischievous playfulness begins to transform itself into something more sinister. The supporting cast includes Dennis Price, Lila Kedrova, and Gert Frobe. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
A High Wind in Jamaica is a curiosity. It doesn't quite work, either as a pirate flick or as an adaptation of the Richard Hughes novel that is its source, but it's odd enough that one likes it in spite of its failings. In truth, it would probably have been a much better (and certainly more consistent) movie if it had either been much more or much less faithful to the book. Had it kept nothing more than the general premise of kids stuck on a pirate ship, it could have mad ea glorious, superficial adventure-on-the-seas story. Had it stay more faithful, it could have been an engrossing, involving exploration of the peculiar moral system that comes with childhood and the dangers that system can bring to adults. In its present form, Jamaica falls between those two stools. There's certainly plenty of action and adventure, but not enough to float the whole film. And the plot and characterizations that have been retained lack the depth and the commitment necessary: we SEE the characters behave in certain ways, but the film never really examines or delves into the motivation behind the behavior. In spite of this, director Alexander MacKendrick has given the film a beautiful look and directs the action and the character scenes quite well -- but without making them mesh together. The leads are splendid, with Anthony Quinn and James Coburn adding dimension to their roles while displaying a chemistry befitting this duo. Best of all is Deborah Baxter as Emily, whose performance rings true from start to finish. The audience may never understand exactly why she behaves the way she dos, but there's no doubt that the actress does. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Nigel Davenport - Frederick Thornton; Kenneth J. Warren - Capt. Marpole; Isabel Dean - Mrs. Thornton; Vivienne Ventura - Margaret Fernandez; Ben Carruthers - Alberto; Charles Hyatt - Pirate; Dan Jackson - Pirate; Trader Faulkner - The Dancer; Kenji Takaki - The Cook; Brian Phelan - Curtis; Danny Williams - Old Sam; Philip Madoc - Capt. Guardia Civile; Deborah Baxter - Emily Thornton; Martin Amis - John Thornton; Karen Flack - Laura Thornton; Roberta Tovey - Rachel Thornton; Jeffrey Chandler - Edward Thornton
Credit
John Hoesli - Art Director, John Howell - Art Director, John McCorry - Costume Designer, Alexander MacKendrick - Director, Derek York - Editor, Larry Adler - Composer (Music Score), Bill Lodge - Makeup, Freddie Williamson - Makeup, Douglas Slocombe - Cinematographer, John Croydon - Producer, Bowie Films - Special Effects, Dennis Cannan - Screenwriter, Ronald Harwood - Screenwriter, Stanley Mann - Screenwriter, Richard Hughes - Book Author
The film is regarded highly today because of Mackendrick's direction and Anthony Quinn's lead performance as the pirate captain whose relationship with the children betokens a subtle change in his character, finally leading to his downfall and the pirates' end.
Mackendrick (1912-1993) was best known as a director of the Ealing comedies The Man in the White Suit (1951) and The Ladykillers (1955). The material in A High Wind in Jamaica afforded the director an opportunity to combine a light touch with serious drama. Essentially, what makes the film fascinating is the theme of children growing up and their contact with a world of adults (the pirates) who act as if they are grown-up children.
