lasttimeisaw A feel-good Disney production, a priggish track-and-field coach (Jones) accidentally invokes the ghost of the centuries-old notorious pirate Blackbeard (Ustinov), who has been stuck in limbo eternally after death because of his 10th wife's vicious curse, while being only visible to the coach, Blackbeard needs to do something good to break the curse, so he decides to assist the coach's lame team to win the college competition (using his stunt of invisibility) in order to win the wager to pay back the bank mortgage and save the hereditary hotel which runs by Blackbeard's descendants (a gaggle of old ladies led by Lanchester). Directed by Robert Stevenson after his post-MARY POPPINS (1964, 7/10) glory, the film fully taps into the jejune bickering and antics between the coach and Blackbeard, an anachronistic farce which hones up to a gratifying hilarity meanwhile tips the scales in hasty absurdity. The over- exploited shtick of Blackbeard's invisibility is as stock as fatiguable, it is a decent family treat after all. Ustinov's eloquent oratory shines even under the circumstances of nothing stimulating needs to be uttered, whose mellifluous cadences alone can save the audience from the stodgy character' default setting, a tad annoying, a tad self-boasting, but nothing remotely hints Blackbeard's venomous nature. Dean Jones, with a Sean Connery-alike visage, contradictorily jibes with Ustinov's maverick image, has a holier-than-thou standard offering in his goodly appearance, completely sedated under Ustinov's grandstanding and so is Suzanne Pleshette, a professor of child psychology but more frisky and outward than her formal love-interest. Elsa Lanchester, owns a great gambit as an offbeat soothsayer, shamefully then steps off most of the time as a sightseer. The embellished plot-line of the track events and casino gambling works well with the laughters, Stevenson and screenwriters surely had contrived a plan to let everything looks plausible no matter how illogical it seems, so as hard as they tried, it is a run-of-the-mill level of creation and self-aware of its demographical appeal.

Armand nice, a good family film. and this is not a really surprise because presence of Peter Ustinov is always great virtue for a movie. but, in same measure, it is a smart script and the gangs are really seductive. a pirate story but in different manner. a coach, a book, a hero, and a lot of adventures. all as slice of childhood cake of emotions.it is a wonderful Disney work. a fairy-tale with role of moral lesson in which love, duty, humor, nuances of facts are in wise way presented. must see it ! not only in a gloomy afternoon. because need of magic and soft entertainment are gifts for each season of year. for each season of life.

Spikeopath Blackbeard's Ghost is a live action picture out of Walt Disney Studios and it's directed by Robert Stevenson. It's based around the novel written by Ben Stahl, with the adaption for the screen by Don DaGradi & Bill Walsh. Starring are Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, Elsa Lanchester & Joby Baker.Plot finds Ustinov as the titular phantom of the title, who is suspended between worlds after a curse was put on him by his ex-wife. When amiable track coach Steve Walker (Jones) arrives in the coastal town of Godolphin he attends a charity sale and buys an antique bed warmer. Later that night Steve finds a hidden spell located in the bed warmer and after reading it out aloud he conjures up the ghost of Blackbeard. Seems that only Steve can see the bluff old pirate, and apparently Blackbeard can only escape his curse if he does a good deed. Good timing, then, since the old hotel run by the old ladies of Godolphin is under threat of closure from unscrupulous gambling gangster Silky Seymour (Baker) who wants to build a casino on the land. In spite of the fact that they just can't get on, Blackbeard and Steve may just be good for each other.A perfect light hearted live action film for the young and the young at heart. Looking a bit dated now on account of the advent of special effects, Blackbeard's Ghost none the less carries a weighty good against evil parable and brings on the laughter in spades as it goes. The set up is classic Disney, a pretty little coastal town is home to buccaneer secrets and the equilibrium is being upset by baddies who want progress to further their greed. Enter a bad boy coming good and the underdog sports team suddenly finding a new lease of life; aided wonderfully by Blackbeard during the film's funniest quarter. And there's even an engaging romance between Jones & Pleshette that's easy to warm too. The cast are inoffensive and pleasant, particularly Ustinov who is on full tilt pantomime overdrive, while the little devilish motif of cheating for the greater good finds Disney not hiding behind the syrup jar.Personally I laughed out loud on a number of occasions, most notably a cheerleader sequence that still has me giggling as I write this piece. Hopefully this film can have a similar effect on those looking at it for the very first time. Seek it out folks and watch with the family, for it is perfect family entertainment. 8/10

kinky_el This is by far, my favourite movie of all time. The cast is perfect and the script never fails to amuse me. I only wish i had discovered it sooner.I think the funniest scene must be at the casino near the end, where the guards are fighting Blackbeard but have no idea who they are fighting because he is invisible. Also when Blackbeard first appears to Steve in his room and they are both on the bed..My advise to people reading this is to go and order the DVD because i loved it the first time, and i still do after watching it almost 20 times. Call me sad? Wait and see.