Treasure Island has fared better at the hands of Hollywood than have most novels. In 1934 Victor Fleming directed a suspenseful version of the story starring Wallace Beery as Long John Silver and Jackie Cooper as Jim. Another excellent adaptation reached the silver screen in 1950, when Byron Haskin directed Robert Newton in the role of the crafty pirate chief and Bobby Driscoll as Jim. Orson Welles co-scripted and starred in a weak 1972 production of Treasure Island.
Although Stevenson wrote a number of other stories for young people, such as New Arabian Nights, More New Arabian Nights, and The Black Arrow, the novel that most resembles Treasure Island is Kidnapped. This book also features a boy protagonist, David Balfour, who must undergo a series of tests and trials before he can return home and claim his inheritance. David’s adventures somewhat resemble a typical romance, but Stevenson also weaves a great deal of Scottish history into his plot. David’s quest for maturity involves learning about his country’s religious and political heritage as well as about the greed and duplicity of the adult world.
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