Wizard-8
The Disney movie "Treasure of Matecumbe" has all but been forgotten today, and it doesn't take long into watching it to figure out why. The main fault with it is that despite it involving youths on a treasure hunt, the movie is surprisingly boring whether you are a kid or a kid at heart. There's very little action, and the movie moves at a snail's pace. Though there are signs that it could have been worse, since there are several moments when it's clear that linking footage was either edited out or not filmed at all. The cast tries their best under the circumstances, but their roles aren't written to be particularly interesting, though Ustinov does manage to bring a little color at times.Still, I will admit that no movie that has an appearance by Dub Taylor can be completely bad.
bkoganbing
Although Treasure of Matecumbe is listed as a theatrical film, it seems that it plays more like a couple of episodes from The Wonderful World of Disney.The only reason to watch it is for Peter Ustinov who is having a great old time playing the traveling patent medicine man. This is his second film for Disney the first being Blackbeard's Ghost which was infinitely better.Young Johnny Doran is told about a fabulous treasure hidden on Matecumbe island in the Florida Keys. He makes a Huckleberry Finn like journey on the river from Kentucky with a young black kid Billy Atmore who Doran's family would have recently owned. Along the way the two plucky lads pick up Robert Foxworth who is Doran's rascally Uncle Jim. Joan Hackett a young bride running from a hideous marriage and Ustinov.Vic Morrow is the chief villain here leading a band of cutthroats seeking the Treasure of Matecumbe for themselves. Our intrepid band of five has more escapes from them and other villains than used to be in one of those old time movie serials. In fact Treasure of Matecumbe feels like one of them. Foxworth and Ustinov have two unbelievable escapes from certain death.Morrow and his gang have an interesting fate in store for them which I won't reveal, but if you see the movie and think about its logical implications with the terminology used, it definitely isn't Disney type material.For the juvenile trade and for fans of Peter Ustinov only.
tchevyz71
I first watched this movie when I was about 7 or 8 and I watched it over and over again it was so good. I wish I could see it again, but the DVD is still very hard to come by. The movie deals with a young boy and his companion who are forced to flee from their home in search of a treasure. Jim and Ben end up meeting lots of different people who can help them along the way, but they also have a lot of things happen to them that either slows them down or simply gets in their way, but none the less it's a very entertaining movie and has a good plot to it. It's a good show to see as a kid or even adult if you like stories that entail treasure hunting. It actually has a good story to it unlike some movies today that are just filled with special effects. So if you want to see a good old fashioned treasure hunting flick then you have found it.
szetts
Yes, this is the only Disney film to feature the Klu Klux Klan.But, horrible racist morons aside, this film can be very enjoyable if you remember seeing it as a child. I remember my father taking me to see this in the theatre when I was very young, and, now that he's no longer with us, it an opportunity to relive some childhood magic. Even if it's just for a moment.Peter Ustinov is wonderful as always.And the opening theme music is very cheesy but COOL in a silly 70's sort of way.If you enjoy the vibe of Disney films like "Child of Glass", you'll probably dig this one too.
AD
