Film Snail

6.7

Blackbeard's Ghost

G·1968·106m

Comedy

Fantasy

Family

Comedy

Fantasy

Family

Summary

The eponymous wraith returns to Earth to aid his descendant, elderly Emily Stowecroft. The villains want to kick Emily and her friends out of their group home so that they can build a crooked casino. Good guy Steve Walker gets caught in the middle of the squabble after evoking Blackbeard's ghost.

Cast

Peter Ustinov

Captain Blackbeard

Dean Jones

Steve Walker

Suzanne Pleshette

Jo Anne Baker

Elsa Lanchester

Emily Stowecroft

Richard Deacon

Dean Wheaton

Stefanie Powers

Marian Sheeta

Joby Baker

Silky Seymour

Elliott Reid

TV Commentator

Norman Grabowski

Virgil

Kelly Thordsen

Motorcycle Officer

Michael Conrad

Pinetop Purvis

Herbie Faye

Croupier

George Murdock

Head Official

Hank Jones

Gudger Larkin

Ned Glass

Teller

Gil Lamb

Waiter

Alan Carney

Bartender

Ted Markland

Charles

Lou Nova

Leon

Charlie Brill

Edward

Herb Vigran

Danny Oly

William Fawcett

Mr. Ainsworth

Betty Bronson

Old Lady

Elsie Baker

Old Lady

Kathryn Minner

Old Lady

Leon Alton

Auction Guest

Phil Arnold

Popcorn Vendor

Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Gambler

Richard Collier

Ticket Seller

Gertrude Flynn

Mrs. Starkey

Byron Foulger

Mr. Harrison

Paul Genge

Casino Manager

Harry Harvey

Mr. Finch

Jimmie Horan

Gambler

Bing Russell

Second Track Meet Official

Jeffrey Sayre

Croupier

Sara Taft

Old Woman

Rudy Germane

Croupier (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Robert Stevenson

Novel

Ben Stahl

Screenplay

Bill Walsh

Screenplay

Don DaGradi

Reviews

r96sk

July 30, 2020

Is this good or bad? I'm genuinely not even sure, but it's hard to doubt that it does suitably entertain.

It constantly hops between cringe/chucklesome and overacted/finely acted. The plot is mindless and impossible to take seriously, though the shenanigans that occur are mostly amusing. It would be a lot worse off without the likeable leads, that's for certain.

Peter Ustinov brings fun as Blackbeard, sometimes his acting is a little too over the top for my personal liking but he has more funny moments than lame ones. He and Dean Jones (Steve) join up well enough, as does Jones with Suzanne Pleshette (Jo Anne) - as already seen two years prior in <em>'The Ugly Dachshund'</em>.

Not what I had expected, I come away probably wanting something different from <em>'Blackbeard's Ghost'</em>. However, there is humour in there that's just about enjoyable.