A High Wind in Jamaica

1965 103 min ★ 6.3 Adventure, Drama

In 1870, a Jamaican colonial family sends its children to Britain for proper schooling, but their ship is taken over by pirates, who become fond of the kids.

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Cast

Anthony Quinn

Chavez

James Coburn

Zac

Deborah Baxter

Emily Thornton

Gert Fröbe

Dutch Captain

Dennis Price

Mathias

Lila Kedrova

Rosa

Nigel Davenport

Mr. Thornton

Isabel Dean

Alice Thornton

Kenneth J. Warren

Capt. Marpole

Ben Carruthers

Alberto

Details

Director

Alexander Mackendrick

Screenplay

Ronald Harwood

Tagline

"Piracy and High Adventure on the High Seas!"

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Production

20th Century Fox

Reviews

J

John Chard

April 13, 2020

★ 8/10

High on a Gallows Tree My Love. A High Wind in Jamaica is directed by Alexander Mackendrick and adapted to screenplay jointly by Stanley Mann, Ronald Harwood & Denis Cannan, from the Richard Hughes novel of the same name. It stars Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Deborah Baxter, Lila Kedrova, Martin Amis, Dennis Price and Nigel Davenport. Music is by Larry Adler, with the song High on a Gallows Tre...

C

CinemaSerf

April 4, 2022

★ 6/10

Poor old Anthony Quinn ("Chavez") is going about his harmless pirating when he alights on a ship carrying some British children en route to their schooling in Britain. Immediately the onboard dynamic changes. The captain starts to feel a bit of affection for these weans - even as his crew, and best pal "Zac" (James Coburn) start to think they are little better than Jonahs. This sentiment is only e...

W

Wuchak

August 23, 2025

★ 7/10

**_A pirate ship in the Caribbean takes on some kids_** In the mid-1800s, several children are transported from Jamaica to England when a pirate ship inadvertently apprehends them. “A High Wind in Jamaica” (1965) is a cinematic version of the 1929 novel by Richard Hughes. It tackles challenging material that is difficult to pull off in film. However, if you pay attention to the subtle evid...