Robert Louis Stevenson's Jim Hawkins (Dean) is now a successful merchant in the American colony of South Carolina. On his way to the seaport, Jim rescues the boy Jonah from slave hunters. On board his ship the Eagle, Jim learns that his other ship the Hawk has been seized by the British man-o-war Seawolf. Meanwhile, Captain Savage of the Seawolf demands blackmail from former pirate Long John Silver, now a plantation owner in the Americas.

As the Eagle leaves port, Jim discovers that Jonah has stowed away. To avoid pursuit by the Seawolf, he runs into a storm and is blown far off course, ending up on Silver's island, where he rescues Silver's daughter Coral and niece Rose from thieves. Jim immediately recognizes Long John Silver, but Silver is slower to recognize the boy he once knew.

When Jim finally returns to the harbor, the Eagle is gone! Jonah reports that the captain had moved the ship to avoid the British. Jim tells Silver about the Hawk being seized by the British, but becomes wary when he realizes the Silvers know Captain Savage, who returns to the island to find Coral entertaining Captain Hawkins of the Eagle. He blackmails Silver to help him find the Eagle.

Silver, taking an urn with his wife's ashes, decides to flee the island with Coral and Rose. They set sail on the Eagle only to find the Seawolf waiting for them. Jim evades the British, but challenges Silver with betraying him. Little Rose innocently betrays Jim's new course to Coral, who leaves a message buoy for Savage. Jim is shocked to see the Seawolf again, and even more amazed when Coral tells him it was her doing leading the ship after them. In an emotional confrontation, he angrily orders her put in irons.

Silver suggests the only way to escape is to sail to Treasure Island, where he knows several hidden coves, and Jim reluctantly agrees. At the island, Jim relents about Coral's imprisonment, but when she flies at him in a rage, he locks the door behind him. He can't sleep, however, thinking about the girl.

Jim determines to face the British on land. Leaving Silver and the girls behind, he goes with some crewmen to scout for the Seawolf and thwarts Savage's plan to blow up the Eagle.

Meanwhile, Silver tells the remaining crewmen that Savage will pay a bounty for Jim, and he sends a man to find the British. When Jim tries to set fire rafts to the Seawolf, the British are waiting, but Jim and his men escape their gunfire. In the confusion, Silver sends Rose off to find Savage as he and Coral escape.

When they meet Jim on a sea cliff, Coral refuses to go further until he takes the chains off her ankles. He tries to force her to move, and in the scuffle, Silver's urn is knocked into the sea. Jim jumps in to retrieve it and discovers a cave at the foot of the cliff. Coral and the rest of the men leap off the cliff to safety, but Silver is captured by the British. In hiding, Jim and Coral come to an "understanding," but Coral still can't believe it when he tells her it was Savage who commandeered the Hawk.

Attempting to rescue Silver, Jim is shot and forced to surrender to the British. His men arrive at the stockade just in time to see Jim arrested and the Eagle crew and the British sailors fight it out. Savage's first officer shoots Silver in the back, and Coral shoots him. Jim and Savage fence, and Jim forces his surrender. The dying Silver asks Jim to free Jonah since he doesn't want his daughter marrying a man who condones slavery. Jim and Coral sail back to America to begin a new life together.

(Adapted from a report by Whiterose.)

CAST

Stig Eldred : Long John Silver
Dean O'Gorman : Jim Hawkins
Simone Kessel : Coral Silver

CREW

Director of Photography : Renaud Maire
Executive Producer : Geoff Husson

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Cloud9

High school student Timothy Taylor (Dean) is more interested in girls and rugby than in school. After a misunderstood practical joke, the school headmaster coerces the Taylor family into accepting an exchange student from Montreal into their home. They expect Michel, but beautiful Michelle shows up at the airport. She has been sent unwillingly to New Zealand, far away from her Francophone boyfriend in Canada.

Tim is smitten at once, and tries to impress Michelle, but everything he does turns out wrong. Michelle even begins dating his archrival, rugby jock Derek. Tim follows them to a party at Derek's, sending his best friend Nathan into the house to see what's going on. Michelle is getting very tipsy, and finally accepts a ride home from Derek. Tim follows them up to One Tree Hill, a popular parking spot. Tim watches as the angry Derek throws resistant Michelle out of his car. By the time he and Michelle get home, she is in a drunken stupor. Tim carries her into the house and removes her soiled dress. Much to his bemusement, he discovers she has a small butterfly tattooed on her backside.

Soon the tattoo is the talk of the school. Although Tim told only Nathan about it, word soon spread, and Michelle is furious as the other students tease her unmercifully.

At the end of the school term the Taylors take Michelle with them on their annual camping trip. Late at night, Michelle hears Tim go out to set up his telescope to look at the stars. She goes out to talk to him, and as he explains the astronomical sights, they finally reach an understanding and share their first kiss.

Tim is heartbroken when Michelle must go home to Montreal. That is, until he finally seizes on the wonderful idea that he should be an exchange student himself and go to Canada!

EN FRANCAIS

Puni pour s'être introduit dans le vestiaire des filles, Timothy doit accueillir Michel, un étudiant montréalais qui participe au programme d'échanges de l'école. À la surprise de tous, et surtout de Timothy, "Michelle" n'est pas un garçon, mais bien une fille.

Michelle est envoyée en Nouvelle-Zélande par ses parents qui espèrent lui faire oublier son ami de coeur Jean-Claude. Michelle, quand à elle, n'est pas trop heureuse de se retrouver à l'autre bout du monde et n'apprécie pas l'attention que vient à lui porter Timothy. Mais elle découvre bientôt les attraits du rugby et de Derek, le capitaine de l'équipe, ce qui déplaît royalement à Timothy. Les deux garçons se disputent alors Michelle et, après plusieurs détours, l'amour trouve sa voie.

Une histoire sur les jeunes qui s'adresse à toute la famille.

(Courtesy CINAR Productions)

MUSIC

Three Pistols - The Tragically Hip
Cruise Control - Headless Chickens
Fusion at Room Temperature - Smoke Shop
Big Sky - The Warratabe
Bring it All Back - The Tragically Hip
Got My Eyes on You - Smoke Shop
Choppers - Headless Chickens
Donde Esta un Pollo - Headless Chickens
Chill Out - Drinkwater
It Dawned on Me - Dave Dobbyn
Naked Flame - Dave Dobbyn
Closing Credits Song - Les BB

CAST

Dean O'Gorman : Timothy Taylor
Sabine Karsanti : Michelle Dubois
Sylvia Rands : Mary Taylor
Sydney Jackson : Roger Taylor
Milan Borch : Nathan
Angela Blockfield : Viki
Richard Vette : Derek
Reawyn Blade : Miss Braithwaite
Mark Hadlow : Rugby Coach
Nathaniel Lees : Mr. Wiley
Stephen Papps : Mr. Blisker
Jay Saussey : Melissa Anderson
Wayne Wells : Thug Friend #1
Ryan McFadyen : Thug Friend #2
Marise Wipani : Airport Clerk
Megan Nicol : Waitress

CREW

Producers: Murray Newey, Micheline Charest
Co-Producers: Judith Trye, Patricia Lavoie
Executive Producers: Anthony I. Ginnane, Ronald A. Weinberg
Supervising Producer: Madeleine Henrie
Director: Wayne Tourell
Story: David Parry
Writer: David Preston
Editor: Jean-Marie Drot
Production Manager: Brian Walden
Director of Photography: Matt Bowkett
Production Designer: Brett Schwietters
Sound Design: Raymond Vermette
Casting: Maura Fay & Associates
1st Assistant Director: Simon Anbridge
2nd Assistant Director: Emma Johns
Location Manager: Annie Dodman
Unit Manager: Peta Sinclair
Unit Assistants: Edward G. Newton, Laurence Wharerau
Continuity: Christine Parker
Art Director: Merran Spath
Props Buyer: Eddie Curlett
Standby Props: Peter Shaw
Camera Operator: Mike Fuller
Focus Puller: Cameron McLean
Clapper Loader: Kristen Green
Gaffer: Ian Philip
Best Boy: Chris Peacock
Generator Operator: Neil Taylor
Lighting Assistant: Simon Ranginui
Key Grip: Harry Harrison
Grip: Terry Joosten
Sound Recordist: Dick Reade
Boom Operator: Joseph Hiku
Production Co-ordinator: Linda Fenwick
Production Secretary: Terence Stephen
Production Runner: Rachel Rushton
3rd Assistant Director: Jared Connon
Costume Designer: Pauline Bawkett
Wardrobe Supervisor: Sherril George
Standby Wardrobe: Stan Evans
Wardrobe Assistant: Tanya Panter
Make Up Artist: Abby Collins
Assistant Make Up: Gina Eeckhoudt
Production Accountant: Alan Brash
Accounting Assistant: Margaret van der Woerd
Scenic Artists: Tim Minnel, Jean-Paul Eeckhoudt
Construction Crew: Don Denny, Mark Beckett, Dorian Brown, Dave Casey, Martin Ulrich, Sam Denny, Grant Urquhart
Set Finishers: Tau Heather, Rueben Hill
Stills Photography: Glen Jowitt
Catering: South Pacific Foods
Arriflex Cameras and Lenses supplied by Film Facilities Ltd.
Video Dubbing: Digital Post Ltd.
Laboratory: Atlas New Zealand
Vehicles supplied by Henderson Rental Cars

Special Thanks to Avondale College, Auckland, Levene & Co, Ltd., Auckland Regional Council Parks Department, Mazda New Zealand

Post Production: Cinar Studios, Francois Deschamps, Director

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

Cinar Productions and Tucker Films Ltd.
New Zealand Film Commission
FUND Foundation to Underwrite New Drama for Television
The Movie Network