This is one movie where I can honestly say that the adaptation to screen is better than the book. Not that it's great, mind you, just better. While watching Granger and Sanders in anything is entertaining, it seemed that screenwriter Jon Lustig wanted the character of John Mohune(John Trenchard in the novel) to be the focus(like, say, Jim Hawkins in "Treasure Island"), but couldn't quite figure out how to give him something useful to do without taking away from the top-billed stars. The finished film is more streamlined(and watchable) due to Lustig's and director Lang's desire for a tighter story. No way was a straight adaptation going to do *THAT* on screen! If Whitely's character, young John had acted as he does in the novel, and wrenching the story 90 degrees in a lesson on the "wages of ill-gotten gains", I probably would have thrown a brick at the t.v.(but then, that's just me). All in all, not one of Lang's(or Granger's, or Sander's, or Crain's) best, but worth a look. Especially, you've got to love Jack Elam's scene with the hats in the smuggler's grotto. THAT was funny...
Review of Moonfleet
