

A High Wind in Jamaica
Piracy and High Adventure on the High Seas!
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.
TMDB
6.3/10
46 votes
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- —
- Language
- English
- jamaica
- hurricane
- stowaway
- child in peril
- sword fight
- pirate
- storm
- sailing ship
- pirate ship
- 19th century
- caribbean
- 1870s
Top billed cast
















Behind the camera
Director
Music
Produced in
United Kingdom
Gallery



Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereNR26 May 1965
- TheatricalNew York City, New York16 Jun 1965
United KingdomGB
- TheatricalPG1 May 1965
GermanyDE
- Theatrical164 Jun 1965
Frequently asked questions
A High Wind in Jamaica was released on 1 May 1965.
Audience reviews
3- J8/10
John Chard
4/13/2020
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 Tree song by Mike LeRoy…
- C6/10
CinemaSerf
4/4/2022
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 exacerbated as their …
- W7/10
Wuchak
8/23/2025
**_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 evidence, there are pote…
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