A High Wind in Jamaica 1965

A hurricane tears through Jamaica in the mid-19th century, setting a dramatic course for the Thornton family. Mr. Thornton, Nigel Davenport and the rest of the family decide it is time to send their five children to England for a more civilised upbringing and education.

During the voyage, pirates board the ship, and the children accidentally end up aboard the pirate craft. The pirate captain, Chavez, Anthony Quinn, and his first mate, Zac, James Coburn, do not want to risk kidnapping charges and choose to sail toward Tampico, leaving the youngsters with Rosa, Rosa, Lila Kedrova, a kind-hearted brothel madam who pledges to keep them safe.

Rosa warns the pirates that the law is closing in on them. Even though the children are innocent of the crimes they are accused of, Chavez and Zac remain unconcerned. When one child, John Thornton, Martin Amis, slips from a brothel window and dies, Rosa, unwilling to become entangled in a murder case, urges Chavez to take the remaining children away. The crew, convinced the children bring bad luck, press to abandon them on the next island.

Emily Thornton, Deborah Baxter falls ill, and Chavez hesitates to attack a passing Dutch vessel, hoping it will carry Emily and the others to safety. His men mutiny, lock Chavez up, seize the Dutch boat, and capture its captain, the bound Dutch captain Dutch captain, Gert Fröbe.

A Royal Navy cutter appears, sending the pirates into a panic as they re-board their ship. Emily awakens to find the bound Dutch captain in her room, and, speaking only Dutch, he pleads for her to cut his bindings. Mistaking his intentions due to the sedation Chavez had given her, she stabs him to death. Chavez, too late, is left with blood on his hands. The pirates are arrested and shipped to Britain for trial.

In court, the barrister manipulates Emily’s testimony to imply she blames Chavez for the Dutch captain’s death. The pirates are condemned to hang for murder rather than imprisoned for piracy.

The story closes with a lake scene where the children play innocently, and Emily stands among them, gazing at a model ship, a quiet, haunting reminder of what transpired.