''The Black Pearl'' is a

young adult novel Young adult literature (YA) is typically written for readers aged 12 to 18 and includes most of the themes found in adult fiction, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality. It is characterized by simpler world build ...

by American author

Scott O'Dell Scott O'Dell (May 23, 1898 – October 15, 1989) was an American people, American writer of 26 novels for young people, along with three novels for adults and four nonfiction books. He wrote historical fiction, primarily, including several chi ...

. The novel was first published in 1967 and describes the

coming of age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...

of the son of a

pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle (mollusc), mantle) of a living Exoskeleton, shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pear ...

dealer.

Plot summary

Ramon Salazar finds a

black pearl The ''Black Pearl'' (formerly known as the merchant ship '' Wicked Wench'') is a fictional ship in the '' Pirates of the Caribbean'' film series. In the screenplay, the ship is easily recognized by her distinctive black hull and sails. Captain ...

so beautiful that his father is certain Ramon has found the fabled Pearl of Heaven. This find will bring renown to their town, and to the Salazar name. However, the pearl also has a curse that haunts the town and Salazar's family.

Film adaptation

Royal Productions and

Universum Film Leonine Holding GmbH, also known as LEONINE Studios and formerly known Tele München Group, LLC (German: Tele München Gruppe; TMG), is a German media production and distribution company that is based in Munich and since 2024 its owned by French ...

produced a film adaptation of ''The Black Pearl''. Released in 1977, the film was directed by

Saul Swimmer Saul Swimmer (April 25, 1936 – March 3, 2007)Saul Swimmer
at the

Victor Miller, and featured performances by

Gilbert Roland Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso (December 11, 1905 – May 15, 1994), known professionally as Gilbert Roland, was a Mexican-born American film and television actor whose career spanned seven decades from the 1920s until the 1980s. He was twice no ...

, Mario Custodio, and Carl Anderson.

Perla Cristal Perla Cristal (born September 29, 1937) is an Argentine actress and vedette and singer who began her career in her native country, with incursions into Hollywood and Spanish and Italian cinema. She settled in Spain in the early 1960s and continu ...

and

Emilio Rodríguez Emilio Rodríguez may refer to: * Emilio Rodríguez (cyclist) (1923–1984), Spanish professional road bicycle racer * Emilio Rodríguez (actor) (died 1988), Spanish policeman and actor * Emilio Hector Rodriguez (born 1950), Cuban artist * Emil ...

also starred in the film. Initially, ''The Black Pearl'' was to be shot in Mexico with

Ben Vereen Benjamin Augustus Vereen (né Middleton; October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. He gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received ...

in the lead role. But the movie was eventually filmed in Spain without Vereen.

References

1967 American novels 1967 children's books American bildungsromans American novels adapted into films American young adult novels Newbery Honor–winning works Novels set in Mexico Children's books set in Mexico {{1960s-bildungsroman-stub

Plot summary

Film adaptation

See also

References