Buried Treasure: NATE AND HAYES

Even though it's "JAWS" week here at FOG, I don't feel I can write about anything that won't already be covered.

It's a miracle that such a great film exists considering all of its production problems, Robert Shaw is the shiznit, it has forever scarred me from swimming in the ocean, etc. I do, however, offer you the 30-second version of "JAWS," reenacted by bunnies! It's even guest-voiced by Bryan Singer. (Be sure and click on the shark bunny at the end, too.)


Instead, I've decided to wax poetic about an overlooked, and I feel, underappreciated film from 1983 called "NATE AND HAYES." Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Michael O'Keefe and co-written by John Hughes (yes, THAT John Hughes), I consider it to be the predecessor of the modern-day pirate movie, way before the misfire of "CUTTHROAT ISLAND" and obviously long before the "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN" franchise.

I actually have to thank my boyfriend from 1993 for introducing me to "NATE AND HAYES." We had just come back from seeing "THE FUGITIVE" for the third time in a theatre, and I admitted to him that I had developed a crush on Tommy Lee Jones. He said, "Well, if you love him in 'THE FUGITIVE,' you've got to see him in 'NATE AND HAYES.' He plays a pirate." No other encouragement needed. I had never heard of it, but ran down immediately to my local Blockbuster to rent it. I was not disappointed.

To me, it's the epitome of a pirate movie, containing battles on the high seas, angry island natives, sword fights, humorous dialogue and wonderful production value from shooting in Fiji and New Zealand. Jones, portraying the real-life pirate Captain William "Bully" Hayes, is usually dressed in white, lest you forget that he's a good pirate with morals and values. Michael O'Keefe, as the young Reverend Nathaniel who morphs from uptight missionary to a buccaneer in his own right, has an excellent buddy chemistry with him. Add the beautiful third component to a love triangle with damsel in distress Jenny Seagrove, and you have everything that you could wish for in a B-movie adventure.

I do have a bone to pick with Paramount for not properly releasing this movie. Perhaps you could chalk it up to it being likely that their marketing department didn't know what to do with it. I, of course, have a different theory. "NATE AND HAYES" was released in 1983. Another little adventure movie that you may have heard of, "INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM" was scheduled for release in the summer of 1984. Coincidentally, these films have two very similar set pieces: 1) the precarious rope bridge between two cliffs where our hero ends up cutting it down, and 2) the blond woman to be sacrificed by natives over a pit of fire. I submit that it's a distinct possibility that Paramount, in desire of a few more action sequences for "TEMPLE OF DOOM," took these two from "NATE AND HAYES" and then promptly buried the latter film's earlier release.

You could go back even further and propose that they both lifted the bridge scene from "THE LADY HERMIT" in 1971.



Who knows? I'm just glad that "NATE AND HAYES" can now have an afterlife. It was finally released on DVD in 2006. I had been relegated until then to watching a pan and scan version on laserdisc. Believe it or not, I still own a working laserdisc player.

And if you have the yearning for even more pirate, seek out "SWASHBUCKLER" starring Robert Shaw from 1976. See, it all does lead back to "JAWS."