Problem #52 With <i>The Goonies</i>

Yeah, yeah — The Goonies is a fun movie.

But there’s that moment at the end of the film when the kids have emerged from the cave, they’ve saved their families with the jewels found in Sean Astin’s marble bag, and then everyone (including the reporters that just happen to be there) turn to the ocean on the heels of a police officer saying, “Jesus, mother mary of god!”

They all turn — and there floating off into the distance is One Eyed Willie’s ship, sailing off into the sunset with billions and billions (potentially) of dollars of jewels and gold and treasure in its hull.

What’s gonna happen to that ship?

Most likely, the local government would end up laying claim (the city of Astoria probably) to the jewels inside that ship and the skeletons and artifacts would end up in a museum and the Goonies probably would get their 15 minutes of fame on the TV but probably wouldn’t get any of that money.

Or would they?

In Astoria, is there some kind of law that gives the kids a certain percentage of finding a treasure like that? Just like treasure hunters of today — if they find a treasure the local authorities and locale in which they found it get a certain percentage, but the treasure hunters get some too.

Would Josh Brolin and all his Goonie friends actually get some of that money? And then, if so, would it have changed their lives for the worse? I mean, you know how money affects people — they get all ego-ish and don’t value what’s landed in their lap.

…

Yeah, maybe I over-analyze movies a bit much — but when it’s something as problematic as this ancient ship filled with treasure and how, legally, it’s all going to be handled, I’m a bit concerned about the unanswered outcome.