ourilk This film is a splendid specimen of the genre. An all-time favorite I can't see enough of, and, well, let's do give a thought to those Aztecs. Captain from Castile is a fine rendering of that class of fiction from the first half of the 20th Century described best as book club novels. Written to a literate and culturally attuned market, they combined dramatic history with compelling characters enmeshed in swashbuckling dilemmas. The novelists never wrote down to their readers and always kept a literary trick up their sleeve for the tight spots. Kenneth Roberts, F. Van Wyck Mason and Frank G. Slaughter were of that class, and Frank Shellabarger's Captain from Castile is a worthy exemplar of their craft. The storyline, to reiterate briefly, centers on the young Spanish nobleman, Don Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power), who offends an official of the Inquisition and is forced, as are his parents, to flee from its net. His parents escape to Italy, and he embarks to the new world for adventure as much as to recoup the family fortunes. Leading the way for him is a seasoned soldier of fortune played by Lee J. Cobb, and following de Vargas is the Spanish equivalent of a pretty barmaid played by Jean Peters. Landing in Spanish Cuba they sign on with Hernan Cortez's expedition to conquer and colonize Mexico. There is little need to expatiate on the plot details, which provide plenty of entertainment to embellish the historical account, and so far as both go the film is instructive and entertaining. (There was no need to draw on fantasy in cinema of that day.) What may trouble younger viewers is whether Captain from Castile treats native Aztecs, Olmecs, and like tribes with sufficient respect, given the certainty that their way of life was doomed by the Spanish invader. On whole, the film treats indigenous peoples with dignity and understanding, although some may quibble about that. Key to the film's overall ethnic take is the last rather triumphalist scene. As Cortez's steel clad legions march past the lightly armored native defenders, Jean Peters, now Don Pedro's wife, wraps a bright red native shawl around herself and her newborn to march behind the army, in appearance a nascent Mexicana, neither Spanish nor Indian - Mexican. In this sense, I found the film sympathetic and in its way inspiring, no matter how the more fastidious may differ about that. I have to add my approval for the scenery. With much of it set around the Aztec pyramids, it is dominated by a distant active volcano, which injects a unique quality and makes the film worth at least a second look just for that backdrop.

Mark Turner Tyrone Power was a force to be reckoned with when at his peak. Contracted to 20th Century Fox he was their lead performer for years. He was as adept at comedy and drama as he was the numerous swashbuckling films he made. And at the height of his career he made this film at a staggering (at the time) costs for production. Not only that the film runs 2 hours and 21 minutes, something unheard of at the time.The story is quite involved and takes place in two locales. The first is in Spain in the 1500s. There Pedro De Vargas (Power) is part of the upper class, a nobleman well loved. Pedro is in love with a fair haired maiden named Luisa De Carvajal (Barbara Lawrence). But Luisa has also caught the eye of Diego De Silva, the local representative of the Inquisition. When Pedro helps Coatl (Jay Silverheels), one of De Silva's Indian slaves escape, De Silva has Pedro and his family arrested and ready for questioning. His first victim is Pedro's 12 year old sister who dies while being tortured.Placed in cells Pedro is rescued by Juan Garcia (Lee J. Cobb), an adventurer friend he made earlier who lost part of his family to De Silva as well. A sword fight with De Silva leaves him bleeding and thought dead. While his parents head for the safety of Italy, Pedro along with Juan and Catana Perez (Jean Peters), a young woman Pedro helped when De Silva's men were upon her, all decide to join an expedition to the new world. Hoping to change their fortunes they sign on with Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero) and his search for gold possessed by the Aztecs.The film shifts to their adventures there in the new world and there are plenty of them. Between duplicitous seamen and the locals unwilling to simply part with their treasures the lives of these three are not easy. Added to the mix is the fact that Catana has fallen hopelessly in love with Pedro while Juan has grown fond of her at the same time.Pedro deals with his past when confronted by Father Bartolome Romero (Thomas Gomez). When asked why he hasn't shown up to mass he confesses his past sins and the death of his nemesis De Silva. Father Romero forgives him of his sins and makes him promise to atone for them. Which becomes an issue when nearly a year later De Silva shows up to represent the king and as a guest of Cortez.Keep in mind these are the basics of the story going on here, the bones that flesh is wrapped around. The movie is filled with romance and adventure like many movies of the time offered. What makes the movie special is that it is all done with such skill. Every bit of the movie comes together to make the story come alive, especially the score by composer/conductor Alfred Newman. Power is at his best here and Peters makes it hard to believe that this was her first film.Twilight Time has released the film with the cleanest picture ever offered for this title. In addition to that they've thrown in a number of extras this time around including an isolated music track, an audio commentary track featuring film historians Rudy Behlmer, Jon Burlingame and Nick Redman, TYRONE POWER: THE LAST IDOL an episode of the old Biography series, TYRONE POWER AND HIS LEADING LADIES and the original theatrical trailer. Once more Twilight Time has limited this to just 3,000 copies to pick one up if you're a fan.

kols I usually don't review 40's and 50's Technicolor Blockbuster Star Vehicles, unless they really stand out for some reason. Captain from Castile does just that - the last scene, with Cortez assembling his forces for an assault on Tenochtitlan, begins mildly enough - a natural extension of the plot - but, as the forces begin marching and the pep talks start, the rails start shaking.First the Spanish Priest begins extorting his small congregation with classic American values: equality, the sanctity of the individual, etc. and then Cortez, well-played by Cesar Romero, suddenly jumps character and starts sounding like Lincoln at Gettysburg, as though his goal is to empower each and every one, both native and Spaniard, with their inalienable rights as human beings.What?!!!It's been a long, long time since I first saw Captain and I certainly didn't remember this final coda or the irony of characters based on some of the most barbaric citizens of the most hypocritical, top-down and dysfunctional Monarchy in Europe laying claim to 18th Century liberal humanistic values.I did remember it as a typically well done Technicolor extravaganza: Tyrone Power as an attractive hero navigating a culture antagonistic to his personal, innate humanistic values. Prince of Foxes and The Black Rose come to mind.In Captain, that conflict is downplayed in favor of 'Epic Scope' and Power's character actually seems to like and approve of Cortez as an admittedly greed-driven but basically decent good-guy whose heart is in the right place, once you get past his greed, genocidal tendencies and psychopathology.For most of the movie that actually works thanks to Romero's performance and the script's soft-soaping of Cortez's negative personality traits. But those last five minutes ...How in God's name could you even try to elevate Spain's or Cortez's trampling of the New World as a positive expression of liberal or humanistic values? That's where the one star comes from: the offensive and virtually obscene attempt to characterize someone like Cortez as a hero rather than the pathetic psychopath he and his fellows really were.Hollywood has always played fast and loose with (factual) history in favor of dramatic impact, The King's Speech being the latest of brilliant examples, but Captain from Castile's script is a script too far.

wes-connors Spain in the spring of 1518 finds dashing nobleman Tyrone Power (as Pedro de Vargas) helping an acquaintance on horseback find a runaway servant. Locating the man, Mr. Power discovers he is slave friend Jay Silverheels (as Coatl), who shows his back has red welts from being whipped. Moreover, his wicked master John Sutton (as Diego de Silva) is in charge of the Spanish Inquisition. Power becomes "persona non grata" with Mr. Sutton, to put it mildly. What happens to Power's little sister is shocking for a mainstream film seen by general audiences, even though the deed occurs off-screen...Power's allies include pretty Jean Peters (as Catana Perez), enterprising Lee J. Cobb (as Juan Garcia) and colonizing Cesar Romero (as Hernan Cortes). The action eventually moves to Mexico. It's nice to see stereotyped thug Marc Lawrence (as Corio) doing a good deed. The film is lavishly presented in Technicolor by director Henry King with his cinematographers Charles G. Clarke and Arthur E. Arling. Alfred Newman's terrific musical score was nominated for an "Oscar" and Ms. Peters' busty debut received a "Newcomer" nomination in the annual "Film Daily" poll. However, the story is wearisome.****** Captain from Castile (12/25/47) Henry King ~ Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Lee J. Cobb