clanciai
Cecil B. DeMille's last film (directed by his son-in-law Anthony Quinn, his only film) is a lavish and colourful feast for the eye all the way with some excellent acting by Yul Brynner himself (with hair on for once), Charles Boyer as a pathetic relict of the Napoleon grandeur, Claire Bloom as a wild cat of a pirate's daughter gradually emerging as the only real woman, while Inger Stevens is more like a Barbie doll, E.G.Marshall treading carefully as the governor of New Orleans and many others, but the great story and drama gets somehow obfuscated in the sumptuous and generous mass scenes in splendid Technicolour, every scene making out an impressing image, a typical trait of Cecil B. DeMille, and with glorious fights and fisticuffs in between - the every day life of the pirates of Jean Lafitte is almost the most memorable part of the film. Charlton Heston is a bit exaggerated as old Hickory Andrew Jackson but makes a great impression also.The main thing is the drama, though, which gets a bit muddled up in all the great battle and crowd scenes. It's a tragedy, and does Jean Lafitte really have to take the responsibility for Captain Brown's plunder and sinking of the 'Corinthian'? Whether he had to stand for this crime or not, that's what makes the drama and the tragedy, which nevertheless is saved for a satisfactory end by Claire Bloom as Bonnie Brown, who gets the ultimate victory as a woman and definitely saves the show.
adrianeverett74
During the whole Pirates of The Caribbean Trilogy Craze Paramount Pictures really dropped the ball in restoring this Anthony Quinn directed Cecil B. DeMille supervised movie and getting it on DVD and Blu Ray with all the extras included. It is obvious to me that Paramount Pictures Execs are blind as bats and ignorant of the fact that they have a really good pirate movie in their vault about a real pirate who actually lived in New Orleans, Louisiana which would have helped make The Crescent City once again famous for it's Pirate Connections. When the Execs at Paramount finally get with the program and release this movie in digital format then I will be a happy camper. Paramount Pictures it is up to you to get off your duff and get this film restored now !
johno-21
I always enjoyed watching this when it came on television during prime-time every year in the 60's. It's a typical Hollywood history epic, dramatized, stylized and full of inaccuracies but so what, it's an entertaining movie and a good looking film. Cecil B. DeMille at the end of his life is the executive producer of this remake of his 1938 film. His son-in-law actor Anthony Quinn who had the supporting role of Beluche in the '38 film is the director in his directorial debut and swan song as he had never directed a film before and never would again. DeMille assembled a crew who had recently worked on his 10 Commandments to help Quinn pull it off including longtime DeMille associate producer/actor Henry Wilcoxon overseeing the project. Also from the 10 Commandments are screenwriter Jesse Lasky, cinematographer Loyalk Griggs, assistant director Francisco Day, 2nd unit director Arthur Rosson, art directors Walter Tyler and Hal Pereira, set directors Sam Comer and Ray Moyer, costume designers Edith Head, John Jensen and Ralph Lester who as a costume design team received The Buccaneer's only Oscar nomination. A great cast here from team DeMille headed up by Yul Brynner as pirate Jean Lafitte and Charleton Heston as future President General Andrew Jackson. Also in the cast are Charles Boyer, E.G. Marshall, Lorne Greene, Claire Bloom and Inger Stevens. At just over two hours it drags in some spots but makes up for it with some excellent battle scenes. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10.
NOTACLERK1
I am afraid it was a movie that you have to ACTUALLY WATCH to get anything out of it.I t is not a mindless movie like ....."LEATHAL WEAPON PART 58" you know the one where Riggs is really crazy? it is not a movie that is pretty much the same at the end as it is a the beginning. you can run everywhere talk on the phone do what ever and enjoy it in any way.I have noticed in the past that most people that do not like this type of movie are the type that will do most anything but watch a movie and then slam it because .....duh they don't get it or understand it or what happened.DON'T LET YOUR DOGGY TAKE A SHOWER!!!
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