Captain Kidd (1945)

Director:

Rowland V. Lee

Writers:

Norman Reilly Raine (screenplay)
Robert N. Lee (original story)

Release Date:

1946 (Austria)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

Adventure on the high seas!

Plot:

The unhistorical adventures of pirate Captain Kidd revolve around treasure and treachery.

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | King | Execution | Dinner Party | Daughter

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Charles Laughton	...	Capt. William Kidd
Randolph Scott	...	Adam Mercy / Adam Blayne
Barbara Britton	...	Lady Anne Dunstan
John Carradine	...	Orange Povey
Gilbert Roland	...	Jose Lorenzo
John Qualen	...	Bart Blivens
Sheldon Leonard	...	Cyprian Boyle
William Farnum	...	Capt. Rawson
Henry Daniell	...	King William III
Reginald Owen	...	Cary Shadwell
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Abner Biberman	...	Theodore Blades (uncredited)
Clifford Brooke	...	(uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Newgate Prison Warder (uncredited)
James Dime	...	Pirate (uncredited)
Lumsden Hare	...	Lord Fallsworth (uncredited)
Al Hill	...	Peter Sharfstone (uncredited)
Keith Hitchcock	...	(uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Ship's Sailor Waiter (uncredited)
Edgar Norton	...	Nobleman with King William III (uncredited)
Reginald Sheffield	...	Captain of the King's Guard (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Michael O'Shawn (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Nobleman with King William III (uncredited)
Frederick Worlock	...	Newgate Prison Governor Landers (uncredited)

Directed by
Rowland V. Lee

Writing credits
Norman Reilly Raine		(screenplay)
Robert N. Lee		(original story)

Produced by
Benedict Bogeaus	....	producer
James Nasser	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Werner Janssen

Cinematography by
Archie Stout

Art Direction by
Charles Odds

Set Decoration by
Maurice Yates

Costume Design by
Greta

Makeup Department
Al Greenway	....	makeup artist (as Albert Greenway)
Scotty Rackin	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Depew	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Frank Webster	....	sound technician
Joseph I. Kane	....	re-recording and effects mixer (uncredited)
Edward Nelson	....	re-recording and effects mixer (uncredited)
Jack Noyes	....	re-recording and effects mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lee Zavitz	....	special effects
Barney Wolff	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Howard A. Anderson	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Howard A. Anderson	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)
Tom Lawless	....	miniatures builder (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Guy Roe	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
James Smith	....	supervising editor

Music Department
David Chudnow	....	music supervisor
Werner Janssen	....	conductor
William A. Wilmarth	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Carley Harriman	....	assistant to producer
Arthur M. Landau	....	production associate

Production Companies

• Benedict Bogeaus Production (as Miracle Productions)
• Captain Kidd Productions Inc.

Distributors

• United Artists (1945) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Lippert Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Platinum Disc (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Roan Group, The (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Marengo Films (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• BFS Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Les Artistes Associés (1946) (France) (theatrical)
• FilmAnnex (2006) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• Janssen Symphony Orchestra  music played by
• The House of Westmore  makeup

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl | Canada:G (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #10830)

Company:

Benedict Bogeaus Production

Trivia:

Four years before this movie was made, Charles Laughton co-starred in It Started with Eve (1941), In that film, Laughton's character, Jonathan Reynolds Sr., is said to have been born two centuries too late. The assistant newspaper editor comments that he could have been "Captain Kidd himself".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lady Anne drops her bag before leaving the treasure ship, it is returned to her right hand. In the next longer shot, the bag is now in her left hand.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Capt. William Kidd:Stab me, there's a pretty sight!
Orange Povey:It'll be prettier still when the fire reaches the magazine, Captain.
Cyprian Boyle:Pity though. Lots of stout seamen among 'em. They've been with us a long time.
Capt. William Kidd:We can none of live forever, Mr. Boyle. Dead men don't talk.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Lords of Salem (2012)

Soundtrack:

Rule Britannia

Magnificent story

I've been a fan of Randolph Scott for some time. Even though it's easy to predict the outcome in most of his movies, I find them extremely entertaining and sometimes thrilling. This is not an exception.

Charles Laughton (as Captain Kidd himself), Randolph Scott (as Adam Mercy) and actually John Carradine (Orange Povey) all three performs in this exciting movie about Captain Kidd and his adventure around Madagaskar in the sixteen hundreds. The acting is great and the script is stunning. This film would not be as good as it is without Laughton who is absolutely brilliant as Mr Kidd.

Of course in black and white but that doesn't matter! It's very very nicely done and truly great acting! See it!