The Pirate (1948)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Albert Hackett (screenplay) and
Frances Goodrich (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 June 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The great MGM musical romance

Plot:

A girl is engaged to the local richman, but meanwhile she has dreams about the legendary pirate Macoco...

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | Tightrope | Caribbean | Clown | Slapstick

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Manuela
Gene Kelly	...	Serafin
Walter Slezak	...	Don Pedro Vargas
Gladys Cooper	...	Aunt Inez
Reginald Owen	...	The Advocate
George Zucco	...	The Viceroy
Fayard Nicholas	...	Specialty Dancer (as The Nicholas Brothers)
Harold Nicholas	...	Specialty Dancer (as The Nicholas Brothers)
Lester Allen	...	Uncle Capucho
Lola Deem	...	Isabella
Ellen Ross	...	Mercedes
Mary Jo Ellis	...	Lizarda
Jean Dean	...	Casilda
Marion Murray	...	Eloise
Ben Lessy	...	Gumbo

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #12034) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The film was a major financial bust upon release, eventually losing $2 million for MGM.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Gene Kelly first shouts 'MACOCO' during the fight with Don Pedro, his mouth is wide open but he never moves it to make the third syllable of the word.

Quotes:

Manuela: Why, it would mean the ruination of my complete life!

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Soundtrack:

Be a Clown

The Loveliness of the MGM Sound Stage

SEE THE LOVELINESS OF THE CARIBBEAN trumpets the trailer for this movie - a little misleading as the entire movie is clearly set-bound. Having said that, THE PIRATE is a typically colourful and exuberant MGM musical from a time when MGM were undisputed masters of the genre.

It's surprising, therefore, to learn that this movie actually made a loss upon it's release, recouping only about two-thirds of it's budget. While it isn't the most memorable of musicals, the quality of THE PIRATE's numbers and performances is certainly good enough to have deserved better commercial success.

Gene Kelly, at his peak, is an awesome spectacle: graceful and agile, he bounds around the screen, upstaging all others, relentlessly striking poses designed to accentuate the strength and definition of his form. In contrast, Judy Garland, while delivering a creditable performance and belting out her numbers with gusto, looks small and frail. Kelly's powerful physique emphasises Garland's fragility, slightly undermining the undeniable chemistry between the pair.

The story is the usual fluff designed to link the musical set-pieces and, by that measure, serves it's purpose well. Slezak turns in an enjoyable performance as a sleazy mayor with designs on Garland, and Gladys Cooper is as reliable as ever as Garland's elderly aunt.