The Masked Pirate (1949)
"I pirati di Capri" (original title)

A group of men calling themselves 'The Pirates of Capri", headed by Captain Sirroco, who is really Count Amalfi, are trying to restore freedom to the people of Naples in 1779. The Queen is ... See full summary »

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Giorgio Moser (story), Golfiero Colonna (story),

Stars:

Louis Hayward, Binnie Barnes, Mariella Lotti

Cast

Credited cast:
Louis Hayward	...	Count di Amalfi, alias Capt. Sirocco
Binnie Barnes	...	Queen Carolina Maria
Mariella Lotti	...	Countess Mercedes de Lopez
Massimo Serato	...	Baron von Holstein (as Rudolph Serato)
Alan Curtis	...	Commodore Van Diel
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Pepino (as Michael Rasumny)
Virginia Belmont	...	Annette
Franca Marzi	...	Carla
William Tubbs	...	Pignatelli
Alberto Califano	...	Officer
Mario Auritano	...	Officer
Eric Culton	...	Officer
Michel Sorel	...	Nicolo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Morena	...	Zia Anastasia (as Toni Morena)
Erminio Spalla

Storyline

A group of men calling themselves 'The Pirates of Capri", headed by Captain Sirroco, who is really Count Amalfi, are trying to restore freedom to the people of Naples in 1779. The Queen is advised of the pirate's assault of a member of her court and she seeks to escape to Palermo. But, she is advised it would be good politics for her to attend a ball Amalfi is giving for his fiancée, Mercedes, who is unaware of the dual role Amalfi is playing.

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Plot Keywords:

pirate | freedom | capri | queen | dual role | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Action | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Captain Sirocco

Filming Locations:

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

AFA, Industrie Cinematografiche Sociali (ICS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Zwischen Kino und Konzert - Der Komponist Nino Rota (1993)

User Reviews

Well-made but unexceptional B movie

The Pirates of Capri is a cheaply made B movie shot on location in Italy. Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer who, a few years earlier had made Detour, the quintessential B movie, it is probably better than you might expect, although hampered by a treatment too short on action.

Louis Hayward plays Captain Sirocco, the Zorro-like champion of the downtrodden peasants and defender of the Queen Carolina (Binnie Barnes), the sister of Marie Antoinette, who is kept ignorant of her people's treatment by the evil Baron von Holstein (Rudolph Serato) and who is so fearful of suffering the same fate as her sister that just the mere mention of the word 'people' sends her into something of a tizzy.

Like Zorro, Captain Sirocco leads a double life. Not only is he the fearless do-gooder intent on bringing down the evil Baron, he is also the outrageously foppish Count di Amalfi, a member of the Queen's court who delights in baiting the Baron. Serato makes a fine villain with his sculpted beard and mistrusting gaze, but Hayward's effete portrayal, while no doubt exactly what was required of him, quickly grows tiresome.

Ulmer's direction is interesting throughout, and Anchise Brizzi's cinematography is exceptional for such a low budget feature.