The Crimson Pirate (1952)

Burt Lancaster plays a pirate with a taste for intrigue and acrobatics who involves himself in the goings on of a revolution in the Caribbean in the late 1700s. A light hearted adventure ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writer:

Roland Kibbee

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Nick Cravat, Eva Bartok

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Lancaster	...	Capt. Vallo (The Crimson Pirate)
Nick Cravat	...	Ojo
Eva Bartok	...	Consuelo
Torin Thatcher	...	Humble Bellows
James Hayter	...	Prof. Elihu Prudence
Leslie Bradley	...	Baron José Gruda
Margot Grahame	...	Bianca
Noel Purcell	...	Pablo Murphy
Frederick Leister	...	Sebastian
Eliot Makeham	...	Governor
Frank Pettingell	...	Colonel
Dana Wynter	...	La Signorita (as Dagmar Wynter)
Christopher Lee	...	Joseph - Military Attaché
Ewan Roberts	...	Claw Paw
John Chandos	...	Stub Ear

Storyline

Burt Lancaster plays a pirate with a taste for intrigue and acrobatics who involves himself in the goings on of a revolution in the Caribbean in the late 1700s. A light hearted adventure involving prison breaks, an oddball Scientist, sailing ships, naval fights, and tons of swordplay.

---

Plot Keywords:

pirate | caribbean | gun | scientist | baron | 

---

Taglines:

An astounding exhibition of daredevil deeds never before seen on the screen--and all filmed in the Mediterranean.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der rote Korsar

Filming Locations:

Bay of Naples, Naples, Campania, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$1,850,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In his autobiography, Christopher Lee claimed that Robert Siodmak changed the original screenplay: "The script started life as serious, nay solemn, but Robert Siodmak, the director, with all the sure touch of real tension behind him in "The Killers" and "The Spiral Staircase," took stock of the material in forty-eight hours and turned it into a comedy."

---

Goofs

When captain Vallo pulls a man overboard (at the beginning of the film), the man is wearing sailors' clothes, but when we see him fall into the water, he's wearing a uniform. Secondly, the man being pulled into the water is standing on the deck of the ship, but when we see him fall, he falls down from a mast.

---

Quotes

Vallo: Why did you bolt your cabin door last night?
Consuelo: If you knew it was bolted you must have tried it. If you tried it, you know why it was bolted.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Truman Show (1998)

User Reviews

Rousing, ridiculous fun

Once you suspend disbelief you can have a glorious time at this movie. The Technicolor looks fabulous on DVD, Burt Lancaster is an Adonis if ever there were, and there's silly fun to spare all around, from the striped tights to the giddy pitched battles and doofus redcoats to the springy Cravat.

You can easily see Spielberg and George Lucas learning their pacing and craft from this director, as well as outlandish stunts and fantastical conceits. You can't help but get caught up in it.

Not only that, those two kisses shared by Burt 'n Eva are HOT. Yumm.

For contrast, view Lancaster in Sweet Smell Of Success. Utter control.