Prince of Pirates (1953)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Sidney Salkow

Writers:

John O'Dea (screenplay) and
Samuel Newman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 March 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Tagline:

Tyranny drove him to piracy!

Plot:

In a 16th century kingdom in the Netherlands, the newly crowned King Stephan concludes a secret treaty with the Spanish...

Plot Keywords:

Netherlands | King | Secret Treaty | Prince | Beautiful Woman

Cast

John Derek	...	Prince Roland
Barbara Rush	...	Countess Nita Orde
Carla Balenda	...	Princess Maria
Whitfield Connor	...	King Stephan
Edgar Barrier	...	Count Blanco
Robert Shayne	...	Prime Minister Treeg
Harry Lauter	...	Jan
Don C. Harvey	...	Koepke (as Don Harvey)
Henry Rowland	...	Greb
Glase Lohman	...	Brenner
Gene Roth	...	Captain Brock
Bob Peoples	...	Carl
Sandy Sanders	...	Meyers

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #15821) | Sweden:15

Company:

Esskay Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

An abundance of stock Technicolor footage from earlier films, particularly Joan of Arc (1948), is used to advantage, but some scratched black and white clips from a much earlier and unidentifiable film give the game away.

Quotes:

Prime Minister Treeg: You majesty, we've found Prince Roland's hideout. I've sent enough soldiers to make sure of his capture this time.
King Stephan: I want more than his capture. Have horses saddled for us.
Prime Minister Treeg: Yes, your majesty.
King Stephan: [to Princess Maria] I am personally going to remove the cause of your headaches.

Movie Connections:

Features Joan of Arc (1948)

It's A SwashBuckler???

Another film that proves that COLUMBIA PICTURES at that time could take any genre and reduce it to it's lowest common denominator. By skimping on Actors, Budget, Costuming, ScreenPlay, Special Visual Effects and whatever else it takes to make a interesting movie COLUMBIA will succeed in failing! The film features its star of low budget action for the early 1950s' JOHN DEREK (Mr. Bo). It is also polluted with the usual cast of has-beens who have either seen better days or none at all. Like HARRY LAUTER, GENE ROTH and ROBERT SHAYNE. BARBARA RUSH the female lead has no chance of showing off her competent acting ability or physical grace. No doubt wishing she was back at PARAMOUNT.

The NUTS; In the 16th Century France and its allie Haagen are at war with Spain. Count Roland (DEREK) must return to Haagen after death of his Father the King. New King Stephan (WHITFIELD CONNER) and his stooge, Prime Minister Treeg (ROBERT SHAYNE) wish to pull a fast one betraying the French alliance and help Spain rape Europe. Aided by loyal sidekick Jan (HARRY LAUTER) and main squeeze Countess Nita Orde (BARBARA RUSH) Count Roland has just eighty (80) minutes to save the day and win the girl. How will he do it and will he? You bet and in the most tedious fashion allowed on the SILVER SCREEN!

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES (TCM) seems to be the latest depository of these alleged triumphs from COLUMBIA PICTURES. Remember for every FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) during this period there are twenty (20) PRINCE OF PIRATES (1953).