The Buccaneer (1958)

During the War of 1812 against Britain: General Andrew Jackson has only 1,200 men left to defend New Orleans when he learns that a British fleet will arrive with 60 ships and 16,000 men to ... See full summary »

Director:

Anthony Quinn

Writers:

Harold Lamb, Jesse Lasky Jr.,

Stars:

Yul Brynner, Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yul Brynner	...	Jean Lafitte
Claire Bloom	...	Bonnie Brown
Charles Boyer	...	Dominique You
Inger Stevens	...	Annette Claiborne
Henry Hull	...	Ezra Peavey
E.G. Marshall	...	Gov. William Claiborne
Charlton Heston	...	Gen. Andrew Jackson
Lorne Greene	...	Mercier
Ted de Corsia	...	Capt. Rumbo
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Collector of the Port
Robert F. Simon	...	Capt. Brown
Sir Lancelot	...	Scipio
Fran Jeffries	...	Cariba - Mawbee Girl
John Dierkes	...	Deacon
Ken Miller	...	Young Sentry

Storyline

During the War of 1812 against Britain: General Andrew Jackson has only 1,200 men left to defend New Orleans when he learns that a British fleet will arrive with 60 ships and 16,000 men to take the city. In this situation an island near the city becomes strategically important to both parties, but it's inhabited by the last big buccaneer: Jean Lafitte. Although Lafitte never attacks American ships, the governor hates him for selling merchandise without taxes - and is loved by the citizens for the same reason. When the big fight gets nearer, Lafitte is drawn between the fronts. His heart belongs to America, but his people urge him to join the party that's more likely to win.

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Plot Keywords:

war of 1812 | pirate | u.s. president | remake | based on novel

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Taglines:

Piercing Drama of La Fitte - Man or Devil ?

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 December 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

A kalóz

Filming Locations:

New Iberia, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There was a "Dominic Yu" in Lafitte's band of pirates, but modern research suggests "Yu" was actually an alias for Alexandre Lafitte, Jean's older brother, from whom he learned the buccaneer's trade.

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Quotes

Jean Lafitte: [Frowning] Annette, you are the governor's daughter. Think what would happen if you were found here, in the arms of a pirate!
Annette Claiborne: [Breathless] Don't ask me to think, Jean. Kiss me instead!

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Connections

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000)

User Reviews

It's not history, but it's great fun!

Sure, the history in this movie was "Hollywoodized"--but it's far from being the only bit of history rewritten for the masses. Lafitte sided with the Americans because he considered himself a Frenchman and therefore hated the British, not because of any sense of patriotism for a nation that had taken over New Orleans only a short time ago; he broke his agreement and returned to smuggling, which caused his sailing to Galveston; he was more of a petty criminal and scoundrel than a hero *or* a swashbuckler. But who cares? This is one movie that's sheer entertainment--and face it, we all wanted Jean to go for the feisty wench rather than the prudish daughter of the governor. Brynner once again rises over mediocre writing to give a fascinating performance.