The Pirate Movie (1982)

The crew of a large ship sail the high seas encountering other pirates from other ships. The boy from the ship end up having saves his girlfriend who is kidnapped by a bunch of other pirates.

Director:

Ken Annakin

Writers:

William S. Gilbert (operetta), Trevor Farrant

Stars:

Kristy McNichol, Christopher Atkins, Ted Hamilton

3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristy McNichol	...	Mabel
Christopher Atkins	...	Frederic
Ted Hamilton	...	Pirate King
Bill Kerr	...	Major General
Maggie Kirkpatrick	...	Ruth
Garry McDonald	...	Sergeant / Inspector
Chuck McKinney	...	Samuel
Marc Colombani	...	Dwarf Pirate
Linda Nagle	...	Aphrodite
Kate Ferguson	...	Edith
Rhonda Burchmore	...	Kate
Cathrine Lynch	...	Isabel
John Alansu	...	Chinese Captain (as John Allansu)
Paul Graham	...	Pirate
Bernard Ledger	...	Pirate

Storyline

A parody/homage to Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, The Pirate Movie is a comedy/musical utilizing both new songs and parodies from the original, as well as references to popular films of the time, including Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. In your typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy fights girl with swords plot, the story revolves around Mabel, the youngest of Maj. Gen. Stanley's many daughters, and Frederic, an ex-Pirate of Penzance. They fall in love and proceed to retrieve the Stanley's fortune from the Pirates (stolen 20 years ago). The Pirate King informs Frederic that due to him being born on Feb. 29th (during a leap year), Frederic is still technically the King's apprentice. Frederic must then decide between duty and honor, the only good qualities the King taught him, and true love.

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Plot Keywords:

pirate | boy | ship | girl | song | 

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Taglines:

Set sail for the musical comedy adventure of the summer!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Film o piratach

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Joseph Hamilton International Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Actress Maggie Kirkpatrick replaced Jill Perryman.

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Goofs

In the scene with Mabel and Frederic stripping before swimming out to the pirates' ship, Frederic is seen taking his shirt completely off. But in the following shot, his shirt is still half-way on.

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Quotes

Mabel: You'll be hung!
The Pirate King: Oh I am, I am, and very well thank you.

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Connections

Version of The Pirates of Penzance (1985)

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Soundtracks

"Happy Ending"
Performed by chorus

User Reviews

Wacky version of G&S operetta

Cuties Chris Atkins and Kristy McNichol, he of the blonde curls and she of the blonde curls, star in this wacky version of the old chestnut, Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan.

Atkins plays Frederic the boy pirate who falls for McNichol's Mabel. He was 21 at the time, two years after starring in Blue Lagoon, yet he retained the perennial look of a fifteen year old teenager. McNichol was a famous star at the time, but this is her first role as a femme fatale, not as a tomboy.

This movie could be a musical version of Blue Lagoon. See Atkins and McNichol cavorting in the skimpiest of costumes designed to show their pretty legs and other bits. Surprise, both of these two cuties can sing, and even dance a bit!

The story is too well know to bear repeating. But there are a couple of wacky twists, in the best tradition of the British music halls. Except this movie is an Australian production!

Of course we get the model of the modern major-general (Bill Kerr) with his famous solo song. But we also get a light sabre from Star Wars. We get Inspector Closeau from Pink Panther with a hilarious word play on "pirate" and "parrot". We get a bit of Indiana Jones. And the stars make those asides which are British music hall tradition, stopping in mid-scene to address the audience.

There's lots of double entendre jokes, again another British music hall tradition, where simple words are used with a possible vulgar or sexual meaning. See Frederic at the mercy of the pirate's sword say "nuts". To which the pirate points his sword at Frederic's boy treasures and says "But you'd still have one left".

A jolly good movie. One for a cold winter's evening to warm the heart. Even the old Victorians would approve of this one.