Cutthroat Island (1995)

A female pirate and her companion race against their rivals to find a hidden island that contains a fabulous treasure.

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Michael Frost Beckner (story), James Gorman (story),

Stars:

Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, Frank Langella

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Geena Davis	...	Morgan
Matthew Modine	...	Shaw
Frank Langella	...	Dawg
Maury Chaykin	...	John Reed
Patrick Malahide	...	Ainslee
Stan Shaw	...	Glasspoole
Rex Linn	...	Mr. Blair
Paul Dillon	...	Snelgrave
Christopher Masterson	...	Bowen (as Chris Masterson)
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Scully
Harris Yulin	...	Black Harry
Carl Chase	...	Bishop
Peter Geeves	...	Fiddler Pirate
Angus Wright	...	Captain Trotter
Ken Bones	...	Toussant

Storyline

Morgan Adams and her slave, William Shaw, are on a quest to recover the three portions of a treasure map. Unfortunately, the final portion is held by her murderous uncle, Dawg. Her crew is skeptical of her leadership abilities, so she must complete her quest before they mutiny against her. This is made yet more difficult by the efforts of the British crown to end her piratical raids.

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Plot Keywords:

treasure | pirate | slave | pirate ship | swashbuckler | 

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Taglines:

The Course Has Been Set. There Is No Turning Back. Prepare Your Weapons. Summon Your Courage. Discover the Adventure of a Lifetime!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong pirate action/violence and brief sensuality

Details

Country:

USA France Italy Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

La pirata

Filming Locations:

Malta

Box Office

Budget:

$98,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$11,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beckner/Gorman Productions, Canal+, Carolco Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Murcell's last feature film.

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Goofs

As earlier, at the commencement of the final ship-to-ship battle between the two ships, though they are both sailing at relatively high speed, with one rapidly approaching the other, at the moment firing commences, it is clear that they are both standing completely still, as if at anchor.

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Quotes

Morgan: Give me the map.
William: Give me... a kiss first.

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Connections

Referenced in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

User Reviews

A Femme Fatale Swashbuckler!

Who says women can't be good pirates? Being a woman certainly doesn't stop Morgan Adams (Geena Davis) from plundering and "manning" the high seas. Sure, she's a bit incredible at first, but this movie is more about the classic treasure-hunt adventures of Robert Louis Stevenson than any life realities. Just look at the success of Pirates of the Caribbean! At least this movie is far more realistic than that, without any curses and such and...sadly, without the prizewinning role played by Depp.

Davis does manage to lend credence to the part of a strong woman who still maintains some rules and beliefs in her pirating. She is the daughter of a pirate captain. Her father is murdered by her uncle, Dawg (Frank Langella), in his search for a mysterious treasure. Apparently, several of the family members each carried a piece of the map to this treasure but none of them wanted to share it and thus, it has remained unfound. Morgan begins a journey to get that which is rightfully her's and her shipmates, all while being pursued by the British navy, her uncle, and amorously pursued by a professional thief, William Shaw (Matthew Modine). Cutthroat Island is a new tale of a pirate classic! 8/10