Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)

A seductive woman falls in love with a mysterious ship's captain.

Director:

Albert Lewin

Writers:

Albert Lewin (story and screenplay), Omar Khayyam (quotation)

Stars:

James Mason, Ava Gardner, Nigel Patrick

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Mason	...	Hendrik van der Zee
Ava Gardner	...	Pandora Reynolds
Nigel Patrick	...	Stephen Cameron
Sheila Sim	...	Janet
Harold Warrender	...	Geoffrey Fielding
Mario Cabré	...	Juan Montalvo
Marius Goring	...	Reggie Demarest
John Laurie	...	Angus
Pamela Mason	...	Jenny (as Pamela Kellino)
Patricia Raine	...	Peggy
Margarita D'Alvarez	...	Senora Montalvo
La Pillina	...	Spanish dancer
Abraham Sofaer	...	Judge
Francisco Igual	...	Vicente
Guillermo Beltrán	...	Barman

Storyline

Albert Lewin's interpretation of the legend of the Flying Dutchman. In a little Spanish seaport named Esperanza, during the 30s, appears Hendrick van der Zee, the mysterious captain of a yacht (he is the only one aboard). Pandora is a beautiful woman (who men kill and die for). She's never really fallen in love with any man, but she feels very attracted to Hendrick... We are soon taught that Hendrick is the Flying Dutchman, this sailor of the 17th century that has been cursed by God to wander over the seas until the Doomsday... unless a woman is ready to die for him...

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Plot Keywords:

ghost ship | flying dutchman | bullfighter | return from dead | self sacrifice | 

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Taglines:

The Loves of Pandora in Flaming TECHNICOLOR!

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

15 October 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pandora

Filming Locations:

Pendine Sands, Carmarthen Bay, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dorkay Productions,Romulus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The tavern "Las Dos Tortugas" shares the same name (but in a different language) as the tavern "The Two Turtles" in Albert Lewin's earlier The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945).

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Goofs

When Hendrik begins reading the diary the desk lamp is on his right but when Geoffery turns it on it is on Hendrik's left. No one has moved it in the mean time.

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Quotes

Hendrik: Pandora was the first woman, the Eve of Greek legend, who's curiosity cost us our earthly paradise.
[referring to his painting]
Hendrik: I was wrong to portray her as a particular woman - no matter how beautiful. Pandora should appear as woman in the abstract. Bride and mother. The original, generic, egghead, from which we can imagine the whole human race to have been hatched.

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Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une histoire seule (1989)

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Soundtracks

How Am I to Know?
(uncredited)
Music by Jack King
Lyrics by Dorothy Parker
Sung by Ava Gardner

User Reviews

I saw this movie in 1952 when I was 17

I was an usher in the Paramount Theater in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania when this film came out. That's when ushers were ushers! I must have seen the picture 30 times while working. The picture was not popular at the time -- and I had a heck of a time understanding it. But I do remember being fascinated by the scenery. The film was initially promoted as "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman" -- but when it came to the Paramount, they changed the name to "The Loves of Pandora". I have no clue why that change was made -- but I remember that the revised title as it appeared on the screen was sort of "home made" and not of the quality of a new film. Were they experimenting with changing the name to get more patrons? I have not read anything about this anywhere on the internet. I have always been curious about this picture and intend to rent it to see it now that I'm 75 years old and may understand it at this stage of my life -- a full 58 years after seeing it at the Paramount.