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IMDbPro

Pirates

  • 19861986
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
8.8K
YOUR RATING
Pirates (1986)
The adventures of pirate Captain Red and his first mate Frog.
Play trailer1:29
1 Video
66 Photos
ActionAdventureComedy
The adventures of pirate Captain Red and his first mate Frog.The adventures of pirate Captain Red and his first mate Frog.The adventures of pirate Captain Red and his first mate Frog.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
8.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • John Brownjohn(screenplay collaboration)
    • Gérard Brach
    • Roman Polanski
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau
    • Cris Campion
    • Damien Thomas
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • John Brownjohn(screenplay collaboration)
    • Gérard Brach
    • Roman Polanski
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau
    • Cris Campion
    • Damien Thomas
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
    • 32Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:29
    Watch Trailer

    Photos66

    Walter Matthau and Cris Campion in Pirates (1986)
    Charlotte Lewis and Anthony Dawson in Pirates (1986)
    Roman Polanski in Pirates (1986)
    Walter Matthau and Roman Polanski in Pirates (1986)
    Walter Matthau in Pirates (1986)
    Cris Campion in Pirates (1986)
    Pirates (1986)
    Walter Matthau in Pirates (1986)
    Walter Matthau in Pirates (1986)
    Pirates (1986)
    Pirates (1986)
    Pirates (1986)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Walter Matthau
    Walter Matthau
    • Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red
    Cris Campion
    Cris Campion
    • The Frog - Jean-Baptiste
    Damien Thomas
    Damien Thomas
    • Don Alfonso de la Torré
    Olu Jacobs
    • Boomako
    Ferdy Mayne
    Ferdy Mayne
    • Captain Linares
    David Kelly
    David Kelly
    • Surgeon
    Tony Peck
    Tony Peck
    • Spanish Officer
    • (as Anthony Peck)
    Anthony Dawson
    Anthony Dawson
    • Spanish Officer
    Richard Dieux
    • Spanish Officer
    Jacques Maury
    • Spanish Officer
    José Santamaría
    • Master at Arms
    • (as Jose Santamaria)
    Robert Dorning
    • Commander of Marines
    Luc Jamati
    • Pepito Gonzalez
    Emilio Fernandez
    • Angelito
    Wladyslaw Komar
    Wladyslaw Komar
    • Jesus
    • (as Wladislaw Komar)
    Georges Trillat
    • Pockmarked Sailor
    Richard Pearson
    Richard Pearson
    • Padre
    Charlotte Lewis
    Charlotte Lewis
    • María-Dolores de la Jenya de la Calde
    • Director
      • Roman Polanski
    • Writers
      • John Brownjohn(screenplay collaboration)
      • Gérard Brach
      • Roman Polanski
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The movie was the Opening Night Film at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival (where it was screened out of competition). To promote the film, Roman Polanski had the ship "Neptune" sail into the Cannes harbor on the festival's opening day, with all the movie's stars on deck in their pirate costumes. But after Pirates (1986) died at the box office, the "Neptune" remained in Cannes for 16 years, anchored next to a stone jetty in the harbor, because no one was sure what to do with it. In 2002, it was finally moved to Genoa, Italy, where it is now a floating museum in the city's port, near the "Molo Veccio" ("Old Pier").
    • Goofs
      When Jean-Baptiste escapes the shark at the beginning of the film, it is quite visible that the "shark" is just a fin in the water.
    • Quotes

      The Frog - Jean-Baptiste: Gold would be your ruin, Captain. It would cost us our heads.

      Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red: It's easier to live without a head than without gold, you numbskull!

      The Frog - Jean-Baptiste: I fight for hatred of the spanish! I fight for glory; not gold.

      Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red: Man fights for what he lacks the most!

    • Alternate versions
      16 secs were cut from the UK theatrical version by the BBFC and the 1987 Warner video was pre-cut by 1 min 30 secs with edits to the attempted rape of María-Dolores in order for the film to receive a PG certificate. The uncut version was released in 1996 with a "15" certificate.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Vamp/Pirates/Aliens/A Great Wall (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      The Maid of Amsterdam (A-Rovin')
      (uncredited)
      Traditional sea shanty
      Performed by Walter Matthau and crew

    User reviews58

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Matthau is Superb! One of Polanskis most underestimated movie.
    Watch this movie. Walther Matthaus acting is quite superb. People are talking about Pirates of the Carribean these days, and Depps performance, which is also quite funny but it is my opinion that Matthau personifies that which Depp (tries to) plays in PotC. Matthau is the perfect old-school pirate drunkard and simply hilarious. As an extra notable performance is Frog (Cris Campion) playing a french retard which falls in love with the fair Maria-Dolores. This Polanski film is a gem. I cant call it the best pirate movie ever made because i haven't seen them all, but i can tell you that its the best I've seen yet, and i suspect that it will stay that way. Its just a shame that it never got the credits that it deserved.

    Pöetzsch
    helpful•48
    16
    • rickihogaard
    • May 31, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 18, 1986 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Tunisia
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Roman Polanski's Pirates
    • Filming locations
      • Malta
    • Production companies
      • Carthago Films S.a.r.l.
      • Accent Films
      • Cominco
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $40,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,641,825
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,035,447
      • Jul 20, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,641,825
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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