MOVIES - PIRATES 1953

• Botany Bay (1953)

• Capitan Fantasma [aka Captain Phantom] (1953)

• Captain Scarlett (1953)

• Fair Wind to Java (1953)

• Great Adventures of Captain Kidd, The (1953)

• Master of Ballantrae, The (1953)

• Peter Pan (1953)

• Port Sinister (1953)

• Prince of Pirates (1953)

• Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953)

• Sea Devils (1953)

• Tesoro del Bengala, Il [aka Treasure of Bengal, The] (1953)

Botany Bay (1953)

Director: John Farrow

Writers: Jonathan Latimer (screenplay), Charles Nordhoff (novel) and James Norman Hall (novel)

Cast: Alan Ladd [Hugh Tallant], James Mason [Capt. Paul Gilbert], Patricia Medina [Sally Munroe], Cedric Hardwicke [Gov. Phillip, as Sir Cedric Hardwicke], Murray Matheson [Rev. Mortimer Thynne], Dorothy Patten [Mrs. Nellie Garth], John Hardy [Nat Garth], Hugh Pryse [Ned Inching], Malcolm Lee Beggs [Nick Sabb], Anita Sharp-Bolster [Moll Cudlip, as Anita Bolster], Jonathan Harris [Tom Oakly], Alec Harford [Brig-keeper Jenkins], Noel Drayton [Second Mate Spencer], Brandon Toomey [Guard, as Brendan Toomey], Ben Wright [Deck Officer Green]

Storyline: In 1787 prisoners from London's Newgate Gaol are to be shipped to New South Wales. Framed for robbery, 18th century medical student Alan Ladd is sentenced to a New South Wales penal colony. En route to the prison, Ladd is tormented by sadistic ship's captain James Mason, while Mason's beloved Patricia Medina takes a fancy to the new prisoner. Once at the colony, Ladd is befriended by governor Sir Cedric Hardwicke, since the populace is in desperate need of a qualified physician. Mason's efforts to continue persecuting Ladd are foiled when Mason is killed by a group of disgruntled aborigines. Though it sounds a lot like Captain Blood, Botany Bay was based on a novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame).

[93 min - Adventure | Drama | Romance - Color (Technicolor) - English - USA - Paramount Pictures]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitan Fantasma [aka Captain Phantom] (1953) 
Director: Primo Zeglio
Writers: Gino De Santis (screenplay and story), Agenore Incrocci (screenplay, as Age), Age Scarpelli (screenplay) and Primo Zeglio (screenplay)
Cast: Frank Latimore [Miguel, Duke of Canabil], Anna-Maria Sandri [Consuelo], Maxwell Reed [Don Inigo da Costa], Katina Ranieri [La cantante Amparo, as Katyna Ranieri], Juan de Landa [Carlos, as Ivan De Landa], Paola Barbara [Soledad], Tino Buazzelli [Damian Pinto], Mario Carotenuto [The sailor], Gianni Cavalieri [The doctor], Sergio Fantoni [Officer in second], Fedele Gentile, Carlo Tamberlani, Cesare Fantoni, Mario Feliciani, Aldo Giuffrè
Storyline: In the early 1800's the Spanish regiments are celebrating their victory over the French Legions of Bonaparte. In the midst of the celebration, Miguel, Duke of Canabil, is summoned to his commander's quarters and given the news that his father, and Admiral in the Spanish Navy, has betrayed the crown of Spain by turning his fleet over to the enemy. The stunned Migeul, humiliated and scorned by his regiment, takes a blood oath to find out the truth about his father. His search leads him to the mystery ship "Asuncion", commanded by Ingio de Costa, an unscrupulous, vicious man with a hand for evil. The latter is also trying to get one of his evil hands on the fair Consuelo, daughter of the governor of Cadiz. 
[86 min - Action | Adventure | Drama - Italian - Color (Ferraniacolor) - Italy - Athena Cinematografica]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Scarlett (1953)
Director: Thomas Carr
Writer: Howard Dimsdale
Cast: Richard Greene [Capt. Carlos Scarlett], Leonora Amar [Princess Maria], Nedrick Young [Pierre DuCloux], Manuel Fábregas [The Duke de Corlaine, as Manuel Fabregas], Eduardo Noriega [Count Villiers, as Edward Noriega], Carlos Múzquiz [Etienne Dumas, as Carlos Musquiz], Isabel del Puerto [Josephine Prenez, as Isabel Del Puerto], Jorge Treviño [The Friar, as George Treviño]
Storyline: Richard Greene stars in the medium-budget swashbuckler Captain Scarlet. Greene plays the title character, a Gallic Robin Hood, who seeks to reclaim his birthright from the usurping Duke of Corlaine (Manolo Fabregas). Forming a group of sort-of-merry men, Captain Scarlet rallies the countryside to take up arms against the despotic duke. In addition, he saves Princess Maria (Leonora Amar) from various fates worse than death at the hands of lecherous Count Villiers (Eduardo Norriega). The preponderance of Latino names in the cast of Captain Scarlet is a tip-off that the film was lensed in Mexico rather than France.
[75 min - Adventure | Drama - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA - Craftsman Productions]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Wind to Java (1953)

Director: Joseph Kane
Writers: Richard Tregaskis (screenplay) and Garland Roark (novel)
Cast: Fred MacMurray [Capt. Boll], Vera Ralston [Kim Kim], Robert Douglas [Saint Ebenezer / Pulo Besar], Victor McLaglen [O'Brien], John Russell [Flint], Buddy Baer [King], Claude Jarman Jr. [Chess], Grant Withers [Jason Blue], Howard Petrie [Reeder], Sujata [Dancer]
Storyline: The Dutch East Indies, at the end of the nineteenth century. An adventurous captain of an American merchant vessel is looking for a sunken Dutch vessel containing 10,000 precious diamonds. Unfortunately, he's not the only one and then there's also that volcano on the nearby island of Krakatau, waiting to explode in its historical, disastrous eruption... 
[92 min - Action | Drama | Adventure - English - Color (Trucolor) - USA - Republic Pictures]

 

 

 

 

Great Adventures of Captain Kidd, The (1953)
Directors: Derwin Abrahams and Charles S. Gould
Writers: George H. Plympton (story) and Arthur Hoerl (story)
Cast: Richard Crane [Richard Dale], David Bruce [Alan Duncan], John Crawford [Capt. Kidd], George Wallace [Buller], Lee Roberts [Devry], Paul Newlan [Long Ben Avery], Nick Stuart [Dr. Brandt], Terry Frost [Moore], John Hart [Jenkins], Marshall Reed [Capt. Culliford], Eduardo Cansino Jr. [Native], Willetta Smith [Princess]
Storyline: The British Admirality assigns two officers, Richard Dale and Alan Duncan, to gather evidence to convict Captain Kidd of piracy in the English courts. They sail for New York to learn the whereabouts of Kid, and posing as ordinary seamen, they join his crew. They learn that Kidd, the legendary swashbuckler of the seven seas, is not a a villain who scourges and plunders at will, but a man whose loyalty to England knows no bounds, a maritime adventurer who attacks only enemy French vessels and those of the pirates that sail against the British Empire. But can they keep him from being betrayed by his enemies and hanged? Chapter titles: Chapter 1: Pirate Vs. Man-of-War! Chapter 2: The Fatal Shot! Chapter 3: Attacked by Captain Kidd! Chapter 4: Captured by Captain Kidd! Chapter 5: Murder on the Main Deck! Chapter 6: Mutiny on the Adventure Gallery! Chapter 7: Prisoners of War! Chapter 8: Mutiny Unmasked! Chapter 9: Pirate Against Pirate! Chapter 10: Shot from the Parapet! Chapter 11: The Flaming Fortress! Chapter 12: Before the Firing Squad! Chapter 13: In the Hands of the Mohawks! Chapter 14: Pirate Gold! Chapter 15: Captain Kidd's Last Chance! 
[230 min - Action | Adventure | Drama - English - Black and White - USA - Columbia Pictures Corporation]

  

 

Master of Ballantrae, The (1953)
Director: William Keighley
Writers: Herb Meadow (screenplay), Harold Medford (additional dialogue) and Robert Louis Stevenson (novel "The Master of Ballantrae", uncredited]
Cast: Errol Flynn [Jamie Durie], Roger Livesey [Col. Francis Burke], Anthony Steel [Henry Durie], Beatrice Campbell [Lady Alison], Yvonne Furneaux [Jessie Brown], Felix Aylmer [Lord Durrisdeer], Mervyn Johns [MacKellar], Charles Goldner [Mendoza], Ralph Truman [Maj. Clarendon], Francis De Wolff [Matthew Bull, as Francis de Wolff], Jacques Berthier [Capt. Arnaud]
Storyline: Two noble Scottish brothers deliberately take opposite sides when Bonnie Prince Charlie returns to claim the throne of Scotland in order to preserve the family fortune. Buckle on your swashes for this swashbuckling adventure with a highlander who fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie who, after various escapades, becomes a pirate.
[90 min - Action | Adventure | History - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA - Warner Bros. Pictures]

 
 

 

 

Peter Pan (1953)
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske and Jack Kinney (uncredited)
Writers: Ted Sears (story), Erdman Penner (story), Bill Peet (story), Winston Hibler (story), Joe Rinaldi (story), Milt Banta (story), Ralph Wright (story), William Cottrell (story, as Bill Cottrell) and J.M. Barrie (based on an adaptation of the play "Peter Pan", as Sir James M. Barrie)
Cast: Bobby Driscoll [Peter Pan, voice], Kathryn Beaumont [Wendy Darling, voice], Hans Conried [Captain Hook / Mr. Darling, voice], Bill Thompson [Mr. Smee / Other Pirates, voice], Heather Angel [Mrs. Darling, voice], Paul Collins [John Darling, voice], Tommy Luske [Michael Darling, voice], Candy Candido [Indian Chief, voice], Tom Conway [Narrator, voice]
Storyline: Wendy and her brothers are whisked away to the magical world of Neverland with the hero of their stories, Peter Pan. An adaptation of J. M. Barrie's story about a boy who never grew up. The three children of the Darling family receive a visit from Peter Pan, who takes them to Never Land, where an ongoing war between Peter's gang of rag-tag runaways and the evil Pirate Captain Hook is taking place. 
[77 min - Animation | Adventure | Family - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA - Walt Disney Productions]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port Sinister (1953)

Director: Harold Daniels
Writers: Aubrey Wisberg and Jack Pollexfen
Cast: James Warren [Tony Ferris], Lynne Roberts [Dr. Joan Hunter], Paul Cavanagh [John Kolvac], William Schallert [Collins], House Peters Jr. [Jim Garry], Marjorie Stapp [Technician], Helen Winston [Florence], Eric Colmar [Christie], Norman Budd [Akers], Anne Kimbell [Nurse, as Anne Kimball]
Storyline: A 17th-century Caribbean port rumored to have frequented by pirates rises from the ocean floor, where it came to rest after an earthquake many years before. A scientist wants to study it, some thugs want the treasure alleged to be stored there, a bunch of mutated giant crabs living there attack them all. 
[65 min - Adventure | Crime | Sci-Fi - English - Black and White - USA - American Pictures Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prince of Pirates (1953)

Director: Sidney Salkow
Writers: John O'Dea (screenplay), Samuel Newman (screenplay), William Copeland (story) and Herbert Kline (story)
Cast: John Derek [Prince Roland], Barbara Rush [Countess Nita Orde], Carla Balenda [Princess Maria], Whitfield Connor [King Stephan], Edgar Barrier [Count Blanco], Robert Shayne [Prime Minister Treeg], Harry Lauter [Jan], Don C. Harvey [Koepke, as Don Harvey], Henry Rowland [Greb], Gene Roth [Captain Brock]
Storyline: In a 16th century kingdom in the Netherlands, the newly crowned King Stephan concludes a secret treaty with the Spanish. This puts him at odds with his younger brother, Prince Roland, who favors a treaty with the French. Stephan orders Roland imprisoned but Roland escapes and leads a revolt. 
[80 min - Adventure - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA - Esskay Pictures Corporation]

 

 

 

 

 

Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953)

Director: Sidney Salkow
Writers: John O'Dea (story and screenplay) and Sidney Salkow (story and screenplay)
Cast: John Payne [Barbarossa], Donna Reed [Alida], Gerald Mohr [Captain Jose Salcedo], Lon Chaney Jr. [Peg Leg, as Lon Chaney], Anthony Caruso [Renzo], Henry Brandon [Captain Goiti], Skip Torgerson [Datu], Frank DeKova [Captain Romero], William Tannen [Ramon], Christopher Dark [Pablo], Claire Du Brey [Señora Salcedo], Howard Freeman [Mayor Pompaño]
Storyline: Barbarossa, a pirate, frees a group of Spanish prisoners and makes them his crew. On a raid, he takes as a prize a Spanish countess, Alida. He has fallen in love with her by the time he arranges for her ransom by the officer who was to marry her. Exposing her intended as a coward and a liar, he goes to ask for her hand but she has escaped, and Barbarossa thinks she is the one who killed his aide, Peg-Leg. 
[88 min - Adventure - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA - Global Pictures]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Devils (1953)

Director: Raoul Walsh
Writers: Borden Chase (screenplay and story) and Victor Hugo (novel "Les Travailleurs de la mer")
Cast: Yvonne De Carlo [Droucette], Rock Hudson [Gilliatt], Maxwell Reed [Rantaine], Denis O'Dea [Lethierry], Michael Goodliffe [Ragan], Bryan Forbes [Willie], Jacques B. Brunius [Fouche], Ivor Barnard [Benson], Arthur Wontner [Baron de Baudrec], Gérard Oury [Napoleon], Larry Taylor [Blasquito, as Laurie Taylor], Keith Pyott [General Latour]
Storyline: Gilliatt, a fisherman-turned-smuggler on the isle of Guernsey, agrees to transport a beautiful woman to the French coast in the year 1800. She tells him she hopes to rescue her brother from the guillotine. Gilliatt finds himself falling in love and so feels betrayed when he later learns this woman is a countess helping Napoleon plan an invasion of England. In reality, however, the "countess" is an English agent working to thwart this invasion. When Gilliatt finds this out, he returns to France to rescue the woman who's true purpose has been discovered by the French.
[91 min - Adventure | Drama | Action - English - Color (Technicolor) - USA | UK - Coronado Productions]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tesoro del Bengala, Il [aka Treasure of Bengal, The] (1953)

Director: Gianni Vernuccio
Writers: Gian Paolo Callegari (writer), Piero De Bernardi (writer) and Emilio Salgari (novel)

Cast: Sabu [Ainur], Luisella Boni [Karma, as Luisa Boni], Luigi Tosi [Don Fernando], Carla Calò [Surama], Rita Caruso [Uzake], Nino Marchetti, Pamela Palma [La Danzatrice], Raf Pindi, Georges Poujouly [Tomby], Manuel Serrano [Burka]
[90 min - Adventure - English | Italian - Color (Ferraniacolor) - France | Italy - Produzione Venturini, Synimex]