Un capitán de Castilla

It is my understanding that this Hollywood adaptation of Samuel Shellabarger's book enraged the author so much that he put some kind of legal injunction against the Hollywood producers that prevented them from making the video and other profits for 50 years! The reason: The film stops half-way through the novel!

I love historical fiction and Shellabarger along with Raphael Sabatini (The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood) are my favorite authors of historical adventures.

In spite of Shellabarger's attitude to Hollywood, I was delighted to see this film. I only wish they could have made the whole book come to life, because the action and plot are much more intense in the second half of the book -- especially when Cortez has returned to lay siege to the Aztec city. Shellabarger reads very much like Bernal Diaz, a common soldier under Cortez who wrote a history of the Conquest of Mexico. Diaz's and Shellabarger's description of the fighting on the Aztec aqueducts is the most intense and desperate battle literature I have ever read!

I think this film should be remade as soon as possible and give the viewing audience the whole story. Of course, there will never be another Tyrone Power, Jean Peters or Cesar Romero, but do it anyway -- and use Alfred Newman's original music score (adopted by the USC Trojans as their own "Conquest" march), and let Newman's son and nephew add the remainder of the score! With today's high-tech special effects this story would surpass "Gladiator" in splendor, spectacle, and action if Shellabarger was followed religiously and completely. Shellabarger deserves the same fidelity that J.R.R. Tolkein has received from the New Zealand producers of "Lord of the Rings."

In spite of its shortcomings to the author, I have loved this film for half a century! It is my favorite classic film. I fell in love with Jean Peters as Catana when I was only six years old in 1950; which is when I first saw the film. The "Catana" Love Theme has played in my head from time to time ever since! Now I have it on video, thank God. My every guest gets offered a viewing of it; as well as a listen to its soundtrack by Newman.

What more can I say? The film, like the book, struck a chord in me that refuses to stop playing.

When making a swashbuckling adventure movie set during the Spanish Inquisition, who do you think Hollywood would cast? Tyrone Power of course! Back safe and sound from WWII, Ty continued his exciting career at full throttle, so if you liked The Black Swan and The Mark of Zorro, you'll want to watch Captain from Castile.

Alfred Newman gives a reprisal of his music from The Black Swan, with the substitution of a Spanish flair for the pirate flair, and in Technicolor, the lush costumes and on-location backgrounds are very pretty to watch-not to mention the prettiness of the lead. After Ty's family is accused, tortured, and killed unjustly in the Inquisition, he joins a band of rebels bent on taking down the bad guys. Ty never takes on an accent during these swashbuckling movies-although you can catch him with an Irish accent in a couple of others-but he puts his heart into his heroes, so it hardly seems to matter, even when everyone else around him puts on an accent.

You'll have to search hard to recognize Cesar Romero, the lead of the fighting rebels, for he's covered up in a helmet and a beard and doesn't look at all like his usual handsome self. He does smile a couple of times, and you can tell it's he's in there. Thankfully, Tyrone Power is thoroughly prettied up with long, curly hair, making him look like George Clooney. While it's normally an effort to tear your eyes away from him when he's on the screen, during the seductive dance between him and Jean Peters, it's practically impossible. His lustful expression is even more distracting that his beautiful, perfect nose in profile.

If you're undecided as to your opinion on old swashbucklers, this might not be the best to start with, also if you're not interested in the time period. But if you do like this genre, or if Ty is your favorite of the bucks, you'll want to watch it. Also, you'll get to see a very young Jean Peters in her first movie, and since she didn't make many, it's fun to see her while you can.

The first time I saw a version of "Captain from Castile" was on a black and white TV in the late Fifties and it became one of my favorite films which I have seen at least ten times and will continue to pull it out. It was a pleasant surprise to see the full version in color as I thought it was shot in black and white

This doesn't have the spectacular effects of today's films. It is just an excellent "old school" adventure film which deals with honor and loyalty which are pretty much lacking in today's films. It fired my young imagination and encouraged me to read the book by Samuel Shellabarger upon which it was based.

It has a wonderful cast including Ty Power, Jean Peters, Lee J. Cobb, John Sutton, Caesar Romero, and a lot of veterans in minor rolls including Jay Silverheels (Tonto). Alfred Newman's score is good.

Power was great as usual and Jean Peters turns in an excellent performance -- this was her first film.

Much of the film was shot in Mexico following the actual route that Cortez followed when he was conquering the Aztecs. (Check out the live volcano in the background that was erupting while the film was shot. That ain't a painted background.)

I highly recommend this film especially if you haven't seen a Tyrone Power film because this is one of his best.

In the spring of 1518, in Spain, the nobleman Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power) helps the Indian slave and his friend Coatl (Jay Silverheels) to escape from the cruel Diego de Silva (John Sutton) and then he rescues the plebeian Catana Perez (Jean Peters) from two men of Diego de Silva. He goes to the inn where Catana works to explain why the sheets are torn up, and Pedro befriends Juan Garcia (Lee J. Cobb), a simple man that made fortune in Cuba.

When he comes home, Pedro finds that Diego de Silva has used his political influence to accuse Pedro and his family of heretics and they are imprisoned. Diego's executioners torture and kill Pedro's twelve years old sister but Juan Garcia and Catana help Pedro and his the family to escape from prison: Pedro's parents go to Italy and Pedro, Juan and Catana go to Cuba and join Cortez' expedition to Mexico. They participate of the fall of the Aztec Empire in the beginning of the Spanish colonization of the New World.

"Captain from Castile" is a melodramatic and romantic epic adventure having the historic conquest of Mexico by Hernando Cortez as background. Tyrone Power is excellent in the role of a Spaniard nobleman that joins the first expedition of Cortez to Mexico and is promoted to captain for his loyalty and efficiency. Jean Peters is amazingly beautiful and John Sutton is a great villain. The story is politically incorrect in the present days but is accurate and a great entertainment. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Capitão de Castela" ("The Captain from Castile")

The Spanish inquisition and the invasion of Cortez into Mexico - Henry King style!

A film firmly split in two halves, Captain From Castile may at times over stretch its aims on the, but the sweepingly gorgeous texture is quite something to behold. Tyrone Power takes up the lead role of Pedro De Vargas and firmly cements his star status with a wonderful performance, handsome and brave, he carries the film easily on its joyous course from Spain to Mexico, whilst stoic male support comes from Cesar Romero (Cortez and never better), Lee J. Cobb (Juan Garcia) and John Sutton (Diego De Silva). Head female duty falls to a vibrantly young Jean Peters (in her film debut) as Catana Perez, pretty and beguiling, her gorgeous green eyes shining bright in this Technicolor spectacle, she is the perfect foil to Power's dash and swagger.

Production costs are thought to have been over $4 million, yet even though the film sadly lost money, the money spent is still evident at every turn and it proved to be very popular with critics and film lovers alike. Director Henry King wonderfully utilises the panoramic vistas of the Mexican locale and the costumes come right out of the top draw, but one of the most striking things in this magnificent production is the score from Alfred Newman. Stirring and emotionally hard, it has to rank as one of the best scores to have ever been composed. I strongly recommend the isolated score option on the excellent Region 1 DVD. It's a far from perfect film for sure (the no battle pay-off at the finale is a great disappointment), but the harking back to old historical days of yore can induce a tingle on the spine, and in that respect the piece delivers handsomely. Just like its leading man ironically enough. 8/10