Pavillon noir

Not Maureen Ohara's strongest role but she does play the fem fatal very well.This is a good family movie. Also being the first full color project by R.K.O. a very historical movie and they went with the queen of Technicolor for this very historical movie. Ohara's beauty along with her strong presence alone make this movie a must see for all.The love story love lost and found again makes for mild drama but a good story line. It is a shame that the ending the writer wanted at first could not be done but due to the cost it is understandable but with Ohara and Henreid is this film I feel it would have been Worth while.So sit down with the family with a Good coke and pop corn and watch an original action movie with a worth while story line.

Greatly enjoyed this film from the past with all the actors looking so young and with great careers on the silver screen for many years. Maureen O'Hara, (Contessa Francesca), "The Black Swan", played the role of a sweet charming young lady going to be married to Don Juan Alvarado(Walter Slezak), "Born to Kill", who was a rather over weight and constantly was eating. As Contessa travels on the open seas, she comes face to face with Capt. Laurent Van Horn, (Paul Henreid),"Casablanca", who plays sort of a Robin Hood of the seas and steals from the Spanish. Capt. Van Horn desires to go to America and settle in the Carolina's but Don Juan Alvarado does everything in his power to stop him from interfering with his marriage plans to Contessa Francesda. There is plenty of action with swords and antique pistols and girls who have trouble trying to fire them off. Great Classic film and very entertaining.

I saw this on TV TCM today and will always enjoy the exciting story of the Spanish Main; with beautiful musical score and scenes rather well staged. Maureen O'Hara and Paul Henried are great! The scene stealer of course is that great character actor Walter Slezak, who plays a mean egocentric governor, but who gets it in the end. The duelling scenes are particularly good, and Paul Henried does a good job duelling. Binnie Barnes, who I remember so well in early films was especially great as a woman pirate

Previous comments have said nearly all, but I thought this film was a good effort for 1945. As always with films of this date, I wonder why some of the fit-looking men weren't in the armed services. (I realise that Paul Henreid was an Austrian who had fled his country before the war; and I note a lot of the supporting cast have Hispanic names, suggesting they may have been from countries not directly involved in the fighting.) Though Henreid made a number of swashbucklers, he appears a just a little effete, almost a not-quite-so sensitive version of Leslie Howard. I couldn't quite believe Maureen O'Hara finding him fascinating at first glance (as always, she looks marvellous). Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power would have been more convincing.

The battling ships sequences look good, though it would be churlish to note that the model vessels show no signs of human life. I agree with the comments that Walter Slezak makes a fine villain.

I am a great admirer of all the movies that Maureen O'Hara has starred in. This film represents one more entertaining and absorbing swashbuckler typical of its day wherein you have a Ms O'Hara and Paul Henreid turning in excellent performances. The plot and love interest are easily assimilated and believable. If a movie holds your attention throughout like this one does, there's no question that it's worth the time and popcorn! Movies are made to be enjoyed and appreciated, and I'm sure the public knows what is enjoyable because such old movies are still in circulation, and that speaks for its quality.