Le roi pirate

Another film that proves that COLUMBIA PICTURES at that time could take any genre and reduce it to it's lowest common denominator. By skimping on Actors, Budget, Costuming, ScreenPlay, Special Visual Effects and whatever else it takes to make a interesting movie COLUMBIA will succeed in failing! The film features its star of low budget action for the early 1950s' JOHN DEREK (Mr. Bo). It is also polluted with the usual cast of has-beens who have either seen better days or none at all. Like HARRY LAUTER, GENE ROTH and ROBERT SHAYNE. BARBARA RUSH the female lead has no chance of showing off her competent acting ability or physical grace. No doubt wishing she was back at PARAMOUNT.

The NUTS; In the 16th Century France and its allie Haagen are at war with Spain. Count Roland (DEREK) must return to Haagen after death of his Father the King. New King Stephan (WHITFIELD CONNER) and his stooge, Prime Minister Treeg (ROBERT SHAYNE) wish to pull a fast one betraying the French alliance and help Spain rape Europe. Aided by loyal sidekick Jan (HARRY LAUTER) and main squeeze Countess Nita Orde (BARBARA RUSH) Count Roland has just eighty (80) minutes to save the day and win the girl. How will he do it and will he? You bet and in the most tedious fashion allowed on the SILVER SCREEN!

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES (TCM) seems to be the latest depository of these alleged triumphs from COLUMBIA PICTURES. Remember for every FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) during this period there are twenty (20) PRINCE OF PIRATES (1953).

The plot to "Prince of Pirates" might be confusing unless you are a history freak. In the movie, the new king of Holland creates an alliance with Spain while his brother pushes for an alliance with the French. What is the actual history behind this? Holland had been ruled by Spain up ...and the Eighty Years War (1568-1648) was fought to give Holland independence. The film finds the 16th century Dutch king wanting an alliance with Spain...which makes no sense and is pretty insane since his people wanted independence. When you understand this, the movie makes much more sense...as well as why his brother is trying to forge the French alliance...which ultimately assisted the Dutch to gain their independence.

The movie stars John Derek, who is somewhat bland but handsome. But the real casting mistake was including cute Barbara Rush as a tough-as-nails woman who fights like a man. First off, no woman of the era would have acted like that. Second, Rush is a tiny woman best described as cute as opposed to macho or tough. Seeing this little lady being all stabby and tough made me laugh more than anything else. I don't think it would have been any worse to cast Shirley Temple in this role.

So despite the bad casting decisions, is the movie any good? After all, who today really cares about 16th century Dutch indendence (other than the Dutch)? Well, it's okay...but no more. A serious film about the Eighty Years War could be interesting but the film manages to make it yet another slow 1950s costumers. Not terrible by any stretch but that's hardly a ringing endorsement.

Despite the title, this isn't really a pirate movie, though there are a few sequences set at sea in 16th-century sailing ships. Instead, most of the action takes place in a small kingdom in the Netherlands where the evil king is trying to squash a revolt led by his virtuous younger brother. The budget isn't big enough to give this story the "sweep" which it needs and both its direction and screenplay lack "flair," but the results still have a likable quality and the running time comes in at a brisk 80 minutes.

The usually-reliable Barbara Rush seems lost in this production but Carla Balenda, as a haughty Spanish princess, manages to make a modest impression. Every time she looks at John Derek she seems to be mentally stripping him down to the 16-century equivalent of a jockstrap. As for Derek, he looks appropriately dashing but despite his status as little more than a hunk of beefcake, he keeps all his clothes on throughout the movie.

Don C. Harvey gets to do a bare-chest scene when he's whipped in the king's dungeon, but the lashes are applied rather lackadaisically and there's no attempt to augment their sound. This flogging ranks 93rd in the book, "Lash! The Hundred Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies." Not sure this is a goof, but following his "escape" from that dungeon, Harvey's shown lying on his back in bed, recuperating. On his back? But wouldn't his back be torn to ribbons by that whipping?

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.

Not strictly a pirate film as most of the action is regulated on land, except for a few seafaring scenes. It's a familiar tale, yet a sprightly escapist one which has plenty of action of the sword twirling variety and a young Barbara Rush as a lady who disobeys John Derek's orders and hangs with the boys and even twirls the odd sword. I liked the main villain as he was cool as a cucumber - I don't really judge a film by its budgets, I am more concerned on whether it's entertaining and keeps my attention. Prince of Pirates achieves that.

I have always followed the Sidney Salkow's filmography, especally his fifties and sixties movies, mostly adventure films and westerns and of course his splendid LAST MAN ON EARTH, from Richard Matheson.... He was for me an interesting Hollywood action flicks director. Maybe he lacked some ambition but his work was enjoyale for legions of audiences. Such as this one, in the same line as his RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS, another pirate film. But here, please don't watch out for too much accuracy regarding the historical facts. This is produced by the notorious and infamous Sam Katzman who was concerned by History details as the African jungle gorilla is concerned by Wall Street stock market.