Captain Kidd

I had limited expectations coming into my viewing of Captain Kidd, but found myself pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, the actual quality of the film I saw was rather poor, resulting in a dark and poor quality screening. Otherwise I found the film to be basically fun. Oh, there's not really much action going on, which is disappointing considering it is a pirate film taking place on the high seas, but the playfulness of the script and exuberance of Laughton's performance makes up for several of the shortcomings of Captain Kidd to make it a solid pirate/seafaring film worth checking out if you're interested.

CAPTAIN KIDD begins better than it ends but in between it is great fun to watch, with a super cast to boot: John Carradine, Henry Daniels, Randolph Scott, Gilbert Roland, Qualen, and other character actors - but the pick of the bunch is the cabotin, hammish figure of Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd.

Laughton must have laughed at the prospect of playing a pirate, the very opposite of Captain Bligh in Mutiny on the Bounty.

The downside is that Scott looks out of his depth in a swashbuckler, the script bears some holes that are tough to swallow, and cinematography is none too remarkable. Stunts could be better, Laughton rolling around on the ground fighting Scott takes a great deal of suspension of disbelief... but then Scott and Laughton were known for their gayty.

On the positive side of things, these 86 minutes fly by quite fast!

Definitely worth watching, if you are fond of swashbucklers!

Like THE SON OF MONTE CRISTO (1940), this public-domain title turned up on local TV some years ago; the film starts off well enough and is enjoyable in itself, but peters out towards the end. Charles Laughton (who reprised the role in ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET CAPTAIN KIDD [1952]) is certainly fun as the title villain, and it was especially gratifying to watch him interact with John Carradine; the great cast features innumerable other familiar faces, though Randolph Scott seems positively ill-at-ease in pirate garb (especially after having just watched him in one of his defining western roles by way of Budd Boetticher's SEVEN MEN FROM NOW [1956])! The low-budget is evident in the film's studio-bound look (despite being mostly ship-set!), its use of stock footage (particularly in establishing shots) and the conspicuous stunt doubles during the duel scene between Scott and Gilbert Roland.

Ahoy, mateys! 1945's Captain Kidd is a small gem of a swashbuckler with Charles Laughton, all menacing pudginess, spastic hair, and bad table manners, as the roguish pirate masquerading as a legitimate British sea captain. He and his dwindling posse of baddies (Guess who's causing them to dwindle!) are aiming to hijack a British freighter out of In-Jah, scoop up some loot already buried, have their way with a proper English lady, and whack Randolph Scott, the only man who can reveal their perfidy.

It's all so much yo-ho-ho and the actors seem to be having one heck of a good time. The only problem with the film is that, for 1945, the production values are so poor and the film is so murky that the whole thing looks like it's ten years older.

Find a copy of it in the dollar DVD dumpster at Wal-Mart and have a great time with Laughton chewing (with his mouth open) the scenery and Randolph Scott looking handsome in a series of sailor suits.

In the tradition of Captain Blood and Horatio Hornblower, this movie has an excellent story, interesting characters, and very good actors. Very satisfying to be sure.