The Devil-Ship Pirates

A damaged Spanish pirate ship, captained by a ruthless Christopher Lee, is forced to land on the English shore and needs local help to get her ship-shape. Hammer are best known for their horror films but the studio often diversified into other genres, here a period swashbuckler. In addition to great costumes and sets we get obvious day for night scenes, plus some questionable continuity (one scene goes from thick fog to blue sky and back to fog with seconds). Hammer's most prolific star Michael Ripper has a major role, as opposed to his usual bit parts. He doesn't make a very convincing Spaniard, with his fake tan and rural English accent. In fact, all of the Spanish pirates amazingly speak fluent English, very impressive for the 16th Century! But this is all part of the charm. Lee is very good as the ship's captain, a nasty character indeed. Hardly a Hammer classic but an enjoyable yarn none the less.

As I said in my review for THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER (1962), this is a virtual retread of the script for that film (just as THE TERROR OF THE TONGS [1961] had reworked the central premise of THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY [1960] – all four titles, incidentally, comprise Columbia's recent "Icons Of Adventure" DVD set)…or, perhaps, it was closer to what Jimmy Sangster had originally envisaged before John Gilling got to work on it!

In any case, the two pirate films don't have just the plot in common – but many of the names associated with BLOOD RIVER resume their duties on DEVIL-SHIP, including composer Gary Hughes as well as several Hammer stalwarts (production designer Bernard Robinson, editor James Needs, not to mention co-stars Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir and Michael Ripper, all of whose characters are practically identical!). This doesn't mean that the film is a cheap rip-off of the earlier effort: it can stand well enough on its own merits, and there are even those who prefer DEVIL-SHIP to BLOOD RIVER; as ever, the company managed to give the whole a semblance of expensive production values when it was typically done on a low-budget.

The rest of the cast is generally effective, if not quite as satisfactory as that of BLOOD RIVER – even so, characterization is more fleshed-out this time around: John Cairney does alright by the hero (who, unusually, is a cripple); Suzan Farmer is a lovely heroine (though she gets little to do – but, then, neither did Marla Landi – and in her case, it's Lee who leers at the girl rather than his underlings); Duncan Lamont is imposing as Lee's right-hand man, but his role never really amounts to much; Keir and Ripper were both better served by each's first stab at their respective roles (Ripper, in particular, is here merely to supply the obligatory comic relief). However, we do get a couple of interesting 'new' characters: Farmer's aristocratic father (Ernest Clark) is a sycophant, while Barry Warren – a Spaniard officer detailed with an outfit of pirates-turned-soldiers is an outsider amidst their ranks and, on several occasions, lends a helping hand to the locals in order to defeat them! By the way, the narrative deals with the aftermath of the Spanish Armada's defeat by the British in the late 16th century; a stray vessel, the "Diablo" (hence the film's title), decides to rest furtively on British soil to effect the necessary repairs – however, when they're discovered, the Captain (Lee, of course) decides to risk passing themselves off as conquerors and, in no time at all, has the run of the village!

The groveling Clark is all-too-willing in this respect (to the point of inviting Lee into his own house…but, on objecting to the latter's unsavory attentions towards his daughter, is summarily executed!), while Keir offers opposition – and pays the price for this affront with his life. His son, Cairney, naturally seeks revenge – which he attains, with Warren's help, by sabotaging the ship (Lee having ordered the artisans among the locals to carry out the required maintenance). Incidentally, unlike THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER, this does feature reasonable large-scale action with a sea-battle at the very start and a literally explosive climax. The ultimate assessment, then, is that THE DEVIL-SHIP PIRATES is a pretty good adventure flick…though, when it comes to director Sharp's Hammer output, I still feel he did his best work on the far more typical THE KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (1963) – which, if you ask me, is a genuine minor classic of Gothic Horror.

Hammer's foray into straight adventure stories occasionally resulted in some first-rate films. Of course as was the norm with most Hammer productions, they were made on a shoestring budget. "The Devil Ship Pirates" certainly doesn't show it. It is clear that every cent was squeezed from the budget and shifted on-screen. The visuals in this film are incredible and run to the inclusion of a 120 foot long Spanish Galleon (The story of this ill fated large scale prop is an interesting tale all it's own), designed by Bernard Robinson. The costuming is splendid and certainly does much to make the film a convincingly effective historical piece. A strong cast, headed by Mr. Lee and ably supported by the likes of Andrew Keir, Philip Latham, Michael Ripper and Suzan Farmer, gives their all to achieve what is clearly one of Hammer's best forays into the pirate movie sub-genre. Michael Ripper in particular is, as always, a joy to watch.

The film begins with the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The Spanish ship Diablo is badly damaged and her Captain, a rakish privateer by the name of Robeles, takes the ship into the English coast to make covert repairs. While there, a little plundering is in order and the crew of the ship occupy a small isolated village by duping the villagers into believing that the Spanish won and that they are there as representatives of Spain. A resistance movement is formed and the usual results: swordplay, flogging, and a good deal of running around.

The plot is fairly standard stuff, but very well told and demonstrates a bit more depth than typical swashbucklers. The staunch British defend their island from invading foreigners. Thematically, it has as much in common with "The Adventures of Robin Hood" as it does with "The Eagle has Landed". Normans, Germans or as in this case, Spanish privateers, the mentality is the same. As Winston Churchill put it: "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." Devil Ship Pirates would have made a splendid WWII era morale booster with its rather blatant message. An interesting touch that adds depth and separates this film from the usual pirate fair. By including Barry Warren's sympathetic and honorable Spaniard character, the film narrowly avoids stereotyping the Spanish. A token effort, but one that raises the tone somewhat.

Christopher Lee excels in the role of the nasty Captain Robeles. He looks magnificent in the red uniform and moves with incredible authority at all times. There are a good number of fencing sequences that are carried off with remarkable skill and dexterity; a real showcase of Mr. Lee's ability. The final sequences aboard the Diablo are simply stunning. This is one pirate flick that shouldn't be missed...and that's an order, Mister!

Don Sharp directed this pirate film set in 1588, where a pirate ship led by Captain Robeles(played by Christopher Lee) is fighting for the Spanish Armada against the British. Their ship is badly damaged, and must go into dock for necessary repairs before they are captured. Their only chance is to convince an isolated nearby English village that in fact, the Spanish have won the battle(and not the other way around) which they manage to do at first, but after awhile, the village men become suspicious, and begin a campaign of sabotage and resistance, in the hope that they are in fact right... Good adventure yarn with interesting premise, fine acting, and well-staged action scenes. One of the best non-horrors from Hammer studios.

Made in 1964, this action romp (set on land) is one of Hammer's few forays beyond the world of horror.

Christopher Lee is on crisply villainous form as Captain Robeles, whose modest privateer Diablo comes off worse when the Spanish Armada gets a sound shoeing and has to limp into hiding in the marshes near an isolated English village.

To carry out repairs and escape safely, he and his crew hit on the wizard prank of terrorising the villagers into believing the Spanish won the engagement and that they represent the new authority.

It's all done on a shoestring but certainly doesn't look it and boasts all the usual Hammer trademarks of solid if slightly dull hero, heaving bosoms, weak authority figures, cowed locals and a meaty villain.