Il cigno nero

I do think The Black Swan is under-appreciated. It certainly isn't the best movie ever made, but on its own merits, it is a hugely enjoyable and truly remarkable swashbuckler. The cinematography is gorgeous, and thoroughly deserved the Oscar it won, with its perfect capture of the cleverly-choreographed swordplay, and you can also admire the beautiful costumes and sets, as well as the rousing music score that was beautiful. The sets and action sequences are the main merit of this film, very majestic and well-staged. You may think that any film with pirates would fall into predictability, but this one doesn't, it is original, funny at times and has a touch of romance in it. The performances were excellent. Tyrone Power is surprisingly good in the title role, though swashbuckling fans may be yearning for someone like Errol Flynn, and Maureen O'Hara is beautiful beyond words as Margaret. It is probably true that their romance isn't quite as convincing as the one in The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland, but it is still a convincing (and fairly witty) one, and rarely interferes with the focus of the film. As the mutinying Captain Billy Leech, if you put the awkward accent aside like I have, George Sanders (who is the expert of suave and smarmy menace) is excellent, who is surprisingly good at sword fighting. All in all, a stylish and very worthwhile swashbuckler, with a 9/10. Bethany Cox.

Whatever Henry King made cannot be bad. Even this "half navy - half etc" movie was surprisingly entertaining. I can name few filmmakers so versatile and so reliable. In this instance I believe the method is to have an open mind - this is not just a navy or a pirate movie, there is romance and a little of everything. Bottom line, making a good film should be a simple thing if you have decency.

The film is a nice pirate-adventure movie , being lavishly produced . This classic story of romantic adventure comes to life enriched by Technicolor cinematography in charge of Leon Shamroy . Breathtaking battle ships and sword-play and filled with badness , love story , swashbuckler and heroism . Spirited pirate fare in which seas ablaze with black villainy , with fiery romance, with breathless deeds of daring in the roaring era of Love, Gold and Adventure! . An ex-pirate named James Waring (Tyrone Power) contends with buccaneers and a love-hate relationship with an aristocratic woman , Margaret (Mauren O'Hara) , who's tougher than she seems . He is compatriot of the notoriously rowdy buccaneer Henry Morgan (Laird Cregar at 26-year-old and posing eldest) who is pardoned and sent to Jamaica as its new governor , if he can prevent his from associates from continuing their criminal ways , Morgan enlists Waring to help him fight renegades (George Sanders , Anthony Quinn) . Meanwhile ,Tyrone falls in love with governor's (George Zucco) daughter .

This is a story of the Spanish Main when villainy wore a Sash and the only political creed in the world was love , gold and adventure . Combination of overwhelming sea battles , lots of derring-do , and full of action , romance , swashbuckler , bravura and humor remarks . Master of swashbuckling , Tyrone could happily have found a better vehicle for his faculties than this entertaining adaptation . Tyrone 's sword flashes as often as his smile . Tyrone Power seems to happy as the adventurer pirate whose good looks and swordmanship were both at their peak and much competition with Errol Flynn in the swashbuckling stakes . Well played by Power who was nearly at his most agile and deft style , he starred various ¨Sword and Swagger¨ films and was superstar of Hollywood swashbucklers . More stylish villainy is provided by both , red-bearded nasty George Sanders and a black-patched Anthony Quinn . And Laird Cregar stands out as the stoutly suave pirate turned into governor ; furthermore , an oily sophisticated Edward Ashly and the ordinary nasty George Zucco . Interesting and stirring screenplay by Ben Hetch and Seton I. Miller , the story is completely original , and the only role retained from the original novel is the historical personage Henry Morgan . In fact , the film is partially based on historical events , as Henry John Morgan (born Welsh 1635, dead Port Royal, Jamaica 1688) was a known corsair , at death of pirate Edward Mansfield was appointed chief by the buccaneers . He conquered Providence island or Saint Catalina . Later on , he sacked the city of Panama , violating the truce between Spain and England . For that reason was imprisoned , but king Charles II freed him and named him governor of Jamaica .

Based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini , whose books have been adapted in ¨Captain Blood¨ with Warren Karrigan , the classic ¨Captain Blood¨ with Errol Flyn , ¨Fortunes Captain Blood¨ with Louis Hayward , ¨Son of Captain Blood¨with Sean Flynn , and ¨The sea Hawk¨ with Errol Flynn . Spectacular and impressive ship battles , and the ship in the film was also used in the movies ¨Lady Hamilton¨ (1941), ¨The princess and the pirate¨ (1944) and ¨Captain Kidd¨ (1945) . Colorful cinematography in Technicolor that deservedly won an Academy Award . Moving and thrilling musical score by the classy composer Alfred Newman , nominated to Oscar . Including luxurious and glamorous production by James Basevi . The motion picture was stunningly directed by Henry Koster . He made all kinds of genres , such as Biography : ¨Wilson¨ , ¨David and Bathsheba¨, ¨Hemingway's snows of Kilimanjaro¨, ¨Lloyds of London¨ , ¨Captain of Castile¨, ¨Stanley and Livingstone¨ ; Religious : ¨Song of Bernadette¨ ; Drama : ¨Carousel¨ , ¨Love is a Many-Splendored-Thing¨ , ¨Maria Galante¨, ¨Hell Harbor¨ ; Western : ¨Jesse James¨, ¨The gunfighter¨ ; Wartime : ¨Twelve o'clock high¨, ¨a Yank in the RAF¨, ¨She goes to war¨.

With an excellent screenplay, outstanding cinematography, and stars who galvanize the screen, The Black Swan promises to satisfy its viewers. Made in the period when the Hollywood Studio System was at the peak of its creative, industrial powers, this swashbuckler is a visual feast. Maureen O'Hara and Tyrone Powers shine as lovers who begin their romance by loathing each other. The clever dialogue and sexual innuendo between the leads tantalizes us as we see them fall more deeply in love. But don't think this movie is only about romance. There's plenty of action, adventure, and swordplay, too! If you enjoy this one, you'll also enjoy other adventures starring Tyrone Power, Mississippi Gambler and King of the Khyber Rifles.

Tyrone Power was undoubtedly the most stylish and certainly the most handsome and articulate of the great Hollywood swashbuckers from the 30s to the late 50s. In this movie he coyld not have been bettered (Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. included), The starry cast,music,costumes and settings brought vividly to life the Spanish Main,Maracaibo and other Pirate ports of call.With a great family theatrical tradition behind him,Power's presence enriched every movie he made (what a twist of fate that he died exactly as his father Tyrone Power Sr.did,filming a duel scene -"Hamlet" and "Solomon and Sheba). I believe that Power's acting ability even today is not fully recognised,simply because the Studio System restricted his choice of film.Let anyone hear Power recite the poems of Byron (available on disc) and realise his premature death was a tragedy."THE BLACK SWAN" could be said to represent a golden period in the history of Hollywood swashbucklers.