Il capitano di Castiglia

When making a swashbuckling adventure movie set during the Spanish Inquisition, who do you think Hollywood would cast? Tyrone Power of course! Back safe and sound from WWII, Ty continued his exciting career at full throttle, so if you liked The Black Swan and The Mark of Zorro, you'll want to watch Captain from Castile.

Alfred Newman gives a reprisal of his music from The Black Swan, with the substitution of a Spanish flair for the pirate flair, and in Technicolor, the lush costumes and on-location backgrounds are very pretty to watch-not to mention the prettiness of the lead. After Ty's family is accused, tortured, and killed unjustly in the Inquisition, he joins a band of rebels bent on taking down the bad guys. Ty never takes on an accent during these swashbuckling movies-although you can catch him with an Irish accent in a couple of others-but he puts his heart into his heroes, so it hardly seems to matter, even when everyone else around him puts on an accent.

You'll have to search hard to recognize Cesar Romero, the lead of the fighting rebels, for he's covered up in a helmet and a beard and doesn't look at all like his usual handsome self. He does smile a couple of times, and you can tell it's he's in there. Thankfully, Tyrone Power is thoroughly prettied up with long, curly hair, making him look like George Clooney. While it's normally an effort to tear your eyes away from him when he's on the screen, during the seductive dance between him and Jean Peters, it's practically impossible. His lustful expression is even more distracting that his beautiful, perfect nose in profile.

If you're undecided as to your opinion on old swashbucklers, this might not be the best to start with, also if you're not interested in the time period. But if you do like this genre, or if Ty is your favorite of the bucks, you'll want to watch it. Also, you'll get to see a very young Jean Peters in her first movie, and since she didn't make many, it's fun to see her while you can.

There are many pleasant surprises in this epic movie. For one, it was filmed in spectacular Technicolor and was superbly photographed in actual locations. Piramids were built, volcanoes were erupting for real and ancient ship replicas were destroyed at sea. One of the main surprises was seeing that the beautiful Jean Peters could act. This actress without much dramatic training did an excellent job in her movie debut. She practically steals the picture from Tyrone Power - Impossible? She does, and he's very good in this one. See her last scene, while waiting to move deeper into Mexico with Cortez; it's a treasure. I became a fan after seeing Miss Peters in the pirate flick "Anne of the Indies" (she plays 'the pirate'), and have seen most of her movies since. It's a shame Fox didn't use her talents in better fares, such as Susan Hayward's "I Want to Live", but then Howard Hughes came into the picture while she was doing Castille and, I imagine, his obsession over her beauty ruined a promising career. This film is partly based on true events and has an excellent cast, a fantastic screenplay and a musical score by Arthur Newman that rivals any other composed for anepic flick -then and even now. It's on DVD now. Get it before they become extinct. It's worth seeing. Beautiful vistas, a handsome Ty Power and a gorgeous Jean Peters.

It is my understanding that this Hollywood adaptation of Samuel Shellabarger's book enraged the author so much that he put some kind of legal injunction against the Hollywood producers that prevented them from making the video and other profits for 50 years! The reason: The film stops half-way through the novel!

I love historical fiction and Shellabarger along with Raphael Sabatini (The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood) are my favorite authors of historical adventures.

In spite of Shellabarger's attitude to Hollywood, I was delighted to see this film. I only wish they could have made the whole book come to life, because the action and plot are much more intense in the second half of the book -- especially when Cortez has returned to lay siege to the Aztec city. Shellabarger reads very much like Bernal Diaz, a common soldier under Cortez who wrote a history of the Conquest of Mexico. Diaz's and Shellabarger's description of the fighting on the Aztec aqueducts is the most intense and desperate battle literature I have ever read!

I think this film should be remade as soon as possible and give the viewing audience the whole story. Of course, there will never be another Tyrone Power, Jean Peters or Cesar Romero, but do it anyway -- and use Alfred Newman's original music score (adopted by the USC Trojans as their own "Conquest" march), and let Newman's son and nephew add the remainder of the score! With today's high-tech special effects this story would surpass "Gladiator" in splendor, spectacle, and action if Shellabarger was followed religiously and completely. Shellabarger deserves the same fidelity that J.R.R. Tolkein has received from the New Zealand producers of "Lord of the Rings."

In spite of its shortcomings to the author, I have loved this film for half a century! It is my favorite classic film. I fell in love with Jean Peters as Catana when I was only six years old in 1950; which is when I first saw the film. The "Catana" Love Theme has played in my head from time to time ever since! Now I have it on video, thank God. My every guest gets offered a viewing of it; as well as a listen to its soundtrack by Newman.

What more can I say? The film, like the book, struck a chord in me that refuses to stop playing.

The conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortez in the early 16th Century is the backdrop of a story of love,courage and adventure in this entertaining swashbuckler. The movie was Jean Peters's first and she's a beguiling creature in this ,although her acting leaves a lot to be desired at this point in her career.Cesar Romero as Cortez paints an entertaining portrayal of this ruthless opportunist. The stunning color-cinematography is something to behold. Captured on the screen is an erupting volcano in the background of some of the action. Tyrone Power does his usual competent job in this kind of adventure story.The movie is very entertaining but it does drag a bit in its 2 and a half hour running-time.

Tyrone Power is a nobleman forced to flee his home during the Spanish Inquisition. A series of adventures follow featuring a beautiful peasant girl (Jean Peters) who escapes with him. Both of them are hunted by an evil officer (John Sutton) and later all are involved in following Cortez on his expedition to Mexico.

Swordplay, battle scenes, triumphal marches and a bittersweet love story combine to make this the kind of adventure-romance Tyrone Power inevitably found himself in at Fox. The color photography is gorgeous and the music, by Alfred Newman, is outstanding, ranging from tender love themes to dances and the march for Cortez. It's lavish entertainment on a grand scale--with just a few slow stretches--but all in all guaranteed to give you satisfying entertainment.

Parents beware: the Inquisition scenes are realistic and there are scenes of brutality not advisable for the very young.