Il ribelle d'Irlanda

Set in Ireland in 1815, this magnificent Technicolor production is full of romance, intrigue, action and adventure. The three principals in the cast, Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush and Jeff Morrow, all shine in this studio vehicle for young star Rock Hudson, who is terrific in the title role, with style, sex appeal, and a good Irish accent (Hudson was full-blood Irish, his real name was Roy Fitzgerald). Jeff Morrow, also an Irishman in real life, was especially good in one of his greatest roles as Captain Thunderbolt, leader of the Irish resistance against the British dragoons, sent to occupy Ireland by the British crown; Morrow had to take lessons to learn how to swordfight from Basil Rathbone. Filmed almost entirely on location in Ireland, this was one of the first Universal pictures to be filmed away from Hollywood. A fine, rousing adventure and a warm, sensitive romance. One of the best films made by the producer-director team of Ross Hunter and Douglas Sirk. Sadly, many Universal pictures of the 1950s and 1960s are still unavailable on home video. Universal should be ashamed of themselves for not releasing this great film on video, and a wide-screen letterbox version on DVD as well. Ay, tis the luck o' the Irish.

Splendidly shot in the Green Erin - Ireland - this beautiful, magic adventure movie is my own favorite from director Douglas Sirk, who was mostly specialized in melodramas; certainly not adventures and westerns. Which he also gave us from once in a while. As an Universal Pictures stuff, you could hardly avoid Rock Hudson - or it could have been Tony Curtis or Jeff Chandler, other "home" stars. It is an enchanted film, I forgive the naive side of this story that could have also been written for a sword and sandal or even One Thousand and One nights tale, set in Arabian desert or palace. I have great tenderness for this beautiful film.

A colorful, light adventure that plays like a classic swashbuckler, the Ross Hunter production "Captain Lightfoot," is entertaining Hollywood hokum from a screenplay by W.R. Burnett and Oscar Brodney, which was loosely based on Irish history. The casting of Rock Hudson as Mike Martin, aka Captain Lightfood, undercuts any pretense to historical accuracy, despite a supporting cast of Irish players. Although hired more for his looks and marquee value, than his aptness for the role, Hudson nevertheless is amiable, and he attempts a slight brogue that gets slighter as the film progresses. While his good-natured performance is an asset to the movie, Hudson lacks the confidence and bravado that a Burt Lancaster would have brought to the part.

Martin was a bold highwayman in early 19th century Ireland, who worked for a revolutionary society in support of Irish independence. An Irish Robin Hood, Martin stole from the English oppressors to aid the cause and to feed the poor. An Irish rebel patriot, Captain John Doherty, hears of Martin's exploits and enlists him to be his second in command; brought to Dublin by Doherty, Martin is dubbed Captain Lightfoot by Doherty's saucy headstrong daughter, Aga, after a fumbled dance with him. Known as Captain Thunderbolt, Doherty runs a gambling establishment that fleeces the English to fund the independence struggle. Like a boys' adventure movie, "Captain Lightfoot" is often exciting fun. During duels and escapes, fights and chases, robberies and romance, director Douglas Sirk maintains a steady pace.

Barbara Rush provides the requisite love interest as Aga, although the predictable romance between her and Hudson is of the clichéd "hate at first sight" variety, and viewers know the outcome from the first scene. Jeff Morrow, who plays Aga's father, Doherty, arguably gives the film's best performance; he is strong, authoritative, and convincing as a rebel leader. "Captain Lightfoot's" technical credits are also good. Shot on location in Ireland, the scenery is lush and beautiful, and the music, supervised by Joseph Gershenson, is rousing. While undemanding fun, the movie does not rise to memorable, despite the presence of a young Rock Hudson at the cusp of stardom. For Hudson fans, the film is essential viewing, for others, light escapist fun.

This is not really a drama;this is not a story of sound and fury either. Sirk's swashbuckler is a bit tongue-in -cheek .He often makes a fool of his hero (Rock Hudson ,his favourite actor ,he will be featured in many other Sirk works including the stunning "magnificent obsession" and "written on the wind" ): he tries to help captain Thunderbolt to escape and ends up himself in prison;on the roof he unintentionally rings the bell.Barbara Rush (another Sirk's favourite:she will team up with Hudson again in " Taza" and "obsession")gets a good whacking.The political side remains vague and neither the Irish nor the English seem to take it seriously although it's not really a comedy.But the main interest is the splendid cinematography ,the marvelous landscapes :the scene when Lightfoot and Regis try to escape and end up in the river is masterfully filmed.There's something nonchalant ,which makes "captain Lightfoot" a distant cousin of "a scandal in Paris" (1946) in Sirk's filmography.

That said,it's entertaining but I do not think that it ranks with the director's best films.

Universal in the early Fifties was a decidedly second rate studio in desperate need of a star of their own. Director Douglas Sirk spotted Rock Hudson in a bit role and sensed star potential. Sirk almost single handedly coached and groomed Hudson towards stardom, which was achieved with the wildly successful "Magnificent Obsession" (1954). They would make eight movies together, "Captain Lightfoot" being the fourth, and the first in which Hudson would appear as an established star.

Hudson's newfound stardom is palpable throughout the movie. He exudes a boyish confidence as yet unseen in his work making this the joyful romp that Sirk intended. He is matched by a feisty Barbara Rush who played opposite him in the inferior "Taza, Son of Cochise" and supported by an cast of Irish players vastly superior to the bit players Universal would have supplied had the movie not been shot in Ireland.

Sirk's Hollywood career can be divided into three phases. First, the early years in a new country, finding his feet with some solid, if unexciting movies. The middle period was characterized by light weight comedies and trying his hand at different genres such as the western, the costume and historical dramas. Finally, would be his golden period of the melodramas for which he became famous. "Captain Lightfoot" signals the end of the middle period.

While extremely enjoyable, it lacks sufficient substance to make it memorable. Sirk fans would naturally not want to miss this, but Rock Hudson fans in particular should seek this out. He seldom seemed to be truly having such a good time as here when flexing his new grown wings of stardom.