Iolanda, A Filha do Corsário Negro

Mario Soldati is mainly known for his towering achievements Malombra" (1942) ;and "piccolo mondo antico "(1941) the latter gave Alida Valli one of her first great roles .

"Jolanda " is pure potboiler,but why deny yoursef some good fun ? Because if the Spanish/English politics are a little boring and far-fetched ,the melodramatic side is sheer delight : the enemy's daughter falling in love with the hero ,who was deprived of his titles,his castle and this lands by this unscrupulous baddie, it's common in swashbucklers. But when the hero is a ...heroine ,dressed up as a man , it's very original! So all the scenes which involve the couple are riotously funny :the ball ,the intimate scene in which the daughter asks her "suitor" to kiss her are good moments; the girl is so naive and so smitten with her gallant attentive escort she does not realize she's abducted to be used as bargaining chips ,and does think they elope .

May Britt dressed up as a man is very attractive (she even seduces women!) and wields the sword with gusto -she was carefully taught by the travelling performer who received her in his trailer -On the other hand ,young Renalto Salvatori looks a little self-conscious .