Le pirate du roi

Comic remake of Against All Flags; all very pleasant and colourfully photographed, but hampered by Doug McClure's hopeless performance. At the start of the film we see big Doug getting flogged aboard ship, but his facial expression suggests it's all just a big joke. He certainly doesn't appear to be in much pain. However, the film comes into its element when it gets down to the swashbuckling side of things. The action and pacing in these sequences is much more competent, and comes close in some scenes to rivalling the blood and thunder heroics of earlier pirate flicks. Jill St. John (best known for Diamonds Are Forever and Sitting Target) is spirited in this, really turning on the charm, as well as the action, as the heroine. However, every now and again the film tries to play it for laughs, but its slapstick style is pitifully weak. A mixed bag, but you could much worse.

Universal International Studios produced this agreeable pirate comedy set in Madagascar, in 1700, with a British officer , Doug McClure , who must fend off the advances of daring enemies by baring his chest to pose as a pirate . Later on , in Madagascar he attempts to capture a known pirate played by Guy Stockwell and to seek a valuable treasure . As he has to infiltrate into Diego Suarez stronghold, Madagascar. At the same time , our starring slashing his way through the enemy fleet at the turn of century . Along the way the British soldier disguised as a pirate falling in love for two beautiful women, as a hot-tempered pirate moll : Jill St John and a tasty eyeful princess: Mary Ann Mobley , playing a Moghul damsel in distress who's recently been taken captive . Happenings reach a spotlight in a shipboard battle when the authentic motivations are uncovered . The Seven Seas, his Playground...Danger...Adventure...Women...his Reward .

The film displays thrills, action, adventure, swashbuckling, and dazzling spectacle of swordplay . Although the stoy has been told before , tight filmmaking and nice interpretation win out . It results to be a remake of Against All Flags 1952 by George Sherman with Errol Flynn, Mauren O' Hara, Anthony Quinn. And containing footage of the original film. Stars Doug MClure who gives a sympathetic acting as a likeable adventurer goes into problems obligingly in the sort of character once reserved for Tony Curtis. Doug McClure is pretty well as a handsome British Lt. officer, who is sent undercover to infiltrate a lively band of pirates and having to work smartly and quickly to chase a band of thieves . He is well accompanied by gorgeous Jill St John and former Miss America , the love-struck Mary Ann Mobley , as an Indian with Scots accent . Here stands out a large and notorious support cast , such as : Kurt Kasznar, Richard Deacon, Torin Thacher, Woodrow Parfrey, Sean McGlory, among others .

It packs a colorful cinematography in Universal Studios style and Technicolor by Clifford Stine . Lively and catching musical score by Ralph Ferraro . The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Don Weiss. He was an artisan usually working for TV in several episodes of Baretta, Mannix, Kolchak , Planet of apes, Perry Mason, Ironside , Hawaii 5.0 , The immortal, Rodeo and many others . And occasionally directing on big screen such as : Gene Krupa story, The longest hundred miles, Adventures of Hajji Baba , The ghost and the invisible bikini . Rating : acceptable and decent pirate film 5.5/10 .

Conventional and standard sea adventure movie from Universal International Studios . Amusing pirate movie , plenty of action-packed , land rescues , thrills , sea battles , colorful cinematography , luxurious costumes and paced in lighthearted style . This is a story of the Madagascar pirates when villainy wore a Sash and the only political creed in the world was love , gold and adventure . It is a blending of adventures , romance , action , exciting naval battle scenes , and swashbuckler . In 1700 A.D. , the Pirate Republic of Libertaria on the Island of Madagascar was a constant menace to the rich trade routes to India . Several days sail from his pirate fortress in the British merchant ship . There appears Brian (Doug McClure) , an English navy officer slashing his way through the fleet and pretending to be a deserter to infiltrate into pirate island . Now he can infiltrate the pirate stronghold of Diego Suarez using his cunning , bravery , humor and shrewness .Once inside the port, Flynn meets the pirate captain called John Avery (Guy Stockwell) and moll (Jill St John) . Brian is after Avery , and to find a valuable treasure and locate fortifications so that it can be successfully taken by the English navy . Pirates capture and burn a ship carrying Princess Patma (Mary Anne Mobley) , daughter of the Great Mogul, and her governess . After numerous adventures Brian is able to aid his lover and help save his British empire , finding romance along the way . As Brian ravished the pirate port of Madagascar to steal the love of its Corsair Queen . This is a 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! .

Combination of overwhelming sea battles , lots of derring-do , and full of action , romance , swashbuckler , bravura and humor remarks . An enjoyable swashbuckler about the Pirate Republic of Libertaria , Magadascar , at the turn of the 17th century , dealing with Lt. Brian Fleming who volunteers to be flogged for a contrived offense and then discharged from the British Navy . Entertaining pirate movie , plenty of action , thrills , colorful cinematography and luxurious costumes . Although the story has been told before , tight filmmaking and nice acting win out . This engaging picture is fast-moving , exciting , hilarious and thrilling right up to the almost balletic climatic confrontation between Doug McClure and Guy Stockwell . Average-budgeted film by Universal International Pictures , using appropriate ship shots and miniature sets when possible . It results to be a remake of Against all flags (1952) with Doug McClure in the Errol Flynn role , Guy Stockwell in the Anthony Quinn character and Jill St. John in the Maureen O'Hara role. Universal took advantage of the unused sets by other films scripting and shooting a hastily assembled B picture . And it packs some stock footage of the original film , including ships scale model and breathtaking sea battles . Good and sympathetic acting by Doug McClure , the famous Trampas from The Virginian , as a deserter in order to penetrate a well-defended pirate stronghold on Madagascar . Doug McClure seems to happy as the adventurer pirate whose good looks and swordmanship were both at their peak . And even he did most of his own stunts . Master of adventure and Western , Doug could happily have found a better vehicle for his faculties than this entertaining adaptation . There appears two gorgeous women Jill St John , who married Robert Wagner, as a hot-tempered pirate moll who swoons over Doug ; furthermore , Mary Anne Mobley , as a tarty eyeful and likable princess in distress who Doug saves from the burning ship and she falls for him , too . More stylish villainy is provided by both , the nasty Guy Stockwell and Richard Deacon . It displays a nice support cast such : as Kurt Kasznar, Woodrow Parfrey, Sean McClory , Torin Thatcher , Alex Montoya , Ted de Corsia , among others .This is a good-natured Technicolor romp with splendid cinematography by Clifford Stine and evocative musical score by Ralph Ferraro . The motion picture was professionally directed by Don Weiss , a craftsman and action specialist who had already filmed other adventures .He made several episodes from notorious TV series , such as : Mannix , Kolchack , Planet of apes , Alfred Hitchcock presents , The Immortal and Petrocelli . And occassionally directing some films in big screen , such as : The ghost and the invisible bikini , Gene Krupa story , The longest hundred miles , Adventures of Hajji , among others . Rating : 6 , decent swashbuckler movie , wonderful stuff . It will appeal to pirate genre fans.

Seeing Doug McClure has been whipped yet smiling, I wondering where I saw this unforgettable scene, well in 1985 when I'd watched it for very first time, not quite due it I've barely remembered, then Errol Flynn comes me mind in AGAINST ALL FLAGS watched in past years, anyhow this remake is utterly humor oriented, mainly focusing in the buffoon Zucco (Kurt Kasznar) that has strong similitude with the upcoming character Fitzhugh in LAND OF THE GIANTS in next year.

The plot about the British Royal Navy in 16th century is pretty worry about constants raids of pirates in regular trade route into profitable oriental market place, Madagascar is a safe lair of pirates where the bay harbor area is shielded by several heavy cannons, thus an American mercenary soldier Lt. Brian Fleming (Doug McClure) offers himself as sole volunteer upon a pulpy reward to enter in the island as draft dodger aiming for locate the spots where those cannons are and aftermaths silence all them, a hard assignment when he faces a local beauty Mistress Jessica Stephens (Jill St. John) side by side with dubious and wimp Zucco, nonetheless he must overcame the treacherous villain John Avery (Guy Stockwell).

A awesome mixing of swashbuckling adventure-comic-romance offering, introducing several circus acrobats, funny characters, pony fights, far-fetched acting and so for, although pretty amusing entertainment, addressed to afternoon matinee.

Thanks for reading.

Resume: First watch: 1985 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.25.

Madagascar, circa 1700 - the story is about the efforts of the British to halt piracy of the rich trade route to India. Doug McClure, playing a Colonial American, volunteers to silence the guns of the pirate port of Diego Suarez and in regulation style accomplishes his mission.

Ok buccaneer yarn, which has some good action, however it's a comedic remake of Against All Flags, probably has too much comedy, and it appears that Doug McClure's mission is waysided by it, and the plot meanders a bit. It's dull in places. But it's passable, and has some good humour- Doug McClure is a likeable hero, Jill St. John sizzles as a lady pirate.