The Pirate [VHS][1948]

The Pirate is directed by Vincente Minnelli and adapted to screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett from the S.N. Behrman play. It stars Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Walter Slezak and Gladys Cooper. Music is by Lennie Hayton and Cole Porter and cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr.Gene Kelly plays Serafin, an actor who poses as notorious pirate Macoco to win the heart of Manuela Alva (Garland) because she dreams of being swept away to a life of romantic adventure.By definition it was a troubled production, numerous rewrites, Garland's battle with prescription drugs impacting on the shooting schedule and audiences turning their backs on a film they wasn't sure how to react too. With the box office results failing to match the production value or the film's ambition, it is a film that has for a number of years carried around the tag of being a dud, which while it has problems for sure, is an unfair reputation given the enjoyment and escapism value available upon viewing it now.The main fault lies with the very poor songs, where were it not for the closing Be A Clown (which would be copied to become Make `Em Laugh for Singin' in the Rain four years later), then it would be a 100% stinker strike rate for Cole Porter. It's hard to believe the great man could come out with something so bland and boorish as the first song during the story, Niña, where he even uses a rhyme for schizophrenia! Another (minor) problem is that Garland is sometimes (and unusually) over the top in her performance, a problem we can probably attribute to her off screen issues since she seems to be grasping the chance to unleash her own form of escapism on screen. However, Kelly is on hand to calm her down and steady the ship; except for the film's funniest sequence as Manuela throws the entire contents of a room at Serafin!Yet in spite of the problems, and this really is no misunderstood masterpiece, the film often soars. With gorgeous Technicolor photography opening the eyes fully, we get a full on energised Kelly performance (his dance with the Nicholas Brothers pumps the blood and taps the feet), Slezak doing a wonderful turn as the shifty Don Pedro who Manuela is being coerced into marrying, and a Pirate Ballet section of the film that is stunning in choreography and eye popping visuals. There's also some lovely close ups of the two stars, they were a great pairing and it's a crying shame they would only make three features together, one scene in particular is heart achingly tender. With Minnelli keeping it brisk and mostly keeping it from being too stage bound, the simplicity of plot never hurts the film. Fun, frothy and flawed, indeed. 7.5/10

I'm not generally fond of the pirate genre (if there is such a thing!) but make an exception for this film. Gene Kelly + Judy Garland always make a believable pairing and their performances are stellar. Having only just heard of the Nicholas Brothers, thanks to this month's documentary 'The Sound of Movie Musicals with Neil Brand', I was astonished when the said Brothers popped up again in The Pirate! I was also surprised that a song or two, made famous and more memorable in later musicals, were introduced in this film - perhaps not even for the first time.It would be nice to have all GK's films in one complete, sequential collection for a more comprehensive education of the early musical/dance genre. How are the new generations to learn if not by studying the Great Masters of yesteryear?

I have not seen the DVD of 'The Pirate' ...the picture quality of this recently released restoration was extremely good ...nearly as good as the recently released Blu-ray of 'Show Boat'...Looking at the film today it is more like a panto with lots of fantastic dancing and singing from Gene Kelly who looks so young and agile and Judy sings and is good in the film. There is a 2007 making of extra about the film which is rather good that includes details of the considerable production difficulties experienced in making the film. If you like the film I'm sure you will consider the upgrade to this Blu-ray is well worth it.

Liza Minelli reviews this film as it was produced by her Father Vincente, saying it proved to be contraversial, and not easily understood by some people, but in the end it ammounts to personal taste. I think it represents some of the optimism and relief after the war years, and I love the fact that it is a colourful fantasy which contains fantasies within fantasies.The plot is beautifully ironic: Judy Garland (Manuella)is to marry a Pirate (unknown to anyone) who has become Mayor of the town, but falls in love with a travelling actor (Gene Kelly),who impersonates him as he was in former times when their paths crossed:(Mack the Black).She is in fact to marry the one about whom she fantasizes and does not realise it.Amongst the great Cole Porter songs "Be A Clown" is featured, and the costumes are brilliant throughout.Gene Kelly does a ballet dance to a Bolero tune, keeping tap to a minimum as there was no American stage style tap in 1830.The whole thing is a good natured romp, even the villany; but Elizabeth Taylor's shrew in Taming of the Shrew is no match for Judy's (Manuella's)enraged outburst when she realizes she has been hypnotised and deceived by a showman.Excellent.

I do like The Pirate. It has classIt has great décor- Minnelli makes absolutely certain it looks beautiful and the actors are dressed superblyIt has a great score-- not brilliant, except for Be a Clown but more than adequate and no stinkersIt has a great supporting cast - Walter Slezak and Gladys Cooper enjoy themselves and make their marks.It has the Nicholas Brothers who tap up a storm with Kelly for the first Be A ClownBut most of all it has Garland and Kelly, pitch perfect and totally in tunePS Look out for Garland's reply to a girl who rushes to the carriage offering to sacrifice herself and go thePirate in Garland's place. Perfect!

The costumes are very colourful and slightly 'eccentric'. After a rousing opening number from Judy Garland, the plot seems to lose its way over the next 30 minutes or so. Then an incident from the past is mentioned and the whole thing takes off again. The remainder of the film is well worth waiting for.

I like this dvd, and it has nice special features I can watch again and again

Can't fault Judy Garland or Gene Kelly, they did their best with this odd melodrama, a lot of over acting going on but great singing and dancing as expected, enjoyable for what it is though.