Captain Kidd (1945)

Director:

Rowland V. Lee

Writers:

Robert N. Lee (story)
Norman Reilly Raine (writer)

Release Date:

1946 (Austria)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Adventure

Tagline:

Adventure on the high seas!

Plot:

The unhistorical adventures of pirate Captain Kidd revolve around treasure and treachery.

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | King | Buried Treasure | Secret Compartment | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Charles Laughton	...	Capt. William Kidd
Randolph Scott	...	Adam Mercy / Adam Blayne
Barbara Britton	...	Lady Anne Dunstan
John Carradine	...	Orange Povey
Gilbert Roland	...	Jose Lorenzo
John Qualen	...	Bart Blivens
Sheldon Leonard	...	Cyprian Boyle
William Farnum	...	Capt. Rawson
Henry Daniell	...	King William III
Reginald Owen	...	Cary Shadwell

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Benedict Bogeaus Production

Trivia:

Four years before this movie was made, Charles Laughton co-starred in It Started with Eve (1941), In that film, Laughton's character, Jonathan Reynolds Sr., is said to have been born two centuries too late. The assistant newspaper editor comments that he could have been "Captain Kidd himself".

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Lady Anne Dunstan's father is about to be knocked off ship by a swinging treasure chest, and just after he is knocked off deck, a large vertical seam between two of the background flats is clearly visible.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Capt. William Kidd: Stab me, there's a pretty sight!
Orange Povey: It'll be prettier still when the fire reaches the magazine, Captain.
Cyprian Boyle: Pity though. Lots of stout seamen among 'em. They've been with us a long time.
Capt. William Kidd: We can none of live forever, Mr. Boyle. Dead men don't talk.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)

Kidding Around with Charles Laughton

In the late 1600s, dastardly pirate Charles Laughton (as Captain William Kidd) convinces King William III (Henry Daniell) he's above board - but, of course, Mr. Laughton is pulling the King's leg. One of the Captain's seafaring crew of cutthroats, heroic Randolph Scott (as Adam Mercy), poses a threat. Laughton killed Mr. Scott's father, and soon adds the father of beautiful-on-board Barbara Britton (as Lady Anne Dunstan) to his list of victims. Scott falls for the fetching Ms. Britton.

Entertaining as always, Laughton makes the most of his role. Scott seems like a fish out of water; and, to varying degrees, so do many in the cast. The interesting crew features "first mate" performances from Reginald Owen (as Shadwell) and John Carradine (as Povey). Smaller roles essayed by Gilbert Roland (as Lorenzo) and William Farnum (as Captain Rawson) are equally satisfying. Alas, the production is rushed and unsatisfying, despite an "Oscar"-nominated score, by Werner Janssen.

***** Captain Kidd (11/22/45) Rowland V. Lee ~ Charles Laughton, Randolph Scott, Barbara Britton