The Crimson Pirate (1952)

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writer:

Roland Kibbee (written by)

Release Date:

27 September 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

MAN OF NINE LIVES AND 1000 SURPRISES! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Burt Lancaster plays a pirate with a taste for intrigue and acrobatics who involves himself in the goings...

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Pirate | Caribbean | Rum | Man Disguised As Woman

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Capt. Vallo (The Crimson Pirate)
Nick Cravat	...	Ojo
Eva Bartok	...	Consuelo
Torin Thatcher	...	Humble Bellows
James Hayter	...	Prof. Prudence
Leslie Bradley	...	Baron Jose Gruda
Margot Grahame	...	Bianca
Noel Purcell	...	Pablo Murphy
Frederick Leister	...	Sebastian
Eliot Makeham	...	Governor
Frank Pettingell	...	Colonel
Dana Wynter	...	La Signorita (as Dagmar Wynter)
Christopher Lee	...	Joseph (attache)
Ewan Roberts	...	Claw Paw
John Chandos	...	Stub Ear
Derek Tansley	...	Patch Eye
Charles Farrell	...	Poison Paul
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Horvath	...	(unconfirmed)
Enzo Giobbe	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Harry Lane	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Vittorio Martinelli	...	Cameo appearance (uncredited)
Dennis Wyndham	...	Rebel in Wine Cellar (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Siodmak

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Roland Kibbee		written by

Produced by
Norman Deming	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Harold Hecht	....	producer (uncredited)
Burt Lancaster	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Alwyn

Cinematography by
Otto Heller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jack Harris

Art Direction by
Paul Sheriff

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Gladys Atkinson	....	hair stylist
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Terry Hunter	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gus Agosti	....	assistant director
Vernon Sewell	....	second unit director

Art Department
Ken Adam	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Cecil Mason	....	sound recordist (as C. Mason)
A.E. Rudolph	....	recording director

Special Effects by
Russell Shearman	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	....	stunts (uncredited)
Allen Pomeroy	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Sullivan	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gus Drisse	....	camera operator
H.J. Hodges	....	underwater photographer
George Pink	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjorie Best	....	costumes: Burt Lancaster and Nick Cravat

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Joan Bridge	....	technicolor colour consultant
Maisie Kelly	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1952) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1972) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Office YK Pictures (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #15427) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Bay of Naples, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Ojo (Nick Cravat) is mute because Cravat had a thick East Coast accent.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Humble Bellows is lowered over the side to listen to Captain Vallo speaking to Consuelo about his releasing her and her father, Humble is hanging upside down. When we next see Humble up on deck, he is soaking wet. Why drop him in the water, when deck side in only a body length and a hand up away?

Quotes:

Vallo: Why did you bolt your cabin door last night?
Consuelo: If you knew it was bolted you must have tried it. If you tried it, you know why it was bolted.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Truman Show (1998)

Burt never smiled brighter

Movies do not come any more swashbuckling than this one. Hey, we have pirates, the Caribbean, villains, heroes, damsels in distress, sword fights, sea battles, inventions, acrobatics aplenty. And all delivered with Burt's legendary smile. It is not a genre spoof, but it does not take itself seriously either.

Watching this film one can perhaps understand why some people took a while to accept Burt Lancaster as a real actor. Not that his acting in this film is bad, but the excellent acrobatic skills we come to admire betray a different background.

Enormous fun.