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The Pirates of Penzance (1983) More at IMDbPro »

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The Pirates of Penzance (1983) -- Gilbert and Sullivan's opera tells the story of a pirate's apprentice and his romance with a major-general's daughter.

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   1,424 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
William S. Gilbert (operetta)
Wilford Leach (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Pirates of Penzance on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 February 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Broadway's smash hit is now the movie! more
Plot:
This movie is an adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta of the same name, with parts of other of their operettas stirred in... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Exactly, why wasn't this movie a hit? more (46 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Kevin Kline ... The Pirate King

Angela Lansbury ... Ruth
Linda Ronstadt ... Mabel
George Rose ... Maj. Gen. Stanley
Rex Smith ... Frederic
Tony Azito ... Sergeant
David Hatton ... Samuel
Louise Gold ... Edith
Teresa Codling ... Kate
Zoot Money ... Pirate (as G.B. Zoot Money)
Tilly Vosburgh ... Daughter
Peppi Borza ... Policeman
Preston Lockwood ... Orchestra conductor
Romolo Bruni ... Pinafore captain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mohamed Aazzi ... Pirate
Anthony Arundell ... Pirate
John Asquith ... Pirate

Tim Bentinck ... Pirate
John Bett ... Pinafore company
Lennie Byrne ... Pinafore company

Jo Cameron Brown ... Pinafore company

Nicolas Chagrin ... Policeman
Frankie Cull ... Policeman
Ross Davidson ... Pirate
Zulema Dene ... Pinafore company
Marta Eitler ... Pinafore company
Carole Forbes ... Pinafore company
Mike Grady ... Pirate
David Hampshire ... Policeman
Stephen Hanan ... Samuel (voice)
Leni Harper ... Daughter
Phillip Harrison ... Policeman
Jack Honeyborne ... Pinafore company
Simon Howe ... Pirate
Alix Korey ... Edith (singing) (voice) (as Alexandra Korey)
Maurice Lane ... Policeman
Carol MacReady ... Pinafore company
Jerry Manley ... Policeman
Brian Markham ... Pinafore company
Neil McCaul ... Policeman
Clare McIntyre ... Daughter
Tony Millan ... Pirate
Valerie Minifie ... Pinafore Company
Rhys Nelson ... Policeman
Garry Noakes ... Policeman
Louise Papillon ... Daughter
Andrew Paul ... Pirate
Chris Power ... Policeman
Ken Leigh Rogers ... Pirate
Mohamed Serhani ... Pirate
Marcie Shaw ... Kate (voice)
Linda Spurrier ... Pinafore company
Ursula Stedman ... Pinafore company
Mike Walling ... Pirate
Kenny Warwick ... Policeman
Nancy Wood ... Daughter
more
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Pirates of Penzance or The Slave of Duty (UK) (long title)
more
Runtime:
112 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Linda Ronstadt was nominated for the 1981 Tony Award (New York City) for Actress in a Musical for "Pirates of Penzance" and recreated her role in the film based on this production. more
Goofs:
Continuity: As the Sergeant does a backbend while Mabel sings to him, the position of his hand on his chest keeps changing between shots (as opposed to the actual movement prescribed by the choreography). more
Quotes:
Major General Stanley: Frederic here! Oh joy oh rapture! Summon your men and effect their capture
Mabel: Frederic save us!
Frederic: Beautiful Mabel, I would if I could but I am not able.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Flashpoint: Scorpio (#1.1)" (2008) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful.
Exactly, why wasn't this movie a hit?, 8 February 2002
Author: TheNovelist from houston, texas

This movie's great even though it's quite clear that this movie was low budget. Still, why wasn't it a hit? It's wonderful! Linda Ronstadt's Mabel is superb, I wish I could hit those high notes as flawlessly as she does and plus she is so pretty! Who can play the Pirate King as charismatically as Kevin Kline? You just have to love his crazy antics and that voice, oh! It's obvious he has great talent and that Tony Award he won for his portrayal of The Pirate King on Broadway was well-deserved. I wonder if he can still sing and dance... Rex Smith is divine as Frederic; his singing voice is powerful yet has a tender appeal. He is quite talented in his portrayal of a gullible yet loveable Frederic. Angela Lansbury is lovely in her portrayal of the deaf nursemaid and she has such a wonderful voice; it fits the role perfectly. The pirates, the daughters, the policemen, were all wonderful. I especially love the policemen's song-and-dance numbers. Tony Azito's nasal voice and rubber-like movements are perfect as the Sergeant. I have nothing bad to say about this movie, only I wish it were longer and it did not end so soon! See this movie! It's funny, romantic, and has good music.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I wonder why they cut that? nickymccloud
DVD Release jimboparsley
http://www.petition online.com/pop1983/ petition.html commerce-22
But the pirates *knew*! nylrebmik17
How many versions of the 1983 studio film? oldsyd
deleted song rhp33
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