Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

edwagreen When the young lad cried at the top of the staircase, after killing off Basil Rathbone, Joan Fontaine realized that a life with a pirate was not for her. O brother, how corny could one get?The really only good thing about this 1944 Daphne DuMaurier story is the clothes worn as well as those wigs the men wore. The set decorations are also quite good depicting an opulent period.Unfortunately, the story here really isn't. Annoyed with her wealthy husband and his lack of concern when his friend, Basil Rathbone, who really didn't get the opportunity to be his usual sinister self, flirts openly with her, the Fontaine character flees to a remote island and finds love with the pirate raiding the coast.All is lovely until her husband and Rathbone show up supposedly in search of the pirate.Cecil Kellaway is excellent as the house servant, his devilish ways are clearly shown for his loyalty to the pirate.

Greg Couture I've never seen this fanciful costumer in a theater but a TV broadcast, quite a few years ago, fairly leapt from the screen - the three-strip Technicolor had transferred to video as if it were a pristine print. Paramount obviously spared no expense on this one and, despite some minor objections, I recall being thoroughly entertained by it, especially that absolutely savage battle-to-the-death between Basil Rathbone's quintessentially dastardly villain and a desperately determined Joan Fontaine.Some years back I somewhere read that, while waiting in full makeup and costumes for the lighting technicians to work their magic, Miss Fontaine rather scathingly queried her costar, Arturo de Cordova, why he was pursuing a career as an actor, apparently with the implication that it was an occupation unworthy of a man. If that's the kind of treatment he had to undergo at the hands of a Hollywood leading lady, one can confidently guess that his much greater success in Latin American cinema left him with few regrets that his Hollywood sojourn never amounted to much.

Neil Doyle Joan Fontaine was never more beautifully costumed and made up as a lady longing for romance with a dashing pirate to escape her dull marriage--but she never quite convinces she has all the spirit and fire of the heroine. (Evidently, Maureen O'Hara was unavailable). She poses prettily in a number of extravagant costumes but the fantasy escapism of the story seems artificial and contrived. A nice asset is a background score featuring Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' and a properly wicked performance from Basil Rathbone (who gets his comeuppance from the fair lady by having a suit of armor tossed at him.) Cecil Kellaway and Nigel Bruce don't fare as well in rather thankless roles. Unfortunately, the pirate is played unimpressively by Arturo de Cordova, entirely lacking in the charisma required to make his part believable. Women will especially love the idea behind the story--escape with the man of your dreams if only for a day or night of pirate adventure. Nothing deep here, but it's beautiful to look at and justly won an Oscar for Best Color Art Direction and Interior Decoration. For fans of romantic fiction, this one fills the bill.

Carolyn H Geary A fun movie to watch. Joan Fontaine was never more beautiful. The sets and costumes are absolutely breathtaking and Basil Rathbone completely steals the show. This film has all the elements of a good adventure yarn.