The Buccaneer (1958)

I saw this film around the same time as Disney's Great Locomotive Chase and was enthralled for the same reason; an action flick with period uniforms/costumes, cool weapons and not too blood thirsty. Growing older I eventually picked it up on VHS and still love the film. Heston's Jackson virtually jumps out of a history book at you. i still remember the line he gave to a new recruit complaining of being humgry: "Son, you aren't hungry until you can wipe your face with the slack of your belly!" LOL!! Brenner plays, well...Brynner (as he did in Taras Bulba, The Magnificent Seven and even Westworld). One difference here he plays Brynner with "hair" on his head. Charles Boyier plays a forgettable role as a former Napoleonic officer who has fallen on hard times and waundered into Lafitte's gang of pirates. Lorne Green (funny because he was a Canadian and Canada was on the other side in this war) plays one of the more undesirable New Orleans politician types at odds with Jackson. The female actors are beautiful...that's all one can say.

The film is kind of cornball, but does a fair job of showing the dire straits the American Army was in at that time during the war of 1812. Predictible pirate scenes and inter-personal rivalry which descends into cliche. Similar to the travis and Bowie characters in John Wayne's version of the Alamo. Love scenes would make a teeneager sob ("I love you so much I have to leave and never see you again" type of stuff. LOL!!).

So why the 5 stars? Because it is a forgotten gem of latter 1950s epic films, one of the few, if not the only, film on the Battle of New Orleans, the short battle scene is both suspenseful ansd spectacular (the fog, pipes/drums, red coats, battlefield rockets...all of it). Also, if you just suspend reality and go along for the ride, its a great film. Perhaps I like it so much because I was nine when I first saw it and still see it through those eyes. I sincerely believe that you, too, would like this film if you take the leap and look at it as just an adventure film. Classic stuff produced by Cecil DeMille and directed by Anthony Quinn (but feels more like a Disney production of the period which is meant as a compliment).

A swashbuckler with pirates, smugglers and patriots, this is marvelous entertainment, with two actors who are riveting to watch, and some history, which though embellished in some places and condensed in others, is in essence correct.

Jean Lafitte was flamboyant and a favorite of the ladies, and with his horde of sea robbers had his headquarters on an island in Barataria Bay, and controlled the waterways known as the bayou. As Lord Byron wrote of Lafitte,

"He left a Corsair's name to other times-

Linked with one virtue and a thousand crimes".

Yul Brynner is terrific as Lafitte, with swagger and strut, and even singing a beautiful Creole ballad, which Lafitte was known to do. The Costume Design in this film received an Oscar nomination, and should have won for the way they managed to fit Brynner's numerous outfits.

In the smaller but pivotal part of Andrew Jackson, Charlton Heston is downright magnificent and looks fabulous. With thick white hair, his resemblance to General Jackson is a marvel. Both Brynner and Heston, who two years earlier had starred in C.B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments", have command and presence that fills the screen and is a joy to watch.

Others in the cast are Charles Boyer, charming and humorous as Brynner's friend and fellow pirate, Inger Stevens as Brynner's love interest and the daughter of Governor Clairborne (E.G. Marshall), and Claire Bloom as tough girl Bonnie Brown. The score by Elmer Bernstein is wonderful, and cinematography by Loyal Griggs very good, especially the scene of the British advancing, with bagpipes and drums, in the Battle of New Orleans, which took place in the Winter of 1814-15. The Red Coats falling to Jackson's troops was accurate, as the British lost an astounding 2,600 to the loss of only 13 of Jackson's men.

A remake of Cecil B. DeMIlle's 1938 film, this was supervised by him, and directed by actor Anthony Quinn. DeMille also gives us a small history lesson at the start of the film, with maps to demonstrate where the action takes place.

Total running time is 121 minutes.

Buy The Buccaneer (1958) Now

Just checked this Blu Ray out and it was a distinct pleasure. All the historical notes say DeMille was too ill to shoot this movie but I dare say the final product still bears his stamp. The Technicolor and Vista Vision images are eye popping and Yul Brynner is far more charismatic than Frederic March was in DeMilles's 1938 version. Besides it is worth the purchase alone for Charlton Heston's commanding turn as Andrew Jackson. The score by Elmer Bernstein is sweeping and majestic. Historically it might be inaccurate but this is a first class movie treaure. It is meant to be treasured for what it is, a first class entertainment.

Read Best Reviews of The Buccaneer (1958) Here

This is a action packed movie set in 1812 in which Yul Brynner is a Buccaneer Pirate with a gang

on the coast of New Orleans, even though he is on the list of wanted men but still he helps

the Governor. Charlton Heston is general Andrew Jackson a man of principal and is tough.

fantastic movie full of action.amazingly directed by Anthony quinn who also acted in this.

all the way 5 star.

Want The Buccaneer (1958) Discount?

Another review mentions the fact that there are not that many films on the War of 1812, and because why. The fact that Americans don't like being the "bad guys", I believe is a silly reason. There are many movies where the United States go to war and portray their true war side. The Buccaneer was a movie about victory and love. Yul Brynner plays the role of Jean Laffitte, a pirate who comes to help the United States when the British attack New Orleans. Charlton Heston, who plays General Andrew Jackson, was great. I think that his witty, in charge, demanding role came out beautifully. Having studied Andrew Jackson in junior high school, his role (to me) is a difficult one to recreate. This was a great movie and I recommend it greatly to any old, wartime buff.

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