The Princess and the Pirate (1944)

Absolutely the worst movie.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Bob Hope plays a bad performer who is looking for a job in the New World. On the way there, the boat he's on is attacked by pirates and taken. Their prize is a runaway princess (Virginia Mayo). Although a thorough coward, Bob musters up the courage to help her escape. Now a pirate (Victor McLaglen) and corrupt governor (Walter Slezak) are out to find the girl and kill Hope. Can the pair manage to escape and avoid a horrid fate? Well, perhaps with the help of a crazy old coot (Walter Brennan) they can find a way.I am a history teacher and seeing a movie with me can either be informative or annoying depending on your perspective. When I see films that are historically inaccurate, I tend to grumble and complain. When I see films that are completely ridiculous historically, I tend to REALLY complain and annoying people around me! As for "The Princess and the Pirate" I did NOT expect the film to be like a PBS documentary, but the film seems to bear absolutely no semblance to any pirates I ever read about and was a really silly little trifle. So, if you are historically-minded, DON'T watch this film--it will drive you crazy.Now, if you can look past the historical inaccuracies and anachronisms, is the film worth seeing? Well,...maybe. If you adore Bob Hope and love anything he's in, then of course you should see the film. If you are looking for a comedy, well, this film suffers from one minor problem...it's not funny. It IS full of pretty costumes and very bright and garish colors but funny it ain't. Instead, it's as if they simply brought out the costumes and told Hope to 'just wing it'--doing his typical stand-up act filled with hit and miss (mostly miss) quips. And, as for Brennan, they told him to cackle insanely throughout the course of the film.By the way, get a load of Slezak's skin-head wig. It's pretty bad...and in keeping with the rest of the film. And, after looking at the rest of the reviews I am apparently in the distinct minority and consider this to be among Hope's worst films...though it is pretty (when the DVD print is in focus--which was a problem now and again).

Bob Hope comedy shot in fabulous color and with a terrific supporting cast. Ship sailing the Spanish Main is overtaken by pirates: their captives include a princess escaping her throne and a theatrical performer, Sylvester the Great, who is the king of the bad review. Skit-like adventures becomes episodic, and interest peaks and ebbs, but the presentation is hearty and some of the lines are very amusing. Victor McLaglen is wonderful as salty, bad-tempered pirate The Hook and Virginia Mayo works well with Hope and holds her own. Ultimately too long, and too silly for those not in the mood, but one of Bob Hope's better vehicles. ** from ****

This one is so much better than Hope's later romp in the swashbuckling genre called CASANOVA'S BIG NIGHT.VIRGINIA MAYO displays comic flair as Princess Margaret, the lovely Technicolor photography doing her full justice as the costumed princess running away from the villains with the cowardly Sylvester the Great (BOB HOPE) at her side. Hope is at his comic best, delivering every line with the sort of casual flair for comedy that served him so well during his early years at Paramount.But having the most fun are VICTOR McLAGLEN as the hook-bearing pirate with a devilish gleam in his eye; WALTER BRENNAN as the maniacal, half-witted pirate called Featherbrain who relishes every scene and gives one of his best supporting role performances; and WALTER SLEZAK as the wicked man who wants the treasure map and Mayo for his own.Not to be outclassed by these comic performances, we also have HUGO HAAS as the cabaret owner who shares some priceless one-liners with Hope who auditions for a job in his cabaret. The drinking scene is one of the highlights of the film.Directed at a frantic pace by David Butler, this is one of Hope's most enjoyable romps and it's all dressed up in fancy Technicolor and lavish sets and costumes.Not to be missed, if you're a Hope fan.

Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo star in this hilarious comedy about a tenth-rate actor who gets mixed up with beautiful women, corrupt politicians, pirates and treasure maps. Hope really looks like he's enjoying himself, and when you get a load of Virginia Mayo, you'll see why. She has never looked more ravishing--the gorgeous Technicolor photography actually works better for her than it did for Maureen O'Hara, who was known as "The Queen of Technicolor"--and shows an unexpected flair for comedy. Victor McLaglen seems to be having a blast as the evil pirate The Hook, Walter Slezak plays the crooked governor in another one of his fine oily villain performances, and Walter Brennan is a scream as a crazed pirate who takes a shine to Hope. Some hilarious comic routines--especially one where Hope pretends to be The Hook--and several surprisingly good action scenes, which you don't often see in comedies, make this one of Hope's best pictures without Bing Crosby (well, for the most part). Don't miss it.