The Buccaneer (1958)

Pretty Good

Let's be realistic.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Charlton Heston is undoubtedly the best thing in this picture. A meandering script, dubious romantic liaisons and average acting come close to sinking "The Buccaneer". Yul is Jean La Fitte, the title role. His performance is all over the map, going from tough to lethargic, to mercurial, to wistfully patriotic. Charles Boyer plays himself portraying the roguish General Dominique You, late of Napoleon's army, is pretty good, Mickey Shaughnessy is good as a comic sidekick to the boss and Clare Bloom and Inger Stevens provide love interest. The battle of New Orleans is the centerpiece of the film and is reasonably well staged, considering it's obviously filmed on a sound stage. History is shown here as the pirates help the American army and militia turn back the British. Chuck is Andrew Jackson, and it's been pointed out several times, Chuck looks like they used his picture for the twenty. Typical Technicolor '50's epic, not bad but not great either.

This movie has great stars in their earlier years: Ingor Stevens never looked prettier; Yul Brynner was a very convincing Jean LaFitte, conflicted about his piracy and desiring to keep neutrality with the United States. Charlton Heston did a pretty good job as Andrew Jackson, but some moments were a bit stilted. It's really a good flick for students to learn that part of our history, AND it shows that all happy endings do NOT include the lovers getting together with each other--sometimes the happier ending is that they sail away and find partners of similar background who will understand them better in the long run. I have viewed it every year at least twice for 16 years now; and though it is not the best movie I've ever seen, I love it every time!

Yul Brynner is Louisiana's greatest folk Hero/Pirate/Privateer/Patriot/Gentleman and the most condemned and pardoned man in American History. Charlton Heston is Old Hickory himself Andrew Jackson the wild and crazy Tennessee General who would go on to be President of The United States. The storyline is simple ! The British fresh from the battles with Napoleon are coming and have already got a hold of Washington D.C.. It is up to General Andrew Jackson and his fresh raw inexperienced troops to stop them from coming into New Orleans. Lafitte the pirate is running an illegal buying and selling operation in the Bayou but no one really seems to care except Louisiana Governor Claibourne who would rather see Lafitte hanged. I won't spoil all of the Buccaneer for you so go and get a copy on video. And if Paramount Pictures reads this posting please do me a favor and get this movie digitally remastered and remixed onto DVD where it belongs. Use all the amenities of DVD with picture and sound and make this movie look and sound better than it ever has been please !

Sure, the history in this movie was "Hollywoodized"--but it's far from being the only bit of history rewritten for the masses. Lafitte sided with the Americans because he considered himself a Frenchman and therefore hated the British, not because of any sense of patriotism for a nation that had taken over New Orleans only a short time ago; he broke his agreement and returned to smuggling, which caused his sailing to Galveston; he was more of a petty criminal and scoundrel than a hero *or* a swashbuckler. But who cares? This is one movie that's sheer entertainment--and face it, we all wanted Jean to go for the feisty wench rather than the prudish daughter of the governor. Brynner once again rises over mediocre writing to give a fascinating performance.