Review of The Black Swan (1942) by Julie A — 23 Jan 2010

As I say a bunch of times, I love a good swashbuckler; especially a sea-faring swashbuckler, and this is one of those sea-faring films I like. This film is adapted from Rafael Sabatini's novel, about a some-what-reformed pirate Jamie (Tyrone Power) falls in love with the Governor's daughter Margaret (The Hunchback of Notre Dame's Maureen O'Hara), and takes his reluctant love to capture an unreformed pirate Captain Leech (Disney fans would recognize his name as the fellow played the voice of Shere Khan from The Jungle Book). Jamie eventually wins over Margaret ultimately by having respect for her despite their mutual arrogance.

This adventure-drama reflects a violent world where both pirates and governments use force to get their way; government, being bigger and stronger, almost always wins, but some pirates love their personal freedom. You know something, not many people today know of Rafael Sabatini nor his books; but I have through this film and I had read the original book and I love both of them - book and film. Of course, in the book, it is different: Leach boarded and captured a ship called the Centaur, which numbers among its passengers two people named Charles de Bernis & Priscilla Harrabine...not Jamie & Margaret. By his quick wit and bold front, De Bernis saves the lives of his fellow passengers, and for the special protection of Priscilla, he passes her off as his wife; just like in the film.

So overall, I enjoy this film; it has everything a good pirate film got's: Adventure,Love, and Treachery.