Review of The Pirate (1948) by Jacob M — 23 Jun 2013

Gene Kelley will always be remembered for his performance in Singin' in the Rain, while Judy Garland will always be remembered for her role in The Wizard of Oz. With that in mind, it's always a real treat to see Hollywood actors star in roles that are not their most famous work. The Pirate is one of those films.

Set in the Caribbean during the 19th Century, a young woman named Manuela (Judy Garland) is about to be married to the new mayor, Don Pedro (Walter Slezak), but actually has a crush on a pirate named Mack the Black Macoco. While exploring a Caribbean town, she meets actor Sarafin (Gene Kelly), who immediately develops a crush on Manuela. To win her over, Serafin poses as Macoco, but the results cause the town to believe that he really is the famed pirate.

Also in The Pirate is Lester Allen as Manuela's uncle Capucho and Gladys Cooper as Manuela's aunt Inez.

The Pirate is directed by Vincente Minnelli, best known for musicals such as An American in Paris, The Band Wagon, and Gigi. I have never been a big fan of Minnelli's work, especially Gigi, which I viewed as overrated trash, but Minnelli is good at color. The Pirate is actually a Minnelli film that's fun.

First off, the colors are beautiful. Like in his other films, Minnelli puts color and stuns you with his colorful artwork. I just wished Gigi told a much better story.

When I first heard that Gene Kelly and Judy Garland were starring in a film together, I viewed them as an unlikely couple, but was interested, considering that unlikely couples usually work in films. In The Pirate, this unlikely couple formula works again. Judy Garland is beautiful to look at, is funny, and boy, can she sing. I got a little chill when she sung "Mack the Black." And Gene Kelly? He's always a treat to watch. His choreography and acrobatic stunts are a thrill and also provides us with an entertaining dream dancing sequence, even if his "pirate" costume might creep some out.

The best sequence in The Pirate is the musical number "Be a Clown", featuring Kelly dance with a duo known as The Nicholas Brothers. Even though it caused controversy back in the day with two different races dancing together, today, that scene features some impressive dancing and a catchy tune. The melody in the song would serve as the inspiration for the "Make Em Laugh" song in Singin' in the Rain.

While lacking when it comes to depth, The Pirate is one, fun film from Vincente Minnelli, featuring a great couple, some fun songs, and some impressive choreography. I recommend it.