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Pirates (1986)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
18 July 1986 (USA)
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Plot:
Captain Red runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor...
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Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 2 wins
&
1 nomination
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User Comments:
Apparently savaged, for inexplicable reasons, by critics who should know better
more (36 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Walter Matthau | ... | Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red |
 | Cris Campion | ... | The Frog - Jean-Baptiste |
| Damien Thomas | ... | Don Alfonso de la Torré |
| Olu Jacobs | ... | Boomako |
| Ferdy Mayne | ... | Captain Linares |
 | David Kelly | ... | Surgeon |
| Tony Peck | ... | Spanish Officer (as Anthony Peck) |
| Anthony Dawson | ... | Spanish Officer |
| Richard Dieux | ... | Spanish Officer |
| Jacques Maury | ... | Spanish Officer |
| José Santamaría | ... | Master at Arms (as Jose Santamaría) |
| Robert Dorning | ... | Commander of Marines |
| Luc Jamati | ... | Pepito Gonzalez |
| Emilio Fernandez | ... | Angelito (as Emilio Fernandez) |
| Wladyslaw Komar | ... | Jesus (also as Wladislaw Komar) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
121 min | Argentina:116 min | Sweden:118 min
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) |
Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
UK:PG (original rating/video rating) |
Iceland:14 |
Argentina:13 |
Chile:14 |
Finland:K-14 |
France:U |
Sweden:15 |
UK:15 |
USA:PG-13 |
West Germany:12 |
Australia:PG
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
As of 2002 the ship "Neptune" from the movie is anchored in the harbor of the Italian city of Genoa (near the "Molo Vecchio"). It has been made a museum and can be visited.
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Quotes:
Captain Thomas Bartholomew Red:
Holy poker! You son of a double-eyed whore from the reeking gutters of Rotterdam!
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (36 total)
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Adventure section | IMDb France section | Add this title to MyMovies |
This enjoyably foolish romp was apparently a flop, and mauled by the critics. Why? Good question. I speculate three reasons: lack of an obviously American lead and presence, an opening set-up that pays off in the long run but doesn't provide a beginning with a bang, and an anarchic, politically incorrect, almost amoral tone that was not digestible to Disneyfied mainstream audiences. These, and the length of the piece, would have been strengths if this had been released as a children's book, and I further speculate that it would have been well received in such a format, as a homage to old stories like Treasure Island. It could then have been adapted into a hit movie (with more explosions and an ethically impeccable American hero who does get the girl in the end).
As it is, there is much to admire, delight and entertain, with legitimate criticisms being some of the dodgy casting and (lack of)linguistics (especially as regards the Spanish characters) - Walther Matthau's gloriously over-the-top performance honourably excepted - some lapses of logic in the plot (why doesn't the Frog just swim after the rowboat and bring it back when they get stuck on the chain?), and the fact that it is slightly too long.
Ripe for a sequel, if, like me, you ever wondered what happened to Cap'n Red and his beloved throne, and The Frog and his beloved Dolores.