THE SCARLET BUCCANEER
US, 1976, 101 minutes, Colour.
Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, Peter Boyle, Genevieve Bujold, Beau Bridges, Geoffrey Holder.
Directed by James Goldstone.
How artistic and classical should a swashbuckling adventure be? This film opts for the unsubtle approach, although the traces of parody in the screen play, especially in Peter Boyle's villainous Lord Durant and Beau Bridges' inept Major Folly might have given something more to this tale of West Indian piracy in the 18th century. Robert Shaw is vigorous (though no Errol Flynn or Burt Lancaster) but Genevieve Bujold, fiery, sword-fighting, is in the Maureen O'Hara tradition (of, say, Against All Flags). Which means that this is the 70s version of those old movies and, except for more expensive sets, a more explicit bawdiness and some more stylish camerawork, no better, no worse.
1. Originally titled "The Swashbuckler". Audience expectations, attitudes to pirate films, the tradition of pirate stories and of pirate films? How good a modern example?
2. The importance of colour, Panavision, West Indian sets, castles and shipsf continued adventure. excitement and violence. photography? Musical background?
3. How real do such pirate stories seem? How unreal? The fact that they are adventure stories in an adventurous world. in past adventurous times? The role of pirate stories in the fantasy of western civilization? The need for pirate stories?
4. Why are pirates villains and heroes? Their good and their evil? Their independence,, individualism, administration of justice, especially against tyrants? Does this excuse them? The atmosphere of excitement and adventure? Boys yearning to be like pirates?
5. The atmosphere of the execution at the beginning? The build-up for the condemned man, Major Folley and his administration, the inevitability of the raid, the consequences for the pirates, for Major Folley? The excitement of the opening setting a tone, getting audience sympathies and identification?
6. The explanation at the beginning of Durant? His tyranny, the way this was visualized. his administration of justice and injustice, his sensuality and self-interests, his amassing of wealth.. his cruelty e.g., killing those he duelled with? His greed? His personal entourage, especially the boy who played the musicf the homosexual overtones? The fact that Lord Durant was a tyrant and needed administration of justice, even by pirates? Audience dislike of him?
7. The contrast with Ned as the Captain of Pirates, not a tyrant like Durant? The way that he ran his ship, the loyalty of the crew, his loyalty in rescuing his second-in-charge? The raids? The rollicking life in the taverns? Thw swordfights? How strong was the character delineated of the Scarlet Buccaneer? A hero?
8. Comment on the personalities of the other pirates, especially the second-incharge and his friendship with Dick?
9. The contrast with the island administration, the mockery in the character of Folley and his stupidity, even though nice? The mysterious secretary of Durant who turned against him?
10. The imprisonment of the Lord Justice? The closing up of the house, the robbing of the family, the exile of mother and daughter? The personality of the daughter and her strength, her hostility to the soldiers? The humiliation of movingf her seeing the jewel on Ned's girlfriendf her challenge of them, her capacity for fighting? Her being linked with the pirates and being pursued by justice? The dramatics of the long coach chase and the fall into the sea? Her attraction for Ned? Her duel with him and its melodramatics? The inevitability of her using him to rescue her father?
11. The build-up of the chases, the coach going into the sea, the swordfights, the great preparations for the invasion of the castle?
12. The detail of the siege of the castle? The use of all the townspeople, the tricks played on the guards, the blowing up of the castle, the pursuit of Durant, the revelation of him in the bath, the challenge to him and the swordfighting, the death of the boy? Folley and his being saved from death?
13. Was the climax and the happy ending appropriate?
14. What presuppositions to audiences take to this kind of film in terms of realism and fantasy, morals, good and evil? How good an example of the pirate genre was this film?
