Whenever we have a chance, we at GVN like to shine a spotlight on the classic cinema that shaped the way movies are made today. June 10, 2022 marks the centennial of the one and only Judy Garland, a singular performer whose presence is still keenly felt to this day. In honor of this milestone, throughout the month we are going to take the opportunity to explore beyond her most popular titles such as The Wizard of Oz and A Star Is Born and reflect back on some of our lesser-known favorites from the Warner Archive.
Check out our previous entries on Strike Up The Band, Ziegfeld Girl, For Me And My Gal and The Clock.
Our previous entry in the Judy Garland retrospective found the young performer establishing herself as a dramatic force even when she was not breaking out into song with 1945’s The Clock. Despite her accolades, she would quickly retreat back into the bread and butter of her career: musicals. Later that year, she would appear in the sprawling ensemble of Ziegfeld Follies, helmed by her husband Vincente Minnelli, before taking on a more prominent role the following year in The Harvey Girls. Garland would soon take a minor break to give birth to daughter, Liza Minnelli, at the end of 1946 before gearing up to team up with her husband one final time with 1948’s The Pirate. The film was littered with production issues from script development to the near-total implosion of Garland, but it is an enjoyable spectacle that has never been given its proper respect over the years.
The film was adapted from a 1942 Broadway play which provided the type of comedic antics that seemed made for the silver screen. At this time, you could flip a coin to determine whether or not any particular idea would be turned into a musical. Of course, once prolific producer Arthur Freed set his sights on the project, you could count on him to bring his talented team on board to deliver something flashy and entertaining. Garland saw this as a chance to show off her comedic skills, and everyone was eager to have her reunite with Gene Kelly after their breakout pairing on For Me And My Gal. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly, only postpartum depression reared its ugly head for Garland in a time when no one was prepared to give her the help she needed. The actress was terribly overworked and undernourished, but she was able to deliver what she needed after a stint in the hospital. Given the blood, sweat and tears she put into the project, it is unfortunate to hear that audiences did not connect with the specific frequency this narrative was traveling upon.
Before we delve somewhat into the plot, it is probably worth addressing the fact that Garland plays a character named Manuela Alva who lives in the Caribbean village of Calvados with her very white aunt and uncle. While there are some throwaway lines one could try to bend to explain away any cultural questions, the creatives behind this one should not have tried to give Garland an “ethnic” flair. That being said, Garland does an admirable job as this young woman who dreams of excitement and adventure, especially as it pertains to the notorious pirate Mack “the Black” Macoco. She is promised a life the direct opposite of that as she is urged to marry the off-putting town mayor, Don Pedro (Walter Slezak). Yet, things begin to rapidly change for her upon meeting Serafin (Gene Kelly), the leader of a group of performers who falls for Manuela at first sight.
What follows is an escalating narrative of complicated desires, hypnosis, hidden identities, blackmail and more…all backed with some spirited music from Cole Porter. The actual story does not quite knock your socks off, but the performers who bring it to life certainly do. While it may appear to be a bias considering we have devoted an ongoing series to her, Garland outshines everyone else by a country mile. She did not get to play comedy as much as she should have, but her timing for comedic line deliveries is as precise as the notes that she hits. Kelly does prove to once again be a capable scene partner with some devilish charm and witticisms to match his vocal prowess. The script makes room for some minor characters to earn a place in your memory, but the above-the-title stars are the one you will be thinking about once the credits have stopped.
As amusing as the narrative can be, the musical numbers are the elements that will stop you in your tracks here. Garland gets some fun numbers such as the peppy “Mack The Black” or the aching “You Can Do No Wrong,” but Kelly gets to be the most adventurous with the ambitious “Niña” and the momentous “Be A Clown.” Both performers sound incredible, but it is the production from the infamous “Freed Unit” that delivers the ol’ razzle dazzle. The aforementioned “Niña” takes Kelly across a huge soundstage filled with beautiful extras as the first big number, and things only get more lavish from here. There is a precision to the singing and dancing that never fails to impress, especially in a Minnelli musical. The production is not the most narratively daring film of anyone’s filmography, but the care put into the capital “P” performance is enough to make this one a notable viewing in the career of Garland, especially.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents The Pirate with a dazzling new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives. Warner Archive is in a league of their own when it comes to their transfers, and this one ranks among the strongest I have seen from the label. The film features some sumptuous colors within the costumes and settings that leap off the screen with an immense vibrancy. The black levels are incredibly deep with an excellent stability throughout. The level of detail and clarity feels like something of a minor miracle with the perfect amount of natural film grain intact and well resolved. The film seems to be almost entirely free of dirt and damage, which gives the feature a fresh feeling that allows it to feel timeless. There also does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a top-tier effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that delivers exactly what you want for this classic. With music being one of the driving forces in the film, it is worth pointing out that the track nails these elements beautifully. The track balances soaring vocals with the at-times raucous townspeople and the accompanying music with magnificent clarity. Normal dialogue likewise comes through clearly from beginning to end. There are kinetic moments when the track is pushed to its limits with all of the competing elements, but the fidelity never falters. Warner Archive has provided a top-notch audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian John Fricke provides a terrific commentary track which attempts to correct a lot of the misconceptions behind the production of this film including how this fit into everyone’s careers, the extensive ways in which the film evolved from the original script and test screenings, the efforts that were put into the musical numbers, the uncredited background players who were never given their recognition, the reception of the film from audiences and critics, and much more that makes for a great listen.
- The Pirate – A Musical Treasure Chest: A great 20-minute archival documentary in which various participants such as Liza Minnelli, Gene Kelly’s widow Patricia Ward Kelly, and an assortment of film historians discuss the film’s reputation as a “failure” and how such assertions may not be completely accurate. Much like the commentary track, there are some great insights into how the film was created and all of the obstacles it faced on the way to the screen.
- You Can’t Win: A eight-minute “Pete Smith Specialty” short which shows how hard it is to find some peace and quiet
- Cartoon – Cat Fishin’: An eight-minute Tom & Jerry short is provided here which shows what happens when one of them tries to take in a relaxing day of fishing. This is presented in high definition.
- Mack The Black Stereo Remix Version: An option to view the four-minute number in stereo.
- 10/28/1940 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast: A 59-minute condensed audio rendition of this story with Rooney and Garland reprising their roles.
- Leo Is On The Air Radio Promo: A 14-minute audio piece which shines a spotlight on the film with snippets of songs and other bits to entice audiences to the theater.
- 7/2/1941 Millions For Defense Radio Excerpt: A 15-minute piece which focuses heavily on the war effort with appearances from Rooney and Garland
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Pirate is a really fun musical that may occasionally stumble in its ambition, but largely keeps you transfixed on the screen. Garland is a lot of fun in a comedic role, and Kelly offers his trademark charm without breaking a sweat. You cannot say that this film does not deliver the goods when it comes to big production numbers, and the story itself is nothing to turn your nose up at. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a wonderful array of supplemental features. If you are a Garland fan, this is a fun one to add to your collection. Recommended
The Pirate can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.