The Crimson Pirate

Released Sep 27, 1952

1h 44m

Adventure

List

100%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

84%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Capt. Vallo (Burt Lancaster), the leader of a roving band of pirates, hijacks a ship filled with expensive cargo. When a crew member (Leslie Bradley) tells him the ship was bound for an island whose inhabitants have risen up against the king, Vallo hatches a scheme to sell guns to the rebels and take their leader in for a reward. But once Vallo and his lieutenant, Ojo (Nick Cravat), are on the island, their plans change when they meet Consuelo (Eva Bartok) and the other resistance fighters.

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Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: 4/5

Jul 8, 2004

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It proudly displays almost every corsair cliché, while Lancaster and his mute henchman Ojo employ plenty of gymnastics and playful forms of comical daredevilry.

Rated: 6/10

Aug 18, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A pirate film to treasure.

Rated: A

Mar 28, 2020

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

An enjoyable burlesque of buccaneer action mellerdrammers. Burt Lancaster and Nick Cravat have the time of their lives as a pair of acrobatic sea-devils, and William Alwyn's rollicking musical score offers incidental pleasure.

Oct 21, 2019

Full Review

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

Carnival-like 1950s pirate yarn is fun for all.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 15, 2010

Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Light-hearted pirate spoof, with brilliant color and unusual science fiction elements.

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

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Austin B

Lancaster incredible. They don't make them like this anymore.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/10/24

Full Review

Steve D

A lot of fun only for Lancaster.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/05/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Fun, action packed acrobatic movie from my childhood. It was still fun.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/01/22

Full Review

Russ G

Great campy fun demonstrating Lancaster's tremendous range as an actor; here he is doing his best Errol Flynn impersonation in this sea-going send-up of pirate lore taking generous liberties with historical events and even the laws of physics. Tremendously choreographed stunt sequences that must have employed half of Hollywood..or, er, Italy! Miss Bartok is the eye candy but the love interest is secondary to the tongue-in-cheek humor. Lots of action but kept family-friendly; the pirates suffer nary an on-camera scratch. The pace bogs down a bit in the middle but it works up to the big crowd-pleasing finale. The villains are vanquished and our dashing hero gets the girl.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/01/22

Full Review

Audience Member

The best comedy movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I love this movie :-)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Robert Siodmak

Director

Burt Lancaster

Capt. Vallo (The Crimson Pirate)

Nick Cravat

Ojo

Eva Bartok

Consuelo

Torin Thatcher

Humble Bellows

Christopher Lee

Joseph (attache)

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Synopsis

Capt. Vallo (Burt Lancaster), the leader of a roving band of pirates, hijacks a ship filled with expensive cargo. When a crew member (Leslie Bradley) tells him the ship was bound for an island whose inhabitants have risen up against the king, Vallo hatches a scheme to sell guns to the rebels and take their leader in for a reward. But once Vallo and his lieutenant, Ojo (Nick Cravat), are on the island, their plans change when they meet Consuelo (Eva Bartok) and the other resistance fighters.

Director: Robert Siodmak
Producer: Harold Hecht, Burt Lancaster
Screenwriter: Roland Kibbee
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1952, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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