Captain Blood loses some of his pirate crew when they are ambushed landing on the Caribbean island of La Hacha seeking supplies. Against the advice of his second in command he eventually goes ashore and disguising himself as a fruit seller (called Pedro Morales) engineers the rescue of his enslaved comrades. Which is the main problem with the film as it is set mostly ashore as Blood intrigues to release his men. This takes in the Marquis de Riconete who has been tasked to catch him, Isabelita Sotomayor who wants to leave the island with her beau George Fairfax and a helpful girl at an inn named Pepita Maria Rosados. It is slow going until the last half hour when it comes to life with action in the main town and a battle at sea.
Louis Hayward is adequate as Captain Blood, as is Patricia Medina as Isabelita and Lowell Gilmore as Fairfax.George Macready is unfortunately a bit subdued as the Marquis. He has done villainy much better in other films. Billy Bevan plays Billy Bragg. Much needed liveliness is injected into the film by the lovely Dona Drake as spitfire Pepita.
Based on a novel by Rafael Sabatini the last third of the film almost makes up for the duller early two-thirds of the movie.
Louis Hayward is adequate as Captain Blood, as is Patricia Medina as Isabelita and Lowell Gilmore as Fairfax.George Macready is unfortunately a bit subdued as the Marquis. He has done villainy much better in other films. Billy Bevan plays Billy Bragg. Much needed liveliness is injected into the film by the lovely Dona Drake as spitfire Pepita.
Based on a novel by Rafael Sabatini the last third of the film almost makes up for the duller early two-thirds of the movie.