Pirates of Tortuga

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Movie
German title Pirates of Tortuga
Original title Pirates of Tortuga
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1961
length 95 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Robert D. Webb
script Melvin Levy
Jesse L. Lasky Jr.
Pat Silver
production Sam Katzman
music Paul Sawtell
Bert Shefter
camera Ellis W. Carter
cut Hugh S. Fowler
occupation

Pirates of Tortuga (original title: Pirates of Tortuga ) is an American pirate film , which was made in 1961 under the direction of Robert D. Webb . It's a classic Hollywood spectacle and at the same time a romantic fairy tale.

action

There is great excitement in the Port of London when the Mermaid arrives. The ship has been at sea for three years and a large crowd gathers at the pier to greet the seamen who are already lined up on the railing. A sailor who obviously comes from Scotland, as his dialect and clothing suggest, plays a melody on his bagpipes with joy. The exuberant joy of the newcomers and the waiting crowd is abruptly interrupted by a rushing officer who surprisingly forbids the sailors to disembark. He studied the captain of the Mermaid , Bart Paxton, on deck and read out an arrangement due to which now the ship under quarantine would be, not a sailor, the Mermaid allowed to leave. This does not include Captain Paxton himself, who is requested by the officer to accompany him. The initially angry seafarers, who have not seen a country for six months, quickly come up with the idea of ​​inviting female guests on board while Paxton climbs into a carriage accompanied by the cabin boy dump truck. The vehicle takes them both to a tavern, where Paxton meets Sir Francis Crawford, the former governor of Madras . Both have a common past, on the basis of which Crawford Paxton is now applying for an assignment in the British West Indies . Paxton is supposed to render the feared pirate Henry Morgan harmless. Paxton accepts the assignment on the condition that he can take on board some old comrades with whom he once served in the Royal Navy . Crawford, who had already been certain in advance that Paxton would agree, finally informed him that he had already arranged the appropriate equipment for the mermaid . Paxton sends Kipper to visit the three officers in question, while watching a tambourine player who is dancing to the sounds of a violinist in front of passers-by on the street. When the dancer is approached by one of the bystanders, Paxton intervenes with the saber and takes the alleged thief to safety from the angry crowd with the carriage. On the carriage ride back to the Mermaid , the dancer confesses to the theft, but refuses to use the term “thief”. She calls herself Meg and claims to be an "actress".

Back on board, Paxton meets three old friends who have since been taught by Kipper. The three can be quickly persuaded to go on an "adventure". In the meantime Meg sneaks on board, goes unnoticed in the general hustle and bustle and searches Paxton's cabin, where she finds jewelry and women's clothing. During the conversation between Paxton and the three officers, the old friends recapitulate the career of Henry Morgan, who had been honored for a year and had received the title of governor and accolade . In the war with Spain he was an important factor in the British victory in the Caribbean. In the meantime, however, Morgan has returned to piracy and attacks British ships (also), starving the British colony of Jamaica and establishing a pirate stronghold ("bucaneer kingdom") on Tortuga . An open attack on this fortress would trigger another war with Spain - so Paxton and his friends should act as privateers on their own, equip themselves in Jamaica and face Morgan. The four agree to raise anchors with the rising tide. Back in his cabin, Paxton meets Meg, who is lolling on his bed. He gives her a coin and orders the Scottish sailor Bonnet to throw her overboard if she doesn't leave the ship soon. When Meg, who wants to try to be perceived as a lady, tries to disembark in a new elevator, she notices the man on the pier who accused her of theft and hides below deck. On the crossing to the Caribbean , Pee Wee, one of the three officers, trains the team in fencing. Percy, another, takes care of the guns. During combat exercises, Meg is discovered and although Paxton instructs her to stay at her quarters, she mingles with the crew on occasion. She also tries to find out how she can behave more lady-like. The ship's helmsman, Percy and Pee Wee give her suggestions for this - the latter not entirely altruistic.

On the approach to the Caribbean, the Mermaid meets a ship from Morgan's fleet. It is the Chepillo , under the command of Montbars, who is called "Barracuda". Paxton and the three officers manage to lure the pirates into a hasty attack with the now well-trained crew by disguising themselves as harmless merchants who have few crew and even women on board. The "Barracuda" falls into the trap. The victorious Paxton has the defeated Chepillo plundered and gives the pirate a warning message to Morgan. He also takes the opportunity to teach Meg a lesson about selflessness. When the "Barracuda" Morgan, who is celebrating in the midst of his pirate troop on Tortuga, brings the news, he swears revenge. In the meantime, Paxton arrives with the Mermaid in Jamaica. The merchants there, above all a certain Randolph, storm Paxton with the request to be able to buy his cargo from him, but he hesitates until the governor Thomas Modyford finally arrives. There is an obvious tension between him and the merchants as they blame him for the colony's bad situation. Governor Modyford warns Paxton about Morgan's spies, who gives him the Mermaid's cargo for distribution. Meanwhile, Meg leaves the mermaid to look for an engagement as an actress. A short time later she was attacked and knocked down. Modyford finds the unconscious Meg and has her taken to his mansion. The former actress poses as "Lady Margaret", claims to have lost her memory and befriends the governor and his family. She describes a piece of jewelry that she found in Paxton's cabin as “her mother's heirloom”. Meanwhile meets Mont bars back on the Mermaid , starts the Tortuga. Paxton and his friends decide to spy on the well-fortified pirate base. Morgan and Paxton meet on the quay and seem to get along well quickly. Together they go to the tavern where Morgan usually celebrates

In conversation with Paxton, Morgan brings the conversation to the pillaged Chepillo . Paxton has a box full of gold brought and claims it is half of the proceeds from the sale of the Chepillo cargo in Jamaica, which Morgan owes. Thereupon Morgan agrees to the proposed partnership with Paxton. On the way back to Jamaica, Paxton and three friends carry the information they have gathered in Tortuga. They plan to ask Governor Modyford for military assistance based on their findings. In the governor's house, Paxton meets Meg again, who as "Lady Margaret" has meanwhile become engaged to Modyford. When he reports to the governor that "Lady Margaret" had come to Jamaica on his ship, the latter curiously asks her real name. Paxton claims that Meg was really called "Lady Margaret Darcy," after his mother's maiden name. At night they both meet alone in the garden of the governor's palace and kiss passionately. The next day, Paxton Modyford and the Jamaican dignitaries outlined his plans. The merchant Randolph accused him of playing a double game and actually being in league with Morgan - but he refused to bring an official charge. It is decided not to use the military so as not to provoke Spain. Instead, a group of 300 volunteers is to be made available to Paxton. While Paxton is gathering his fleet, Randolph, obviously a traitor, meets with the "barracuda". Meanwhile, Meg watches some plantation workers making music and lets herself be carried away to dance with the group. She is watched by Phoebe, the widow of Modyford's cousin, who also lives in his household. Phoebe gives Meg an ultimatum. She should leave Modyford and disappear, or Phoebe would reveal that Meg is not a real lady. Meg disappears laughing into the forest.

Meanwhile, the fleet is on course for Tortuga. In Paxton's cabin he, the three officers, Modyford, and the military commander of Jamaica plan the attack on Morgan's fortress. To camouflage the onshore attack, Paxton first went ashore alone to blow up Morgan's powder supplies. The arrival of the fleet is watched by Morgan and Randolph, who has meanwhile arrived on Tortuga to warn of Paxton's attack. While the attackers approach the fortress under Modyford's leadership, Paxton penetrates alone into Morgan's base and tries to reach the powder magazine. Since he is attacked first by Randolph, then by Morgan himself, the planned demolition is delayed. This raises the suspicion at Modyford that Paxton might be in league with Morgan and the governor decides to attack the fortress under pirate fire, contrary to the original plan. Finally the powder magazine explodes and the British break into the pirate base, where Paxton and Morgan, who are unconscious from the detonation, are found next to each other and are arrested together. While the two of them talk about their fate in the dungeon, Meg confesses to the governor that she is not a "lady" after all, which he takes note of with regret. The following day, Paxton is released after the governor had searched Randolph's house and found evidence of his association with Morgan. On the way back to the Mermaid , Paxton saves Meg again from an angry crowd and pulls her into his carriage.

Trivia

It is not a historical film, but an entertainment film that is only loosely linked to actual events. Occasional historical references are made, but no precise date is given. Various contradicting details make the chronological classification in comparison with the known data of the persons mentioned, such as Modyford or Morgan, even impossible:

  • Henry Morgan had been knighted by Charles II in 1674 during an almost two-year stay in England and made lieutenant governor of Jamaica. These events are referred to at the beginning of the film, they were a year ago when the Mermaid left. The following year, Morgan arrived in Jamaica and began to fortify Port Royal . In contrast to the narrative of the film, Morgan did not come into conflict with the crown afterwards, nor was he accused of piracy after this time (first of all, yes). There were disputes with his superior, Lord Vaughn, the governor, but these culminated in his dismissal and had no consequences for Morgan. He died in 1688 in Port Royal in the care of the Irish doctor Hans Sloane as a result of his dissolute lifestyle.
  • Tortuga, i.e. the Île de la Tortue , was a pirate base from the middle of the 17th century, but those times came to an end as early as 1670, before Morgan took over the (vice) governor's post in Jamaica. In contrast, Port Royal was actually known for immorality at that time, especially after it had been expanded and fortified by Morgan, and was a port of call for pirates until the early 1990s.
  • When Paxton comes back on board in London, and the sailors continue to party, he orders that the deck should be cleared because it is slowly beginning to smell like "Gin Lane". This expression goes back to a print by caricaturist William Hogarth published in 1751. With this motif, Hogarth takes up the gin epidemic (gin craze) that prevailed at the time , which had developed as a result of the tax incentives for private gin production and dispensing. It is a historical film mistake in several ways. For one thing, the film takes place well before 1751, the time the picture was published. On the other hand, the "gin-craze" only developed as a result of the ordinances of William III , who did not become King of England until 1689 - at this point Morgan was already dead. Gin was also only used with the rule of William ( gin = genever) popular in England.
  • When the “Mermaid” encounters another ship on the crossing into the operational area, Paxton assigns it to Henry Morgan's fleet after a brief glance. When the pirates decide to attack, their commander orders the "Jolly Roger" to be hoisted. It is not known whether Morgan used a particular flag, but the name "Jolly Roger" was only used after his time. It is first mentioned in Charles Johnson's book History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates, published in the 1820s . The flag that appears on the mast of the ship, crossbones behind a skull, is similar to the flag attributed to the pirate Richard Worley (died around 1718). In Morgan's time, neither the term “Jolly Roger” nor the skull motif were established. The skull itself became established as a typical pirate symbol between 1700 and 1720 and finally prevailed around 1730 against numerous other, sometimes very imaginative, motifs.

Reviews

The editors of the online portal of the cinema magazine Cinema gave the film three points (out of a possible five). On filmdienst.de, the online presence of the traditional magazine Filmdienst , “Pirates of Tortuga” is rated as a “lively adventure film”. The lexicon of international films evaluates the same thing:

"A lively adventure film about a captain in the 17th century who has to fight pirates and unjust suspicions."

- Lexicon of international film

Web links

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ There was a French privateer named Daniel Montbars who lived from 1645 to 1707, but has no connection with Morgan
  2. ↑ David Cordingly: “Under the Black Flag. Legend and Reality of the Pirate Life ”, dtv, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-423-30817-6 , pages 62–63
  3. ↑ Andreas Kammler: “Pirates. The manual of unknown facts and the most beautiful anecdotes ”, Edition marebuch, Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2008, ISBN 978-3-596-17813-1 .
  4. ↑ David Cordingly: “Under the Black Flag. The legend and reality of the pirate life ”, dtv, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-423-30817-6 , pages 114–115
  5. ↑ Entry on cinema.de accessed on May 23, 2020
  6. ↑ Entry on filmdienst.de
  7. ↑ Pirates of Tortuga. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 8, 2018 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used