Fortunes of Captain Blood
Encyclopedia
Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950) is a pirate film directed by Gordon Douglas
. Based on the famous Captain Blood
depicted in the novel by Rafael Sabatini
, Fortunes was produced by Columbia Pictures as yet another remake about the notorious swashbuckler
. The film is complete with daring sword fights, sensational sea battles, intrigue, and a vivacious love interest. It later spawned a sequel from the same cast and crew only two years later entitled Captain Pirate
.
, Dr. Peter Blood has become a feared buccaneer
on the high seas. King Charles II of Spain
(Curt Bois) thus calls upon the Marquis de Riconete to capture the evasive Captain Blood and end his attacks upon Spanish ships. Blood is safe until he docks to resupply his crew; while his men are out they are betrayed by their supplier, the slave trader George Fairfax. Once captured, the pirates are tortured by the Marquis to find Blood's whereabouts.
Blood then disguises himself as a fruit seller to find and rescue his loyal crew, who have not revealed the location of their beloved captain. During his search he befriends Pepita Rosados (Dona Drake
), a beautiful flirt who reveals to Blood that many of Fairfax's slaves are dying. Blood then confronts Fairfax about the deplorable situation, and finds that Fairfax is having troubles with Isabelita Sotomayor (Patricia Medina
), the niece of the Marquis.
The Marquis then decides to arrest Fairfax for his supposed involvement with Blood, so his troops secretly follow Isabelita to his house. She pleads with Fairfax to alleviate her boredom with the island, offering him money to sail to Spain. After their discussion, the troops enter and a fight ensues. Still disguised as a fruit seller, Blood treats the wounded Fairfax in a nearby tavern and offers to Isabelita a trip to Spain if she convinces her uncle to pardon Fairfax. She agrees, and using his newfound insider information Blood discovers the seal of the Marquis. Unfortunately, he mistakes the forgery and after revealing his mistaken note to the prison guard a battle ensues.
Blood and his men escape, however the Marquis is not willing to abandon his search. Isabelita is shocked to discover that her uncle plans to torture the local tavern owner to find the captain, so she reveals his location, thinking he has already set sail. Unfortunately, the incoming tide had prevented his hasty exit, and the Marquis confronts Blood at sea. A fiery battle ensues, with the flaming boat of the Marquis ultimately trying to ram Captain Blood. Luckily, Blood's crew managed to destroy the entire vessel before the deadly flames could reach them. After the pirates ensured their victory, Blood sails away and Isabelita vows to stay on the island and create a new government without slavery.
Gordon Douglas (director)
Gordon Douglas was an American film director, who directed many different genres of films over the course of a five-decade career in motion pictures. He was a native of New York City.-Hal Roach and Our Gang:...
. Based on the famous Captain Blood
Captain Blood (novel)
Captain Blood: His Odyssey is an adventure novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1922.- Synopsis :The protagonist is the sharp-witted Dr...
depicted in the novel by Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini
Rafael Sabatini was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure.-Life:Rafael Sabatini was born in Iesi, Italy, to an English mother and Italian father...
, Fortunes was produced by Columbia Pictures as yet another remake about the notorious swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that emerged in the 16th century and has been used for rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen ever since. A possible explanation for this term is that it derives from a fighting style using a side-sword with a buckler in the off-hand, which was applied with much...
. The film is complete with daring sword fights, sensational sea battles, intrigue, and a vivacious love interest. It later spawned a sequel from the same cast and crew only two years later entitled Captain Pirate
Captain Pirate
Captain Pirate is a 1952 American action/adventure film directed by Ralph Murphy, starring Louis Hayward and Patricia Medina, and produced by Harry Joe Brown...
.
Synopsis
The film follows the standard story about Captain Blood. An Irishman banished for his treatment on a wounded rebel during the Monmouth RebellionMonmouth Rebellion
The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic, and some...
, Dr. Peter Blood has become a feared buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
on the high seas. King Charles II of Spain
Charles II of Spain
Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain and the ruler of large parts of Italy, the Spanish territories in the Southern Low Countries, and Spain's overseas Empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies...
(Curt Bois) thus calls upon the Marquis de Riconete to capture the evasive Captain Blood and end his attacks upon Spanish ships. Blood is safe until he docks to resupply his crew; while his men are out they are betrayed by their supplier, the slave trader George Fairfax. Once captured, the pirates are tortured by the Marquis to find Blood's whereabouts.
Blood then disguises himself as a fruit seller to find and rescue his loyal crew, who have not revealed the location of their beloved captain. During his search he befriends Pepita Rosados (Dona Drake
Dona Drake
Dona Drake was an American singer, dancer and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. She was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida, in 1914. Entering show business in the 1930s, she used the names Una Velon, Rita Rio and Rita Shaw. She settled on the stage name Dona Drake in the early 1940s...
), a beautiful flirt who reveals to Blood that many of Fairfax's slaves are dying. Blood then confronts Fairfax about the deplorable situation, and finds that Fairfax is having troubles with Isabelita Sotomayor (Patricia Medina
Patricia Medina
Patricia Paz Maria Medina is an English actress from Liverpool, England. Her father was a Spaniard and her mother was English. Medina began acting as a teenager in the late 1930s...
), the niece of the Marquis.
The Marquis then decides to arrest Fairfax for his supposed involvement with Blood, so his troops secretly follow Isabelita to his house. She pleads with Fairfax to alleviate her boredom with the island, offering him money to sail to Spain. After their discussion, the troops enter and a fight ensues. Still disguised as a fruit seller, Blood treats the wounded Fairfax in a nearby tavern and offers to Isabelita a trip to Spain if she convinces her uncle to pardon Fairfax. She agrees, and using his newfound insider information Blood discovers the seal of the Marquis. Unfortunately, he mistakes the forgery and after revealing his mistaken note to the prison guard a battle ensues.
Blood and his men escape, however the Marquis is not willing to abandon his search. Isabelita is shocked to discover that her uncle plans to torture the local tavern owner to find the captain, so she reveals his location, thinking he has already set sail. Unfortunately, the incoming tide had prevented his hasty exit, and the Marquis confronts Blood at sea. A fiery battle ensues, with the flaming boat of the Marquis ultimately trying to ram Captain Blood. Luckily, Blood's crew managed to destroy the entire vessel before the deadly flames could reach them. After the pirates ensured their victory, Blood sails away and Isabelita vows to stay on the island and create a new government without slavery.
Cast
- Louis HaywardLouis HaywardLouis Charles Hayward was a British actor born in South Africa.-Biography:Born in Johannesburg, Hayward began his screen work in British films, notably as Simon Templar in Leslie Charteris' The Saint in New York.] In 1939 he played a dual role in The Man in the Iron Mask.During World War II,...
- Patricia MedinaPatricia MedinaPatricia Paz Maria Medina is an English actress from Liverpool, England. Her father was a Spaniard and her mother was English. Medina began acting as a teenager in the late 1930s...
- George MacreadyGeorge MacreadyGeorge Peabody Macready, Jr. , was an American stage, film, and television actor often cast in roles as polished villains.-Background:...
- Alfonso BedoyaAlfonso BedoyaAlfonso Bedoya was a Mexican actor who frequently appeared in U.S. films.- Early life :Bedoya was born in Sonora. He had a nomadic childhood upbringing in Mexico, though he was educated in Houston, Texas.- Film career :...
- Dona DrakeDona DrakeDona Drake was an American singer, dancer and film actress in the 1930s and 1940s. She was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida, in 1914. Entering show business in the 1930s, she used the names Una Velon, Rita Rio and Rita Shaw. She settled on the stage name Dona Drake in the early 1940s...
- Lowell Gilmore
- Wilton Graff
- Curt Bois
- Lumsden HareLumsden HareLumsden Hare was an Irish born film and theatre actor. He was also a theatre director and theatrical producer....
- Billy BevanBilly BevanBilly Bevan was an Australian film actor. He appeared in 254 American films between 1916 and 1950....
- Harry CordingHarry CordingHarry Cording was a British character actor who appeared in many Hollywood films from the 1920s to the 1950s. Due to his stocky build and imposing 6'0 height, he usually portrayed thugs and henchman to the main villain....
- Duke YorkDuke YorkDuke York was an American film actor. Born in Danby, New York, York was born Charles Everest Sinsabaugh...
- Sven Hugo BorgSven Hugo Borg-Biography:Sven Hugo Borg was born in Vinslöv, Skåne län, Sweden. Early in his career, Borg was a secretary with the Swedish Consulate in Los Angeles. While working at the consulate he met the actress Greta Garbo who had recently arrived in Hollywood. Garbo asked Borg to be her interpreter for an...
- Martin GarralagaMartin GarralagaMartin Garralaga was a Spanish-born film and television actor who portrayed more than 200 roles in film and television....
- James FairfaxJames FairfaxJames Oswald Fairfax, AC , Australian company director and arts patron, was born in Sydney, eldest son of Sir Warwick Oswald Fairfax....