Barbary Pirate (1949) User Reviews (2)

Another adventure yarn with heroic Americans battling evil Arabs.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 3 August 2015]

How on earth can the Bey of Bagdad find time to rob and pillage ships along the African coast and rule his country at the same time? Like the evil Baron Bomburst of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", he is referred to as a pirate, but in reality, is a ruthless monarch. Determined to prevent this fiend from robbing and killing any more passengers aboard these ships, the American government under Thomas Jefferson sends Naval officer Donald Woods abroad, and in disguise with an alias, he claims to be loyal to the mother country and has thus denounced his own country.

This brings him into instant discord with the other passengers aboard the ship, in particular the lovely Trudy Marshall whose brother (Ross Ford) slugs him among hearing his political grumblings. But no sooner have they set sail than they are at the mercy of Barbary Pirate Stefan Schnaebel, the ruthless Bey of Bagdad, who holds them all hostage yet makes Woods his right-hand man when he learns of Wood's supposed disowning of his own country. Of course, there's a real traitor among the White House staff, and once exposed, they sign their own death certificate as Woods makes an effort to bring down Schnaebel once and for all.

While basically entertaining and fast-moving, this programmer isn't always believable from a historical factor. There are also some moments of cruel torture (involving Arabic harem girl Lenore Aubert and a cauldron of boiling water) that are difficult to take. These movies are also extremely predictable, and in the case of the evil Arabians, they are one dimensional in every aspect, with American traitor Matthew Boulton being revealed to be a total coward. It's an enjoyable piece of fluff that you'll pretty much forget about and shelve once its over. By late 1940's standards, it was another case of been there, done that already, and in the case of similar films from the early 40's, certainly done much better.

Another gem from Columbia Pictures vaults.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 4 December 2011]

I search this item since a while now. Because it is a Lew Landers film and also because it is an adventure yarn produced by the terrible Sam Katzman - I won't present him anymore, I have done it enough times before. I collect all this kind of films. So corny, so cheesy, but which remind me another time of my life. And, let's be fair, they are not without charm.

For me, this little film is a very lovely good B product as I could expect. I can't be disappointed. No chance. Although, we can prefer Sidney Salkow's films or George Sherman's ones, and not only because they were in color, and not in black and white.

I won't tell the plot line, as our friend Long Horn has already done it, after picking it up in a library dictionary. The torture sequence, where the bad guys put the hands of the servant female into boiling water is very surprising. Many talkatives scenes, and few action ones.

But if you can get it, do it.