The Pirates of Penzance (1983) User Reviews (62)

Gilbert and Sullivan still have a strong and legitimate appeal

[bbhlthph · 8/10 · 16 January 2005]

History records that Gilbert and Sullivan were personally often at odds when producing their great comic operettas - no doubt that, if they are still monitoring this, they are surprised to find both their humour and their music - despite its limitations in both time and location - still has a great appeal to audiences throughout much of the world. The music of course is timeless, but music too evolves and many people today have no appreciation of the types of lyrics which G & S exploited so shamelessly. Perhaps the remarkable thing is the wide and continuing appeal of so many of their works. This film is a movie version of a 100th anniversary Broadway stage production of this operetta in New York. A review of previous comments show, not unexpectedly, that it has been adored by numerous G. & S. fans; but that its appeal to those who are not in this category is much more limited. They also make it clear that this is a very fine production; and it would be a serious omission if I did not re-emphasise it is almost a classical example of the way in which a major stage production should be presented on film, both to retain the best of the original production and to as fully as possible exploit the more fluid form of presentation that is possible on the screen.

To your reviewer who reports fears about wearing out her taped version, I would recommend doing what I have done and converting this to a VCD disk that she can play, almost for ever, on her DVD player. It is, I believe, a great film; and my wife and I have also viewed it repeatedly whenever we have been a little "blue", we never fail to feel cheered up afterwards. However we recognise that most members of the contemporary generation would not respond in this way, and that our appreciation will not even be understood by them. We remain thankful that minority tastes can still be satisfied without infringing on the perogatives of the majority, and that in the process of doing so the film will be seen by many who initially have little sympathy with the production, but who find that - as with so many of us in the older generation - they have come to appreciate both its music and its humour.

great players all....

[trevillian · 8/10 · 15 February 2002]

the late actor who plays the Major-General and the late Tony Azito who is the captain of the constables, were just part of this great cast, this is a great tribute to two men who died so tragically. Can't think of a better venue to showcase all of these actors/actresses and singers all.

Kevin Kline was born to wear thigh high boots and a puffy sleeved shirt.

[lemon_magic · 8/10 · 6 January 2008]

I saw the movie version of "Pirates Of Penzance" again six years after my first viewing;I have to admit it wasn't quite as good as I remembered. The movie can't seem to build any momentum for the first few numbers until the Major General shows up. It falters again for several minutes while Kline, Stevens, and Lansbury struggle gamely with the "Leap Year" birthday number (it just isn't all that funny,guys); and the gimmick of staging the big fight between the cops and the pirates through an community theater staging of "HMS Pinafore" is way too cutesy and self-referential. A few of the "patter songs" have a bit of obvious filler, too (although a first time viewer might not notice this among all the clever word play).

But man, that scene where the pirates are parading through the commons singing "WITH CAT-LIKE TREAD, WE HARDLY MAKE A SOUND" at the top of their lungs...it makes me forgive the movie any of its obvious flaws. Kevin Kline was born to play the "Pirate King" and the movie is worth watching for his (and the Major General's) performance alone. Everyone else is good-to-great... there's not a flat tire or a bad performance in the bunch. Linda Ronstadt's abilities were a surprise to me; even though I am sure she got some "assistance" via dubbing and clever arrangements that hid her weak spots as a singer, she still made a smashing Mabel. And Gilbert and Sullivan's frothy, feather-light operettas still provide easy enjoyment for a modern audience who want light, clever comedy and pretty, accessible songs.

Still very good stuff, though not quite as good as I remembered. That's probably because I played a whole lot of pit orchestras in the intervening years and became a bit jaded.

Worthy staging of G&S's best operetta

[backseat-2 · 11 January 2004]

I recently had the task, for a organization's class, to assemble various performances of the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta "The Pirates of Penzance". This has always been my favorite G&S work, and I have heard many live performances, plus I have played the Pirate King in a revue type staging of the work.

I recall seeing the Kevin Kline version many years ago, and did not recall the details. Obtaining a copy to view for my project, I was very impressed with the wit and overall quality of the performances. There are a few small issues, such as the fudging of Linda Ronstadt's and Rex Smith's vocal parts (It is clear, whenever Smith sings, that lots of electronic enhancement is being used to bring his voice into the same universe with the other more capable singers, but still he has right delivery and it works well; for Ronstadt, she does very well, but for "Poor Wandering One" her part has been transposed down a bit, probably so that she can manage the highest notes), and the overdubbing of a couple other performer's singing by better singers, but overall the dancing and singing is as good as any I have seen.

The staging is deliberately campy, somewhere between traditional stagecraft and a movie set, and it adds extra charm to the proceedings. There has been some carping about Angela Lansbury's singing, but what she does is in line with the requirements of the role, and is in fact typical of other performances of Ruth's character (I recall the director, during casting of the performance I was in, saying of Ruth, "we don't need a GOOD singer, only a FUNNY singer).

A quick review of the offerings of Pirates on Amazon reveals that the only DVD version of this cast is taken from an outdoor staging in New York (and without Lansbury). It is one of the mysteries of DVD releases that the film version does not exist on on DVD; it certainly one of the best.

Take Heart .... Take Mine

[mstomaso · 10/10 · 27 September 2007]

I fell in love with Linda Ronstadt the first time I saw this film in 1983. I also fell in love with Angela Lansbury and, perhaps even Kevin Kline.

This fantastical, comedic, interpretation of the wonderful Gilbert and Sullivan musical updates the music, the humor, and performance, while actually enhancing the theatrical quality of the original play and leaving the plot, characters, and script largely intact.

The film feels like an exciting, quite silly, and very fun play seen from the best possible angles on an elaborate but very stagy set. The actors intentionally overact - as if their most subtle movements must be seen by an audience in a three story balcony. The music is also somewhat overblown, but absolutely wonderful. Did I mention Linda Ronstadt? Her vocal performance is frankly unbelievable! She might not be much of an actress, but acting talent was really not required for the role of Maybelle.

The story is about Frederick (Rex Smith), a young man who has just left his indenture under the flamboyant, somewhat unsuccessful and soft-hearted 'Pirate King' (Kline) and his band of fairly inoffensive ruffians. Vowing to slay his beloved friend to atone for the sins he probably did not commit during his indenture, Frederick leaves his doomed friends and comes ashore, only to fall immediately in love with Maybelle, but the pirates are only a few steps behind him.

The entire story is told with very minimal dialog and a lot of great music, slapstick, and camp. The voices are cast perfectly, and Kline's physical performance is nothing short of amazing.

What can I say? I've just watched 'Pirates' again after a hiatus of about 18 years, and the old magic came back immediately. I love this film, and heartily recommend it to all. Not everybody will feel as I do, but I can't even attempt objectivity in reviewing this film.

Enjoy!

Nice Starter Kit

[miknnik · 7/10 · 22 October 2006]

If you don't know anything about The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan and are hesitant to watch it because of the "classic" and "operetta" labeling, please let me clarify a few things. First of all, The Pirates is not your typical opera--a traditional opera consists of singing and recitatives (G&S call them 'chants' in the Pirates libretto). This operetta is more like a hybrid of an opera and a singspiel, which is more audience-friendly and has singing and regular dialogs as you find in The Magic Flute. And the movie version of the Pirates has a lot of Broadway flavor to it. Better still, since the Pirates libretto is in English, you can easily follow the story without the subtitles. And if you think this is only an old, stuffy story penned by a couple of prim and proper Brits in the late 19th century, you are sadly--or, in this case, hilariously--mistaken.

The Pirates has some of the zaniest characters who keep you howling with laughter. These pirates are too tenderhearted to prey on the weak and get maudlin when they meet an orphan, real or alleged. The Major-General tells you he knows so much about almost everything imaginable, and yet, he's generally clueless as to his surroundings. The policemen are a bunch of scaredy cats, or a pride of cowardly lions, who may faint with fright if you say "boo!" Yes, the entire premise is absurd, but the Joseph Papp production takes this absurdity to a higher level.

Pirate King a la Joseph Papp looks great on the outside: tall, dark and handsome with a rakish mustache; agile and athletic. Too bad that he has the attention span and dexterity of a hyperactive preschooler. You don't want to let him loose with a pair of scissors, let alone with a sword. Pretty Mabel is in love with young Frederick--and her own voice. Once she starts singing, even Frederick, an apprentice pirate, becomes a second fiddle. The cops may lack in courage and confidence facing criminals, but they sure can dance up a storm and rival Ziegfeld girls. And, in the With Cat-like Tread number, the producer hammers the glaring (in the Pirates, nothing is subtle) discrepancy between the libretto and the music with the sound of a cannon at the end, in the 1812 overture fashion.

Yes, I get a real kick out of watching this movie. So, you may ask why I give it only 7.5 out of 10. One of the reasons is that someone in the production decided to pare down some of the songs. Let's see, they took out some parts of I Am The Very Model of A Modern Major General, Oh Men of Dark and Dismal Fate (Orphan Boy song), Paradox song, to name a few. A short chorus by the pirates, We Triumph Now, is totally eliminated. Pray Observe the Magnanimity, which is the last chorus of Act I, is moved up and out of place, and the last scene with Ruth (Frederick's former nursery maid) at the end of Act I is gone. Hello? The Pirates is an operetta. Feel free to add more songs and scenes (which they did), but please don't take out the songs that are in the original libretto. Another reason for demerit is that the movie lacks spontaneity and raw energy of a live performance. Stage veterans like George Rose (Major General), Kevin Kline (Pirate King), Tony Azito (Police Sergeant) feed on the audience's laughter, and their characters truly come alive on-stage.

Some people don't like the recording of the live performance (also produced by Joseph Papp) at Delacorte Theater in New York on DVD, and I can see why. The sound quality is uneven, the camera work is erratic. There are many what-were-they-thinking moments--like a shot of George Rose, where he sings his solo number and you see the dancing feet (and the feet only) of the policemen in the background. But the problem of the DVD version is purely technical, in the audio/visual department. As far as the acting goes, it is exhilarating and dazzling. If you have seen the movie and know it forward and backward but haven't seen this live performance, you don't know what you're missing. Compared to the boisterous rendition of With Cat-like Tread on-stage, the same scene in the movie looks well-choreographed but flat. The DVD version is faithful to the original script almost to a T--it has all the songs G&S wrote for the Pirates and some extra ones (which you also find in the movie).

In my opinion, the movie and the theater versions of the Pirates are companion pieces; one makes up for the other's deficiencies. But, if you haven't seen either one, I recommend the movie first because of the aforementioned problems of the DVD. Think of it as a starter kit. If you like the movie, I guarantee you, you're gonna LOVE the theater version.

Magical...simply magical

[swansong-2 · 10/10 · 26 June 1999]

Ah, Gilbert & Sullivan, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! This movie is pure fantastical enjoyment. The cast is an absolute joy, especially Kevin Kline as the Pirate King. Kline is truly one of the most over-looked and under-appreciated actors of our time. His ability to convey his characters through body language, facial expression, and voice is unparalleled. He is one of my favourite actors, and he plays the Pirate King to the hilt -- what a lark!

The vocal talent in this film adaptation of the stage play is phenomenal! I have never heard a more beautiful, powerful, yet sensitive male voice as Rex Smith's, and Linda Ronstadt is, of course, pretty as a picture as Mabel. Angela Lansbury may not have as fabulous a voice as the rest of the cast, but her characterization of Ruth more than makes up for it. Tony Azito absolutely cracks me up as the Chief of Police, those "undaunted men in blue" make me laugh every time.

The one person that everyone seems to forget, however, is the one whose performance I enjoyed even more than Kline's -- and that's saying something. George Rose as the Major-General is perfect, and I never laughed so hard at an individual character as I did when he was tiptoeing through the tulips with the pirates in close pursuit! What a hoot!

This movie is truly a classic, and it's a shame that it's been so overlooked. I finally managed to tape it off the TV one night, since I've never managed to find it on video (other than for rent), and I've watched it so many times, I may have to re-tape it soon. All of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) G&S jokes are a true joy, and the music is pure magic. If you love musicals, you HAVE to see this movie!!

good but..

[beresfordjd · 6/10 · 10 May 2007]

I have always loved musicals but could never sit through G & S productions as I have a real problem in understanding all the lyrics. When you can decipher them they are witty, literate and very funny-unfortunately, I feel you need subtitles to catch everything that is being sung. It is all very clever and the rapid delivery of George Rose is fantastic-but I could not understand all of it.When the whole chorus sing those rapid passages -forget it!!

I like the look of this movie and the performances are more than adequate - saying that,I just do not like Linda Ronstadt (in this or anything she does - I don't know why!) I enjoyed the way the sets look like a stage production. Interesting to see Kevin Kline so young and fresh - he was always a talented performer/actor. For me this rendition of G & S is as good as it gets. I just have problems with the lyrics.

Good Show, Good Show!

[bariman171 · 10/10 · 1 May 2006]

I first saw this incarnation of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" at the age of 10, but just recently saw it again when my school decided to perform it for our annual spring musical. At the age of 18, I expected that I would find it immature after having liked it at 10. Needless to say, I was wrong. This is a wonderful adaptation of a great operetta, and becomes even better with the experience of performing it.

Fans of Kevin Kline rejoice! He plays the perfect "Pirate King," the silly leader of a band of pirates who seem to be completely incompetent, if only at piracy. He delivers his lines with precision and, along with David Hatton (Samuel), adds a much needed low bass-baritone to Rex Smith(Frederic) and the rest of the pirates' tenor in the pirate tunes.

The late Tony Azito(Police Sergeant)'s performance is literally unbelievable, as he looks more like a man made out of rubber rather than flesh and bone.

I would recommend this to anyone, especially die hard Gilbert and Sullivan fans.

Not a great movie musical, but a pretty great G&S movie

[ofumalow · 6/10 · 18 May 2013]

This deliberately theatrical/artificial-looking translation of the hit early 1980s Broadway revival is just just cinematic enough to avoid photographed-stage-play stasis. It's good fun, and god knows there are precious few good movies of G&S operettas. Kevin Kline's sheer bravado, Rex Smith's pop-starriness, and the reliable comic savvy of veterans (George Rose, Angela Lansbury) are preserved for the ages. Linda Ronstadt certainly proved herself capable of her vocally challenging part, although she lacks the comic instinct a real actress would have brought to the ingenue part. Overall, it's no masterpiece, but there were so many total botches of Broadway hits during the 70s and 80s that it's hard not to applaud this for being a not-particularly-inspired but utterly solid take that actually understands its source material.

See the play instead.

[LydiaOLydia · 4/10 · 24 November 2007]

Gilbert and Sullivan musicals.. err.. operas are not high art. They're not supposed to be. Somebody writing a masters thesis about G&S might tell you about how a G&S work like The Mikado was actually a critique of the Victorian bureaucracy or what have you, but for today's viewer, G&S provides nothing more than a pleasant way to spend an hour or two.

This 1982/3 "Pirates of Penazance" is basically the filming of some upmarket theater production. The theater troupe does a good job, but really all you get here is G&S without either the spark of live theater or that "something extra" of a film such s Topsy-Turvy. Indeed, since your intellectual mind will not be any the poorer if you put off watching Penzance, give this movie a miss until your child or neighbor's kid puts on "Penzance" at the local high school. You'll get better entertainment.

I want to emphasize that there's nothing wrong with the cast of this "movie", per se. They did a wonderful job- for theater. But this is not really a movie. The lighting is horrible, and the good theater quality sets end up just looking like cheap movie sets. This movie is dated and need not be seen unless you have particular interest in studying musical..err.. opera staging from the 1980s for some reason... or there is no high school within 100 miles of you.

One of my favorites

[bekayess · 10/10 · 29 November 1999]

I first saw this film version of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE in a movie theater in Dayton, OH, the night it premiered. I took a good friend to see it a few nights later, and went back one more time by myself to see it before it disappeared after only one week!!

It is true to the spirit of the original, with modern interpretations which would please G&S immensely. I agree the cast is excellent. I don't have time or space to single them out and discuss my thoughts on each actor, but if you are either a G&S fan, a general musical theatre fan, or fans of anyone in the cast, then I encourage you to rent or buy this wonderful film!!

Fun entertainment from the British duo of Gilbert and Sullivan

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

This 1983 movie of "The Pirates of Penzance" may be the best film of more than a dozen made of Gilbert and Sullivan's best collaboration. I would like to see the 1980 film of the New York Shakespeare Festival's production on which this TV film is based. But it's not now available on DVD. That show was staged at the open-air Delacorte Theater in Manhattan's Central Park. Universal assembled much of the same cast from that show for this film. All of the leads are the same except for that of Ruth. Angela Lansbury replaced Patricia Routledge from the 1980 show. The film of that production is 10 minutes longer than this one; but this film has all of the substance of the original opera.

This movie was filmed at the Shepperton Studios in England. Most of the rest of the films of this opera were made for TV in the UK and Australia.

Gilbert and Sullivan's 14 collaborations are most often called operettas - a term that describes something less than a full opera. Operas are all singing, where these don't have all lines sung in the play, but have dialog interspersed with singing. Yet, the dialog will be sparse and much less than in standard musicals. So, those unfamiliar with these types of productions might think of "Pirates" and other Gilbert and Sullivan works as musical comedies in the style of opera.

The cast in this film are all very good. While I have never seen this play performed on the big stage, I have seen smaller productions. So, I can't imagine anyone playing certain parts better than some of the portrayals here. Especially those of The Pirate King as played by Kevin Kline and Maj. Gen. Stanley as played by George Rose. All of the rest of the cast are very good, but these two stand out.

As with all such productions, this one appears stagy. But then, that is the milieu of opera. And probably for that reason, Universal didn't do what studios do normally - try to disguise stage sets to look like real terrain and scenes. I mention this only because movie buffs who are unfamiliar with live theater on stage, may find this distracting or a turn off for the film. Once one gets used to this fact, the enjoyment is in watching the performers sing and cavort around the stage in a musical story meant to entertain theater audiences.

It's interesting to note that this Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration is the only one of their 14 that they premiered in the U.S. It's first performance was Dec. 31, 1879, on the stage of the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City (long since demolished). It then opened in London on April 3, 1880, where all the rest of the duo's works first appeared. The very first of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas were made into TV films of under one hour in 1939. NBC filmed "The Pirates" for TV, but there were so few TV and stations in existence then, that very few people would have seen it. All films of this and all other Gilbert and Sullivan works have been made for TV

Of note in this story is that the earlier G & S opera, H.M.S Pinafore is playing at a theater in Penzance during this story, and the pirates and constabulary wreak havoc on that production at the end. This is a very funny film and play that most people should enjoy. But people who don't care for opera may not enjoy it.

Beneath serious critique

[markd-newman · 1/10 · 13 August 2006]

The years of training which gifted classical singers and musicians devote to performing G&S professionally are ridiculed by this puerile production. Drowning in an ocean of gratuitous modernity, this agonising cacophony of noise and infantile showing-off sinks beneath considered criticism.

The orchestral backing resembles the accelerated demo' mode of a low-end, 1980's electronic keyboard whilst the vocal and character performances are simply too catastrophically off target for serious comment.

Advocates of G&S in the Savoy tradition must bypass this particular avenue of pleasure at all costs. The "ah bless them" mantra which can be useful for some amateur G&S performances dissolves into insignificance for this sensory assault.

An absolute gem!!

[wisewebwoman · 3 July 2000]

I am a true G & S Aficionado but this surprised and delighted me. The cast are brilliant but Kevin Kline has the edge. Agile, in great voice, lots of humour and quick, funny bits in his performance (blink and you miss them). His dancing and acrobatics are superb. The police also had me howling with laughter along with their police dogs and the major general romping through the fields with the pirates singing UNDERWATER in the babbling brook has to be a classic. This scene has to be seen to be believed. Bravo, cast !! This should have had a lot more publicity. I would adore seeing it in the large theatre, at least we had "Topsy Turvy" this year. This Pirate is fun for all ages.

A great film, but beware!

[cspschofield · 10/10 · 26 February 2006]

Gilbert and Sullivan titles, like Shakespeare, are far too easy to do badly. They can fall into 'traditional' ruts that rapidly drain all the life out of them. This is why THIS Pirates of Penzance is such a treat. The production team obviously recognized that the whole story is absurd, and so they had fun with it. They took their work seriously, but not (the kiss of death) pompously. The result is wonderful.

HOWEVER: be warned that there IS a DVD of Pirates of Penzance with ALMOST the same cast. It was filmed/taped on Broadway as part of an archival project while the production that inspired the movie was on stage. IT IS SIMPLY AWFUL!

It may well serve its original purpose as a reference for professionals, but the camera work is so bad as to be almost unwatchable. It totally spoils what looks like it may well have been a charming production - at least I assume it was; it inspired a wonderful film, but you just can't tell from the DVD.

perfectly good production

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

Frederic (Rex Smith) turns 21 and is no longer indentured to The Pirate King (Kevin Kline). He decides to leave his hated pirate life and intends to destroy them. Hard-of-hearing Ruth (Angela Lansbury) had mistakenly given him to be an apprentice pirate instead of an apprentice pilot. He rows to shore and spots seven frolicking beauties on the beach. They are the daughters of Major-General (George Rose) and none of them are willing to take him. Mabel (Linda Ronstadt) shows up and immediately gives him her heart.

Back in the early 80's, I watched the multiple Razzie nominee The Pirate Movie (1982) and I liked it. It's complete camp and it knows it. This may be blasphemy, but I like that movie more than this version. The only superior aspect in this movie is Kevin Kline. He's having so much fun. Linda Ronstadt is showing that she is so superior in singing. I don't necessarily have any big complaint, but it is very much a production play musical. It's a good production. It's perfectly good. I just have more fun with the silly ridiculous version.

Gilbert And Sullivan Delight: Pirates Of Penzance

[FloatingOpera7 · 10/10 · 31 July 2006]

The Pirates of Penzance (1983): Starring Kevin Kline, Rex Smith, Linda Ronstadt, Angela Lansbury, George Rose, Tony Azito, David Hatton, Louise Gold, Teresa Coldling, G.B. Zoot Money, Tilly Vosburgh, Peppi Borza, Preston Lockwood, Tim Bentinck, Mohamed Aazzi, Anthony Arundell, John Asquith, John Bett, Lennie Byrne, Frankie Cull, Nicolas Chagrin, Jo Cameron Brown, Ross Davison, Mike Grady, Stephen Hanan, Carole Forbes....Director Wilford Leach.

From 1983, this televised version of Gilbert and Sullivan's beloved operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" was filmed in a studio in England and starred several well-known celebrities including Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt and Angela Lansbury. This is one of the better TV productions of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, second only to the televised operettas by the D'Oyle Carte Opera Company in the late 60's and 70's. Kevin Kline as the Pirate King is a classic example of an actor who could take on everything from dramatic movie roles to the silly role he plays here. He is genuinely having fun with the part of the vainglorious and lusty Pirate King, making this a highly enjoyable comedy rather than just a stuff, boring Victorian version of a comedy and furthermore, we are treated to his singing voice (surprise, surprise). His high baritone voice is a combination of opera and Broadway, much like the rest of his co-stars. Angela Lansbury as Ruth, the Pirate nurse, is simply wonderful. With her training in Broadway, British theatre and film, she is able to portray Ruth with lots of humor and nuance and makes her more lovable than other interpretors, as if the role was tailor-made for her, despite the fact the role was written for a deeper voice. Linda Ronstadt, of all people, plays the beautiful Edwardian heroine Mabel, daughter of the Major General Stanley (George Rose). Ronstadt's bravura vocal talents are so versatile that one would have mistaken her for an operatically trained soprano or Broadway singer. The role of Mabel calls for high coloratura and lyric melodiousness, all which Miss Ronstadt possessed. She is a wonderful actress and even if the role of Mabel is flat, she is still amazing. Good looking and slim Rex Smith sings the tenor role of Frederic, the pirate who captures Mabel's heart. He is clearly influenced by Broadway, right down to his mannerisms, but it works well, especially in making him a sort of matinée idol. Even if the production is not impressive (due to this being filmed in a studio, we get painted backdrops, plastic plants and flowers and phony facades of buildings) the cinematography by Douglas Slocombe is unusually beautiful, looking like a sort of romantic novel about pirates and beautiful Edwardian girls come to life. The story is quite simple, despite the many songs which seem silly and pointless. A group of pirates wish to marry the daughters of Major General Stanley. After many misunderstanding are cleared up, they do marry them. This is a delightful treat for fans of Gilbert and Sullivan, but it would not have been an attention grabber if not for the participation of Linda Ronstadt, Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury.

The Pirates of Penzance

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 8 June 2023]

We start off as a band of pirates approach the town, and the citizens all rush to seek shelter in buildings that are clearly made of canvas and greasepaint... I found that to be quite an useful introduction to this film version of Gilbert and Sullivan's 1870s operetta; it made it clear that this was going to be a stage version on film, rather than any attempt to recreate the story for the cinema. Expectations suitably set - it goes off on a pretty enjoyable romp through this (mixed with one or two other of their works) story of the young "Frederic" (Rex Smith) who has been doing a sort of youth opportunities scheme with a band of ruthless pirates led by Kevin Kline. To stave off this imminent destruction, and the capture of his daughters - the "Maj. General" (George Rose) appeals to their sense of pity by declaring that he is an orphan, and that they wouldn't want to leave an old man lonely and bereft in his latter years. Their evil hearts melt, and his daughters (and the town) are spared. "Frederic" has an encounter on the beach with the beautiful "Mabel" (Linda Ronstadt) - one of the daughters of the old solider and they both fall head over heels in love and all looks set fair. Snag? Well the poor soul was born on the last day of February in a leap year, and has had actually only had five (not twenty one) birthdays - so the terms of his indenture mean he must serve another 60-odd years with the pirates! Luckily for him, "Mabel" agrees to wait for him and what ensues now are a series of gently comedic escapades as their love story develops, and the "Maj. General" and "Pirate King" come to a perilous reckoning before the very timely intervention of Queen Victoria. Accomplished theatre actress Angela Lansbury features, importantly but sparingly, as the deaf old nurse "Ruth" and Tony Azito is quite entertaining as the "sergeant" too. G&S purists might not appreciate the slightly hybrid nature of this effort, but I rather enjoyed the wobbly sets, the scenery clearly made of polystyrene and papier-mâché and the tightly shot photography - it is offering us a variety of theatre seats to watch it from, but we are never in doubt that this is essentially still a stage production. Kline and Smith are on fine form, the latter really takes the part by the scruff of the neck and even though his voice is not quite what it might be, he gives it everything he can and his enjoyment, his daft love scenes and songs with the Golden Globe nominated Ronstadt, along with a soupçon of swash and buckle and plenty of camp humour all keep the momentum moving along nicely. The song of the film is "Model of a Modern Major General" but the patter song works really well too. As cinematic adaptations go, Wilford Leach has allowed the cast to thrive with the colourful, nonsense elements of this story and we are presented with something as akin to that which we might see on stage as possible - and it's good.

"Hail, Friends, Who Sail the Seas..."

[theowinthrop · 10/10 · 20 August 2006]

After the success of H.M.S. PINAFORE with Arthur Sullivan (and the first operetta done with Richard D'Oyly Carte as the sole producer), William Schwenck Gilbert discussed a serious problem that came to his attention. He, Sullivan, and Carte were financially prospering from the success of PINAFORE, but only from the productions in Great Britain and the continent. There was no copy-write law that existed between the U.S. and Britain in 1879. This problem had bedeviled Charles Dickens, and he railed about American "pirates" for decades. It would not be settled until after the turn of the 20th Century. Until then Americans could steal British books and plays with impunity (similarly British publishers could steal American novels and short stories - not too many plays - without giving any royalties.

Piracy became a central theme of the new operetta, as well as a swipe at the British army (Major General Stanley would be a spoof of the leading British general of the day, Major General Sir Garnet Wolsey), and a spoof about the British police. But Gilbert, with Sullivan's and Carte's agreement, rehearsed two casts and production staffs. One was for the London opening. One was spirited across the Atlantic (with author, composer, and producer in attendance) for the New York City Premier in the same month. You see, by doing it this way, Gilbert and Sullivan were copy-writing their own work in America as well as in Britain. The result was that the "Pirated" versions of the new operetta were breaking the law the moment they tried to put on a show.

While in New York City, Sullivan visited the Bowery (or so they say) and heard a chorus of men singing a tune: "Hail, Hail, the gang's all here!". He liked the tune, and found out that nobody knew who composed it. Subsequently he would use it in the second act for the Pirates of Penzance to sing. The lyrics began with the line in the "Summary" above. It was not the only transposed tune in the new show. The chorus of Major General Stanley's daughters come on stage in act I, where they sing "Climbing over Rocky Mountain." If you hear it, treasure it folks. Except for a tune called "Little Maid of Arcady", it is the only song from Gilbert & Sullivan's lost operetta, THESPIS, to survive (though some of the lyrics were changed).

The plot is simple. Frederick was accidentally apprenticed to the Pirates by his nurse Ruth (who is slightly deaf). He has reached age 21, and is now free to leave or not. He decides to leave, as he opposes piracy, and is determined (much to the sadness of his former comrades, Ruth, and the Pirate King) to destroy them. He joins forces with Major General Stanley ("the model of a modern major general") and his oldest daughter Mabel to aid the Sergeant of Police to capture the wicked pirates. But the Sergeant and his force is quite nervous at the prospect, and secretly sympathize with their foes ("A policeman's lot is not an "appy" one"). Before the trap can be sprung, a technicality about Frederick's age comes up that forces him, always "a slave to duty", to return to the pirates as part of their band. But it is straightened out in the conclusion by a final surprise (Gilbert really knew how to turn on surprises).

I was fortunate to attend the actual production of this musical treat on stage in 1981 with a friend from my Law School. Most of the leads, such as Linda Ronstadt, Kevin Kline, Rex Smith, Tony Azito, and the unfortunate George Rose are in their roles here. It was the first of three times that I saw Rose in a Broadway production. The only change in the movie was Estelle Parson's Ruth was replaced by Angela Lansbury. Parson's got more of Ruth's silliness (and sexual hopelessness - she has a crush on Frederic) into her performance. But Lansbury has more fun with the weird business of the plot, in particular when the tables are turned on Frederic.

Kline was in his element, playing the Pirate King as Errol Flynn would. He was quite athletic in the role, but in a comic way (in the film watch what he does with his legs several times). In a 1980 version of the production Kline was able to carry forward a joke dealing with the parentage of the pirates and their would-be victims. The words "often" and "orphan" are confused by Kline and his men, and he needs to keep them straight in conversations. This was put across better in the 1980 television version.

Rose's best number is his patter tune, but he made the most of a second act number about the gentle breeze at night. Tony Azito, who one of my friends knew briefly before his premature death, was terrific as the Sergeant, and it is gratifying to know the performance (which won a "Tony" nomination) was preserved twice. Linda Ronstad sang quite delightfully, especially "Poor Wandering One". All told it was quite a good production and a reasonably entertaining version of it.

Neither Fish nor Fowl

[onepotato2 · 2/10 · 12 January 2005]

Let's face it, at this late date no one develops a love for Gilbert & Sullivan. You either have an inner Victorian that appreciates creaky, nineteenth-century corn or you don't. I do, but this is some sort of low-water mark in terms of transferring a live hit (from N.Y. stage impresario Joseph Papp) to a filmed product. They've spent as little as possible on deliberately artificial sets. This material has cash-in written all over it. It's not a movie or a play. Somehow it's the worst of both worlds.

The material has the classic G & S problems. If you had a choice of a) listening to the whole recording or b) watching the same piece performed, there's really little difference. The librettos are talky to the point of offering nothing to visualize. The scene under the cliffs goes on for what seems like days, and jokes that weren't funny once are milked for the benefit of slow-witted, slackjawed Tories whose values haven't advanced an inch since this was written. So much of the humor in this revolves around puns and similar sounding words (Orphan = Often. Pirate = Pilot, guh). To describe it as droll would be kind. Watch it with your eyedrops ready or you'll dry them out from eyerolling. The cast of Americans was a mistake as no one has a British sense of humor or delivery that might sell this schlock.

What it does have going for it is a couple of nice melodies (Poor Wandering One, Sighly Softly to the River, Ah Leave me not to Pine). I don't recall if "Matter matter matter" the patter song from Rudigore made it in to the movie but that's fun. When I was a kid I liked With cat-like tread, Pirate King, & Modern Major General but I find them unbearable now. Likewise for the Keystone Cops, who should be lined up and shot with a single harpoon so as not to waste too many bullets.

The libretto and humor of the Mikado has aged less badly and the lopsided HMS Pinafore has less exhausted songs.

Best/funniest movie of all time

[mammabrock · 10/10 · 8 January 2007]

I agree with bariman171, I saw this rendition of Pirates of Penzance at the young age of 4. I fell in love with it at the first viewing and it continues to be my favorite movie at the age of 28. This movie was my first introduction to Kevin Kline and he remains favorite actor.

Even though this is a total spoof on the original opera (which I also find wonderful) I took it very seriously at the age of 4. This movie got me through many sick days at home from school. This movie to me is 'comfort food' and I recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor. My son is only four months old and he already enjoys the soundtrack that is on my ipod, he even sings along.

A reviewer's lot is not a happy one

[Gyran · 1/10 · 17 August 2006]

You wait all your life and then, suddenly, three dud productions of the Pirates of Penzance come along at the same time. This is the third that I have reviewed recently. Apparently most of the performers in this production are British actors miming to the New York cast recording. The principals are also miming so it is difficult to tell whether their own voices are used or whether other people's are dubbed on. Anyway, the singing sounds fake. I reckon that it is a semitone above pitch suggesting that the performers were miming to a speeded-up soundtrack. This explains why most of the singers sound like Donald Duck. It would also explain the frenetic choreography and the fact that the opera is about 20% faster than it should be. In view of this, further criticism seems pointless but I would just add that Kevin Kline's performance is particularly irritating and he should leave the silly walks to John Cleese.

Exactly, why wasn't this movie a hit?

[TheNovelist · 8 February 2002]

This movie's great even though it's quite clear that this movie was low budget. Still, why wasn't it a hit? It's wonderful! Linda Ronstadt's Mabel is superb, I wish I could hit those high notes as flawlessly as she does and plus she is so pretty! Who can play the Pirate King as charismatically as Kevin Kline? You just have to love his crazy antics and that voice, oh! It's obvious he has great talent and that Tony Award he won for his portrayal of The Pirate King on Broadway was well-deserved. I wonder if he can still sing and dance... Rex Smith is divine as Frederic; his singing voice is powerful yet has a tender appeal. He is quite talented in his portrayal of a gullible yet loveable Frederic. Angela Lansbury is lovely in her portrayal of the deaf nursemaid and she has such a wonderful voice; it fits the role perfectly. The pirates, the daughters, the policemen, were all wonderful. I especially love the policemen's song-and-dance numbers. Tony Azito's nasal voice and rubber-like movements are perfect as the Sergeant. I have nothing bad to say about this movie, only I wish it were longer and it did not end so soon! See this movie! It's funny, romantic, and has good music.

A young man apprenticed to a pirate must decide between duty to his apprenticeship and duty to his conscience. Falling in love with a beautiful maiden clouds his decision.

[kgrimes-6 · 10/10 · 2 November 2007]

What a delightful combination of classic musical comedy with fine performances. This film version of the Broadway production proves that Linda Ronstadt can do almost anything musically. (I wish she'd do more Gilbert and Sullivan.) While Kevin Kline is not a favorite, Rex Smith is charming. Angela Lansbury plays a role very different from Jessica Fletcher and shows great understanding of British musical comedy.

While it is enough just to enjoy the film, the viewer might also want to think about the commentary on duty, the pull between the ethics of obedience to duty and the morality of obedience to conscience.

A much lighter version of this material is available in The Pirate Movie, starring Kristy McNichol. Mad About You, with Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser, used the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta as the basis for a delightful episode, and certainly the naming of Jamie and Paul's daughter Mabel was a nod to the play.