The Sea Hawk

An absolutely standard, straightforward Errol Flynn swashbuckler, like many others, almost to the point of being templated. It’s a fortunate thing, then, that Flynn, director Michael Curtiz, and some familiar cast members all had that template down pat. The movie provides exactly what you expect of a old-time pirate flick, and that means high entertainment. It does run a tad long, with a bit of a dull stretch in the middle, but the payoff is worth it, and it’s ultimately a very satisfying experience.

Captain Phillips

Predictability is not always a bad thing. Knowing the outcome, as with this story, actually helps get the viewer through a pretty intense film. Even so, this movie is loaded with surprises that help make it an engrossing experience: the surprising vulnerability of a giant cargo ship; the filmmakers’ treatment of the Somalis (who are not portrayed as cardboard cutouts, but have depth, humanity, and real character here); the hints that this problem (piracy) may be the unexpected by-product of other problems (including environmental degradation, specifically our collapsing fisheries). Lots of stuff to think about here, but that comes afterward, when all the gripping, gut-wrenching stuff has reached its denouement

Captain Blood

You've got lots of plot getting in the way of the movie in the beginning, but once it gets rolling, man does it roll! This is Errol Flynn at his swashbuckling best, in what amounts to the definitive pirate movie. Truly a classic

The Spanish Main

One of those good, old-fashioned, Saturday-morning matinee pirate adventure movies, if you know what I mean. Mad props to Paul Henreid, who is a hoot as the cocky bastard in charge of the ship. Tune in to TCM the next time this one shows up on the schedule; your buckles will definitely be swashed.