Caribbean

Rival pirate captains battle for control of a treasure-filled island stronghold that rules the Spanish Main in this swashbuckling adventure set in the 1870's.

Pirate Francis Barclay, a former member of the British Admiralty, who was captured and sold into slavery by Andrew McAllister, and forced into piracy captures adventurer Dick Lindsay in the Caribbean but pledges to free him if he'll infiltrate the island stronghold of Andrew MacAllister, who betrayed Barclay long ago and stole his baby daughter, Christine.

John Payne is excellent as Dick Lindsay who is used as a pawn by Cedric Hardwick's character who is very effective - he's very cold and bitter. Revenge is on his mind. Francis L. Sullivan as MacAllister is his nemesis and he's far from being a nice chap. He owns slaves, treats them like crap and is generally an ogre. Arlene Dahl plays MacAllister's "daughter" and she's effective in her role, coming across as a vulnerable person groomed into being heartless by her environment. I. E. Her tyrannical father. Of course, we got Payne to change her ways. Predictably, a romance ensues.

Caribbean is a very good pirate film, just don't expect it to be a swashbuckler like Errol Flynn's work - it has more characterisation, mood and drama with a modicum of action. There's an exciting knife fight and marauding attack at the end.