''Captain Kidd'' is a 1945 American adventure film starring Charles Laughton, Randolph Scott and Barbara Britton. It was directed by Rowland V. Lee, his last before he retired, and produced by

Benedict Bogeaus Benedict Bogeaus (May 4, 1904, in Chicago – August 23, 1968, in Hollywood), was an independent film producer and former owner of General Service Studios. Biography and filmography Bogeaus' business career started when he was seventeen, workin ...

and James Nasser. The music was conducted by Werner Janssen. The film was released by

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

. It has entered the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...

because the producers neglected to renew the copyright in 1972. In his memoirs,

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...

noted that this was one of

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...

's favourite films, and that Stalin identified with the mischievous captain.

Plot

In 1699, pirate

William Kidd William Kidd, also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd ( – 23 May 1701), was a Scottish sea captain who was commissioned as a privateer and had experience as a pirate. He was tried and executed in London in 1701 for murder a ...

loots and destroys the English

galleon Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal vessels drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch W ...

''The Twelve Apostles'' near

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. He and three confederates bury the stolen treasure on a remote island. He returns to London and hires a gentleman's gentleman. Kidd then presents himself at the court of

William III of England William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic f ...

as an honest shipmaster seeking a royal commission as a

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

after striking his colours to a pirate. The king is persuaded by Kidd that the captain of ''The Twelve Apostles'' was that pirate, who has disappeared with its treasure. The King grants the commission. Kidd recruits a crew from condemned pirates in Newgate and

Marshalsea The Marshalsea (1373–1842) was a notorious prison in Southwark, just south of the River Thames. Although it housed a variety of prisoners, including men accused of crimes at sea and political figures charged with sedition, it became known, ...

prisons, promising them a royal pardon at the end of their voyage. Among them is the quarrelsome though cultured Adam Mercy. Kidd makes him the new master gunner because of his claimed prior service with pirate Captain Avery. The King sends Kidd and his ship the ''

Adventure Galley ''Adventure Galley'', also known as ''Adventure'', was an English merchant ship captained by Scottish sea captain William Kidd. She was a type of hybrid ship that combined square rigged sails with oars to give her manoeuvrability in both windy ...

'' to the waters near Madagascar to rendezvous with the ship ''

Quedagh Merchant ''Quedagh Merchant'' (; hy, Քեդահյան վաճառական '' Qedahyan Waćařakan''), also known as the ''Cara Merchant'' and the ''Adventure Prize'',Zacks, p. 266 was an Indian merchant vessel famously captured by Scottish privateer Wil ...

'' and provide an escort back to England. The ''Quedagh Merchant'' carries Lord Fallsworth, the King's ambassador to the

Grand Mughal Grand Mughal or Mogul, also Great Mughal ( ur, مغل اعظم), is a title coined by Europeans for the ruler of the Mughal Empire of India. The Mughals themselves used the title ''Padishah''. The title is especially associated with the third in th ...

, his daughter Lady Anne Dunstan, and a chest of treasure from the Indian potentate to King William. Kidd's story about a pirate he fought nearby persuades Lord Fallsworth to switch ships with his daughter and the precious cargo. Kidd's navigator Jose Lorenzo lights a candle in the ship's magazine. Just as the transfer takes place, the ''Quedagh Merchant'' blows up. Kidd also arranges a fatal "accident" for Lord Fallsworth, leaving only a frightened Lady Anne. She turns to the only man she thinks she can trust, Shadwell, Kidd's servant. When she mentions the recent battle with pirates, Shadwell tells her it never happened. He advises her to put her faith in Adam Mercy. On the voyage home, Kidd schemes to rid himself of his three close associates (to avoid sharing the booty) and Mercy (whom he suspects of being a spy). Mercy is really the vengeance-seeking son of Admiral Lord Blayne, the slandered captain of ''The Twelve Apostles''. When a smitten Lorenzo tries to force himself on Lady Anne, Kidd is delighted when Mercy engages him in a sword fight. Lorenzo is driven overboard to drown. During the fight, Mercy's medallion is torn from his neck. Kidd finds it and recognizes the Blayne family

crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...

so he strongly suspects Mercy is really a relative of the murdered Captain Blayne. Kidd drops anchor at a lagoon. Kidd, Orange Povey (his only surviving confederate, protected by an incriminating letter that will be sent to the crown authorities if he should die), and Mercy go ashore and dig up the loot from ''The Twelve Apostles''. When Mercy sees the Blayne crest he feigns indifference, but Kidd goads him by insulting his dead father's honor. Mercy is enraged and attacks Kidd, fighting him and Povey. Outnumbered, Mercy is knocked unconscious, falls into the water, and does not resurface. While the others believe him dead, he swims secretly back to the ship. Mercy and a loyal crewman row Lady Anne away in the ship's

jolly boat The jolly boat was a type of ship's boat in use during the 18th and 19th centuries. Used mainly to ferry personnel to and from the ship, or for other small-scale activities, it was, by the 18th century, one of several types of ship's boat. The de ...

, but are spotted. Shadwell sacrifices himself needlessly to cover their escape and Kidd blows up the jolly boat. Believing himself safe, Kidd appears before King William with the Mughal's treasure to claim his reward (Lord Blayne's aristocratic title and estate). He learns that Mercy and Lady Anne have survived and preceded him to court. The King's men found the loot from ''The Twelve Apostles'' after searching Kidd's cabin. Kidd is tried, condemned and hanged.

Cast

* Charles Laughton as Capt.

* Randolph Scott as Adam Mercy * Barbara Britton as Lady Anne Dunstan *

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...

as Orange Povey *

Gilbert Roland Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso (December 11, 1905 – May 15, 1994), known professionally as Gilbert Roland, was a Mexican-born American film and television actor whose career spanned seven decades from the 1920s until the 1980s. He was twice no ...

as Jose Lorenzo *

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

as Bartholomew Blivens *

Sheldon Leonard Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. Early life Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle-clas ...

as Cyprian Boyle *

William Farnum William Farnum (July 4, 1876 – June 5, 1953) was an American actor. He was a star of American silent film cinema and became one of the highest-paid actors during that time. Biography Farnum was born on July 4, 1876, in Boston, Massachuse ...

as Capt. Rawson *

Henry Daniell Charles Henry Pywell Daniell (5 March 1894 – 31 October 1963) was an English actor who had a long career in the United States on stage and in cinema. He came to prominence for his portrayal of villainous roles in films such as '' Camille'' (1 ...

as King William III *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as Cary Shadwell * Abner Biberman as Theodore Blades (uncredited) *

Harry Cording Hector William "Harry" Cording (26 April 1891 – 1 September 1954) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the films '' The Black Cat'' (1934) and ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938). Life and career ...

as Newgate Prison Warder *

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

as Michael O'Shawn (uncredited) *

Frederick Worlock Frederick Worlock (December 14, 1886 – August 1, 1973) was a British-American actor. He is known for his work in various films during the 1940s and 1950s, and as the voice of Horace in '' One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961). Career On st ...

as Landers, Newgate Prison Governor (uncredited)

Production

Charles Laughton's casting was announced in December 1944. Laughton said he had long been interested in playing Kidd and liked the opportunity to show his versatility. Rowland Lee was signed to direct. In January 1945 Randolph Scott signed to play the romantic male lead. Filming began 25 January. It was shot at the General Service Studio using a boat that had been built for ''The Black Swan'' and used for ''The Princess and the Pirate''. Reginald Owen was borrowed from MGM.

Awards

This film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score at the

18th Academy Awards The 18th Academy Awards were held on March 7, 1946 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre to honor the films of 1945. Being the first Oscars after the end of World War II, the ceremony returned to the glamour of the prewar years; notably, the plaster st ...

Notes

As a work of fiction rather than a

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...

, the story contains some historically incorrect material, including a London scene showing

Tower Bridge Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames clos ...

two hundred years before it was built. Kidd's London prisoner crew was removed before it sailed from England and Kidd was forced to find a new crew in New York City. Kidd returned to New York, not to London. Laughton reprised his part in the 1952 farce ''

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd ''Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd'' is a 1952 comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, along with Charles Laughton, who reprised his role as the infamous pirate from the 1945 film ''Capta ...

''.

References

External links

*
Captain Kidd
' is available for free streaming o
STAJE
* * * * * * {{Rowland V. Lee 1945 films 1940s historical adventure films American folklore films and television series American historical adventure films Seafaring films Captain Kidd (1945) Films set in the 1690s Films set in the 1700s Films directed by Rowland V. Lee Articles containing video clips Cultural depictions of William Kidd Cultural depictions of William III of England American black-and-white films Films scored by Werner Janssen 1940s English-language films 1940s American films