''The Pirates of Blood River'' is a 1962 British

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

directed by

John Gilling John Gilling (29 May 1912 – 22 November 1984) was an English film director and screenwriter, born in London. He was known for his horror film, horror movies, especially those he made for Hammer Films, for whom he directed ''The Shadow of the ...

and starring

Kerwin Mathews Kerwin Mathews (January 8, 1926 – July 5, 2007) was an American actor best known for playing the titular heroes in ''The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'' (1958), ''The Three Worlds of Gulliver'' (1960) and '' Jack the Giant Killer'' (1962). Early lif ...

Glenn Corbett Glenn Corbett (born Glenn Edwin Rothenburg; August 17, 1933 – January 16, 1993)"CORBETT Obituary — Corbett, 59, starred in 'Route 66,' Wayne films." ''San Antonio Express-News'' January 18, 1993. Web. May 29, 2012. Document #0F22314D ...

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

and

Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...

Plot

While in a penal colony,

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

Jonathan Standing (

) is captured by pirates led by Capt. LaRoche (

) who force him to lead them back to his home village to retrieve a treasure supposedly hidden there.

Cast

... Jonathon Standing *

... Henry *

... Captain LaRoche *

Peter Arne Peter Arne (born Peter Randolph Michael Albrecht; 29 September 19241 August 1983) was a British character actor. He made more than 50 film appearances including roles in ''Ice Cold in Alex'', ''The Moonraker'', '' Conspiracy of Hearts'' and ''V ...

... Hench, a pirate *

Marla Landi Marla Landi, Lady Dashwood (born Marcella Teresa Scarafia in 1933, Turin, Italy) is an Italian-born British film actress and television presenter. Career Landi's major roles included '' Across the Bridge'' (1957), '' Dublin Nightmare'' (1958), ...

... Bess Standing *

Desmond Llewelyn Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn (; 12 September 1914GRO Register of Births: DEC 1914 11a 490 NEWPORT M. – Desmond W. Llewelyn, mmn = Wilkinson – 19 December 1999GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 2000 A70E 247 EASTBOURNE – Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn, D ...

... Tom Blackthorne *

... Brocaire, a pirate *

Andrew Keir Andrew Keir (né Buggy, 3 April 19265 October 1997) was a Scottish actor who appeared in a number of films made by Hammer Film Productions in the 1960s. He was also active in television, and especially in the theatre, in a professional career t ...

... Jason Standing *

Michael Ripper Michael George Ripper (27 January 1913 – 28 June 2000) was an English character actor. He began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 1950s was virtually unknown; he was seldom credited. Along with Michael Gough ...

... Mack, a pirate * David Lodge ... Smith *

Dennis Waterman Dennis Waterman (24 February 1948 – 8 May 2022) was an English actor and singer. He was best known for his tough-guy leading roles in television series including ''The Sweeney'', ''Minder'' and ''New Tricks'', singing the theme tunes of the ...

... Timothy Blackthorne * Jack Stewart ... Godfrey Mason *

Marie Devereux Marie Devereux (27 November 194030 December 2019) was a British model and film actress. She was born Patricia Sutcliffe on 27 November 1940 in Edmonton, London. Marie Devereux became a regular and very popular nude model in magazines during th ...

as Maggie * Lorraine Clewes ... Martha Blackthorne *

Jerold Wells Jerold Wells (8 August 1908 – 19 July 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Wallington, Hampshire, and died in Bath, Somerset. He appeared primarily in British comedies. Films included ''Adventures of a Plumber's Mate'' and the TV-made ...

... Penal Colony Master * Diane Aubrey ... Maggie (uncredited)

Production

The film was produced at Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK Bray Studios was used for internal filming. Outside filming locations were at: Blackpark Lake, Black Park Country Park, Black Park Road, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK (Blood River) Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, England, UK (jungle) Callow Hill Sandpit, Virginia Water, Surrey, England, UK (penal colony)

Reception

The film was issued on a double bill with ''

Mysterious Island ''The Mysterious Island'' (french: L'Île mystérieuse) is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1875. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains a number of illustrations by Jules Férat. The novel is a crossover sequel to Verne's fam ...

'' - which was Britain's biggest grossing double bill of the year.Marcus Hearn, ''The Hammer Vault'', Titan Books, 2011 p55 ''

Films and Filming ''Films and Filming'' was the longest-running British gay magazine prior to the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.Bengry, Justin"The Queer History of Films and Filming."''Little Joe: A magazine about queers and cinema ...

'' said it was the tenth most popular movie in Britain for the year ended 31 October 1962 after ''The Guns of Navarone'', ''Dr No'', ''The Young Ones'', ''Only Two Can Play'', ''The Road to Hong Kong'', ''Spartacus'', ''The Comancheros'', ''Blue Hawaii'', and ''HMS Defiant''.British films are tops at box office Author: Douglas Marlborough Date: Monday, Dec. 10, 1962 Publication: Daily Mail p 3

References

External links

* 1962 films British action adventure films British historical films Columbia Pictures films Hammer Film Productions films Pirate films Films directed by John Gilling 1960s action adventure films 1960s historical films Films set in the 17th century Films shot at Bray Studios Films with screenplays by Jimmy Sangster 1960s English-language films 1960s British films {{historic-film-stub