Captain Scarlett (1952) User Reviews

cheap and cheerful swashbuckler

[vincenthetreed · 6/10 · 22 March 2007]

This has very little to do with history, or real life at any period, but it is fast-moving and colourful and I enjoyed the snappy script:

"You are insolent."

"Only to people I don't like."

Richard Greene, who played Robin Hood in the British TV series in the '50s, is playing almost the same role, in a costume from somewhere around 1800, with a sword instead of a longbow. Assurance counts for a lot, especially for a hero, and he is surrounded by presumably Mexican actors(They all have Spanish-sounding names, but the film was made in the US.) as monks, dancers, feisty heroines and lovable rogues, who know what is expected of them as well as he does. If being a travesty of history stopped a work from being enjoyed and appreciated, a lot of Shakespeare would have to be thrown out. This one is far from being Shakespeare, but it certainly is fun.

I wish they would remake it

[mem2001 · 5/10 · 14 May 2005]

This should have been a classic swashbuckler in the tradition of Zorro, Robin Hood, and Captain Blood. It has a good, traditional, premise (young nobleman returns home to find his home and land taken over by the bad guy, and then tries to get back his land, right wrongs, and free the oppressed, all while making loyal friends and falling in love), but the poor acting, directing, and way too cheesy script (so bad it's funny) ruin this movie for the sophisticated viewer. I loved this film as a child, however (the poor acting and super cheesy script did not bug me then), especially the fact that he teaches the girl (Princess Maria) how to sword fight (in one of the few good lines in the film he comments that no one has taught her anything useful - her skills up to that point being embroidery, dancing, etc).

I really wish Disney or some other company would remake this movie in to something better, instead of remaking good old films into something worse. Saddly, I fear this film has been forgotten by the big studios and that I will have to content myself with the fact that many of the things I enjoyed in the movie as a child (like the sword fighting Princess, and the way they trick the bad guys in by all dressing as Captain Scarlet) have been used since in other, better made movies.

I enjoyed it however...

[Space_Mafune · 5/10 · 24 August 2003]

most probably will not. Many will no doubt be disappointed by the overall predictable quality of this film, its lackluster acting & direction and worst of all its disappointing sword fights and extended chase scenes. Despite all of that I did find myself enjoying Richard Greene's performance as the dashing Captain Scarlett and even more his interactions with the lovely Leonora Amar who plays Princess Maria.

A Fine Post Napoleonic Oater

[MarplotRedux · 16 November 2011]

I fear that other reviewers have failed to recognize this movie for what it is: a fine example of a 1950s Saturday afternoon double feature film. The principal actors are obviously enjoying themselves, and we should too. Yes, there's lots of filler, yes much is predicable. That's why I just relaxed and enjoyed it. Here's an analogy from another movie: Errol Flynn is in Queen Elizabeth's castle. An enormous piece of dark cloth hangs on a bare stone wall near the top of a steep stone stairway. The cloth serves no purpose that an Elizabethan interior decorator would accept. A few scenes later, Mr. Flynn is about to descend these stairs when he sees three miscreants with drawn swords waiting for him. What does Mr. Flynn do? Why he grabs hold of that cloth, swings down upon those extras, and …

Besides, as a student of history I learned several things about France after Napoleon's defeat. Day and night switched back and forth unpredictably. As one was pursued by horsemen this might happen several times during a single pursuit. Small orchestras accompanied these horsemen but never interfered with the pursuit. (This, of course, was also true in the Old West, but Restoration France's orchestras were slightly larger.) Clothing never got dirty, even though one wore it day after day. Expensive seeming scarlet (a.k.a. scarlett) cloaks were so readily available that at least six of them could be lent to local villagers who sought to imitate our hero. As is still sadly true, men (well, one man … our hero) pursued women who never would become properly submissive wives and whose conversation would cease to be interesting after a very few years. Men who had pistols usually forwent their use in order to fight each other with dueling swords. (For some reason this wise practice didn't continue in the Old West, despite that one almost never hit anyone no matter how many shots one fired at them from Old West pistols, whereas with a trusty sword …)

Internet Archive offers this film free. As a still-loyal member of ABCDEFGHI, I recommend it for late-evening viewing. ("What's this alphabet stuff?" American Boys Concerned to Defend Errol Flynn's Good Honorable Intentions, that's what!)

Robin Hood with Swords - Dull Terrestrial Swashbuckler

[mstomaso · 2/10 · 7 April 2008]

Captain Scarlett is a tedious, repetitive, series of linked adventure stories featuring Captain Scarlett and his merry band of fencers righting the wrongs of post-Napoleonic France. Shot in Mexico, Captain Scarlett has no connection to, nor even a relationship with, reality or history. It is simply Robin Hood crossed with the Three Musketeers, Zorro, and a little bit of romance. The romantic angle, though poorly developed, comes closest to carrying the film because of Leonora Amar's bizarre but somehow captivating portrayal of Princess Maria.

Princess Maria is rescued from an unwanted marriage by an egomaniacal swashbuckling do-gooder who calls himself Captain Scarlett, and who, apparently, has everybody but the local authorities wrapped around his finger. From thence proceeds an astonishing variety of impossible and somewhat idiotic adventures accompanied by ever-mounting tedium. The film could not have been more predictable.

Directing - adequate.

Acting - Generally as stiff as styrofoam

Cinematography - OK, but nothing special

Editing - pithy

Script - Almost as stiff as the acting

Recommendation - AVOID.

Skip that one!

[jpkolo · 2/10 · 9 July 2002]

One of the worst movie I have ever seen. The script is awful, the acting is awful, the direction is awful, the sound is awful and the colours are awful. Seems that they put all their talents together to produce the worst movie ever made...Wonder if "The Producers" was based on that exercise???

Agreemetn with all of the comments to date but one

[csrothwec · 5/10 · 22 March 2008]

I really do not know if the commentator who gave this joint of ham 10/10 had seen the same film as the rest of us or was indulging in a strong piece of "ironic narrative". My views accord mostly with the comments of all the other reviewers. Richard Greene makes a passable central figure/hero, (in fact, given the time the film was made - just three years before Greene began the long-running British TV series, "The Adventures of Robin Hood", starring in the central role himself, of course, - I felt at times that I was almost watching a 'dress rehearsal' for the TV series and wondering if there was any connection between the two, e.g. did Lew Grade's talent scouts see this film and think of Greene for the green tights role as a result?)Unlike another commentator, I also found the sword fight scenes quite well done, (again conjuring up visions of 'Robin Greene' swashbuckling with the Sheriff of Nottingham's 'baddies'), and the Technicolour could not be any 'lusher' at all. That is as far as it goes, though. The 'plot', (if you can find it), is less than you would have got in any weekly comic of the period, the rest of the acting is somewhere between insipid and atrocious and, in particular, the music score must be one of the worst ever composed/inflicted on a cinema audience. A shame, really. Some improvements in any of the latter regards would have made the film reasonably enjoyable and worth a second viewing. On the other hand, if someone worse than Greene had been in the lead, it would have had a very good chance indeed of being rated as a truly toe-curling, cringe-inducing 'Golden Turkey' of all time. As it is, one for viewing while ironing on a windy winter afternoon and then forgetting.

Most boring swashbuckler I've ever seen

[dbborroughs · 3/10 · 6 January 2009]

Richard (Robin Hood) Greene stars as Captain Scarlett a nobleman who went off to war and came back to find his lands and titles usurped.

Good looking film is simply put one of the dullest swashbucklers on record. Its a semi-large lowish budget production that is so by the book that you can almost sense a guy off screen reading the directions out for what the actors are suppose to do. I kept wanting to yell "get on with it" at the screen. I mean really this movie had me nodding off almost instantly. Which lead me to put it in the sleep aide case (yes I really do have a case of DVDs to help me sleep.)

3 out of 10

One of the Worst Films I Have Ever Tried to Watch - Greene Fences Like a Clydesdale

[donofthedial · 1/10 · 3 October 2010]

I began watching this thing 30 minutes ago. I stopped watching this thing 15 minutes ago. I couldn't take it any longer. It has nothing going for it. You'd have to be drunk out of your mind to even laugh at this 'film'....except the 2 Munchkin soldiers bound together and swinging from a tree limb and yelling "Help!!!" like little girls.

First appearance of Richard Greene had his head tilted at an odd angle like a pud trying to escape from someone's trousers on a sunny day....and it grins.

Terrible directing, casting, music, color, acting, dialog, fencing, wit, choreography, costumes - even the scenery is awful.

Greene fences like a Clydesdale - clump clump clump.

"I am a stranger only to those who do not know me." Whoa. Great stuff.

I can't watch the rest. Even the chick is ugly.

Useless. At least back in VHS days, I could have taped over the film. With a DVD, all I have is a round pocket mirror or a frisbee of death.

Not worth what it cost me which was nothing.

Under the Red Robe

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 9 May 2020]

A rather paunchy Richard Greene treads water in this lively little swashbuckler shot in feverish colour with Mexico standing in for southern France before trading in his scarlet cloak (which does rather make him stand out) for Lincoln green and taking his crusade on behalf of the underdog to Sherwood Forest.

Brazilian leading lady Leonora Amar is a feisty Maid Marian wielding a sword in blouse, britches and boots; while given the theme sidekick Nedrick Young and writer-producer Howard Dimsdale were not surprisingly both soon blacklisted.

All in Color for a Quarter

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 13 June 2010]

According to the DVD sleeve synopsis, "When the masterful Captain Scarlett returns home after years of battlefield service, he finds that his lands have been seized by a treacherous nobleman. Unable to stand silent in the face of this injustice, Scarlett (played with aplomb by action star Richard Greene) gathers other victims of the thieving Duke and together, with flashing swords and fierce courage, they battle to win back their lands and regain their dignity."

To the point, writer/producer Howard Dimsdale has mostly mediocre material with this one; but, he certainly noticed Mr. Greene's "Robin Hood" potential, and went on to write for his popular "The Adventures of Robin Hood" TV series. Even more interestingly, writer/actor Nedrick Young (as Pierre DuCloux) is a natural sidekick, and is one of the cast least needing re-takes. Mr. Young would soon be scripting award-winning films for Stanley Kramer.

*** Captain Scarlett (4/1/53) Thomas Carr ~ Richard Greene, Leonora Amar, Nedrick Young, Eduardo Noriega

Awesome! Awesome!

[Homeschooledmail · 10/10 · 7 February 2007]

An excellent film all around. Richard Greene gave an extravagant performance as the dashing and masterful Captian Scarlett. It is hard to imagine a more enjoyable film, or a film in which more men are worsted by a single lamp, Or in which more men are tied to trees, for no real reason. It also contains the best fencing sequences ever captured on film, evidently the actors all had a great deal of fencing experience. The script is excellent, the acting is excellent, and the directing is beyond description. If you have any desire to see the best movie ever made, look no further. If you can only see one movie for the next ten years, everyday, make it this one.

Fun swashbuckler starring Richard Greene

[Hayden-86055 · 7/10 · 2 January 2021]

Captain Scarlett is a very entertaining and enjoyable swashbuckler, I was shocked to see the low ratings (4.7/10!) as I thought it great fun.

Richard Greene is perfect as the fast talking Captain Scarlett, with an equally quick blade along with the lesser known Leonora Amar as Princess Maria (the love interest) and Nedrick Young as Pierre DuCloux (the sidekick), they both do good jobs in their roles and have good chemistry with Greene.

The plot's the usual swashbuckler standard, although there are a few interesting points such as subverting the damsel in distress trope with Princess Maria initially rejecting Captain Scarlett's less than subtle advances, and he even teaches her to swordfight remarking that "I've always wondered why Princesses weren't taught something useful like duelling". Excitingly a lot of the film is action based with many swordfights and it's only 75 minutes long so little time to get bored, whilst the swordfighting isn't as good as Errol Flynn or the like it's still well choregraphed with good sound effects, and more to the point is entertaining.

7/10: A good swashbuckler, I suggest finding the colourised version. A joy for Richard Greene fans

They wasted cellulose on this?

[joemol · 1/10 · 25 May 2010]

All you need to see or hear in this dreadful movie, to appreciate the true awfulness of it all, are the first two camera shots.

Remember that the action is meant to take place in post-Napoleonic France? So why do we see soldiers dressed in a grubby assortment of ill-fitting South American uniforms armed with "spears"? Spears!!! Not just any old spears, mind you. These look like they came straight from the set of "The Wild Women of Wongo". Actually they look like they are the rejects discarded by the wild women from that Z-grade stinker, which by the way is about ten times more entertaining than this dreck.

And that's just the beginning. Whoever designed the costumes and sets for this movie was either drunk, deranged or just plain dumb. And the rest of the film's values follow right on from there.

A more stupid, ridiculous, offensive and insulting movie would be hard to find.

A mediocre and highly flawed adventure film.

[JHC3 · 24 September 1999]

Set in France in the years following the fall of Napoleon, Captain Scarlett seems to have been very much inspired by the legends of Robin Hood and Zorro. Captain Scarlett (Greene) returns to France to discover that his lands have been seized by an unscrupulous nobleman. After saving Princess Maria (Amar) and being joined by a man named Pierre (Young) who has also lost his lands, the group proceeds on a series of adventures in the fight for justice.

Sadly, "Captain Scarlett" is a highly flawed film. Its villains are incompetent bumblers, the music score is often out of place, the fight scenes often poorly done, and acting generally weak. Some scenes shot on soundstages are particularly poorly done. Overall, the film is mediocre at best. Nevertheless, die hard fans of classic adventure films and swashbucklers might want to give this one a chance. Be warned, however, that "Captain Scarlett" has the feel of a comic book and that plausibility is largely lacking.

Worse than bad

[armittj · 1/10 · 7 June 2010]

I just could not watch more than first 20 minutes or so. The colours are so oversaturated they make your eyes bleed. The sound as if it is coming from a tin can. This is probably one of the worst film transfers to DVD I have ever seen. Even the opening titles are tilted and misaligned. Its a shame because I like this kind of Sunday afternoon matinée film but it must be watchable and have reasonable sound quality. Richard Green of the very old series of Robin Hood is the star of this technical debaccle and doubt if he would have wished to have been associated with this. I certainly could not recommend this DVD to anyone - the thing is painful to watch and listen to.

Definitely not indestructible.

[hitchcockthelegend · 4/10 · 19 February 2015]

"Following the defeat of Napoleon, France was in a state of unrest. Many of the Royalists who had fled to England returned to exact vengeance for their real and fancied wrongs. Some turned the situation to their personal advantage...becoming Tyrants and Petty Dictators...."

Set in France but filmed in Mexico, Captain Scarlett is a hum-drum swashbuckler short on thrills, spills and originality of story. Richard Greene stars as the titular Scarlett, who sets about righting wrongs as he gathers supporters and catches the eyes of the babes. It's a sort of low rent Robin Hood, the Gallic version, Greene is dandy as usual, the costuming pleasing and with it running at just 75 minutes it moves along fast enough and doesn't outstay its welcome. But it's all pretty stale and way down on the list of swashbucklers to see before you die. 4/10

He may not be the pimpernel, but he's robbin' the hold.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 3 August 2016]

This entertaining but quickly forgettable historical swashbuckler has the benefit of giving the post Napoleonic era of France a distinct Mexican feeling. 1930's matinée idol Richard Greene is a French nobleman back from the end of wars after Napoleon was banished, finding out that his lands have been taken over by self proclaimed nobility. So when you are the sudden enemy of a newly declared state, what do you do? Go on the road, create a merry band of men, (and one tough woman), and fight against the injustices by ridding the countryside of these wicked rulers with no genuine claim to their titles.

It's silly but colorful, historically inaccurate but action packed, and often camp. Having been a rival to Tyrone Power at 20th Century Fox, Greene is still dashing, having aged pretty well over the previous 15 years. But I never was convinced that I was anywhere near the French country side, given obvious Mexican actors and settings, and one brief dance sequence that is totally Spanish. Other than Greene, the other actors really are not worth recommending. They do the best with what they have, and action sequences often make this quite thrilling.

Predictable, Not for Adults

[rjsguitar · 4/10 · 10 May 2020]

This is a film best viewed on Saturday mornings, right after the cartoons. It works best as a comedy for children. Follows similar themes in other movies. The acting is not convincing, it appears the actors are just doing it for laughs.

The Scarlet Hood of Zorro

[JoeytheBrit · 5/10 · 25 August 2008]

This is a bad film and, although it's not quite bad enough to be good, it was clearly made on the cheap for undemanding schoolboys with only scant regard paid to logic or character development.

Richard Greene was no major talent when it came to acting but he towers above everyone else here - especially the pretty but wooden Leonora Amar. Naturally the perfunctory script makes it impossible for anybody to deliver a believable performance that they'd wanted highlighted on the CV, but some performances are little better than school nativity standard.

The storyline is the familiar one about a nobleman returning to his homeland to discover his estate has been claimed by some unscrupulous tyrant. Greene's Captain Scarlett jovially sets about recovering what his rightfully his with he help of a similarly displaced nobleman and the princess he has rescued from one of the tyrant's cronies. The manner in which Scarlett and his sidekick escape from wall shackles is particularly memorable: With their hands shackled either side of them, they manage to retrieve the keys to their tethers from a guard using only their feet. In the next shot they are free with no explanation given as to how they managed to unlock themselves when their wrists were manacled to the cell walls.

Scarlett finally manages to defeat the cruel tyrant by having half-a-dozen locals distract his guards by running around in scarlet cloaks. Obviously a resourceful chap, we can only assume he rides around the countryside with a dozen or so neatly folded in his saddle...

Avoid unless you are prepared to leave all critical faculties at the opening credits.

Surprising

[goldfussmikey · 7/10 · 9 October 2018]

I enjoyed this little flick as a kid surprisingly enough. It kept my attention and it was engaging. I see many traits of the captain Scarlett character in Zorro and Robin Hood. One could even say that this was a combination of both. Pure action and good storytelling. Recommended to families who want pure action and story progression without the unnecessary elements of violence and swearing unsuitable for young kids. I enjoyed it multiple times!

French Robin Hood ,circa 1815

[ulicknormanowen · 6/10 · 24 May 2021]

The historical context is vague :after the Napolenic wars? So it must be the "Restoration" when Louis the eighteenth was on the throne (but no more absolute monarchy.

The screenplay must have been taken by force from Robin Hood :the hero 's castle and land are confiscated ,he finds his Marian in the shape of princess Maria who is not prepard to accept an arranged marriage ;there's also some kind of friar Tuck and another member ,who serves as a foil to the hero (who fights against the hateful tax collectors )

What saves this trite predictable movie is its humor;playing verges on tongue in chick and nobody seems to take it seriously ;the dialog follows suit : the hero is "guilty of owning something that I want "says the villain ; the jealous princess calls Josephine (a peasant,not Napoleon's first wife) cow with the cows.

An enjoyable but rather low budget film

[oscar-35 · 20 September 2012]

*Spoiler/plot- 1953, A young nobleman comes back to his ancestor's home only to find problems are happening for his estates and his subjects. He fights for justice and fairness against the corrupt officials put in charge of his estates.

*Special Stars- Richard Greene

*Theme- Good and well meaning aristocrats will help in times of oppression.

*Trivia/location/goofs- Portugal filmed, lead character, Richard Greene much before his British 'Robin Hood' TV series.

*Emotion- An enjoyable but rather low budget film that showcased Mr. Geene in his best 'happy go lucky' character that later became important in his Robin Hood 50's show.

Captain Scarlett

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 8 January 2024]

Returning to France after the Napoleonic wars, Captain Scarlett finds the evil Duke of Corlaine terrorising the countryside. Together with the beautiful Princess Maria, he forms a band of outlaws intent on ridding the countryside of the wicked Duke.

Captain Scarlett is set in France following the fall of Napoleon, but was shot in Mexico, and stars Richard Greene in the title role as a Robin Hood-type avenger and the Brazilian actress Leonora Amar as the princess Maria whom Scarlett saves from marrying the horrid Count Villiers.

Richard Greene lends some vigour and quick-witted humour as the Robin Hood/Zorro type hero, and fences quite well. Its low budget is evident, yet it is still a fun swashbuckler. There's plenty of action, and a serviceable plot, a nifty pace and a horrid villain. All simple stuff. These things carries the film, making it entertaining- it's far from dull, but maybe not too memorable afterwards. Loved the long bouts of fencing. Remember seeing this on Saturday morning BBC1 in the 80's.