Tonight's Movie: Buccaneer's Girl (1950) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Beautiful Yvonne DeCarlo gives an exuberant performance in the title role in BUCCANEER'S GIRL (1950), which will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber tomorrow, July 21st.

I first saw this film back in 2007, and I had a grand time revisiting it thanks to the Blu-ray. I find it a tremendously fun 77 minutes, with DeCarlo heading a top-notch cast of pros.

DeCarlo plays Deborah McCoy, a stowaway on a ship raided by the pirate Baptiste (Philip Friend) and his crew. She then ends up on the pirate ship, where the crew is so dazzled by the lovely, friendly Debbie that they're soon at her beck and call.

Debbie parts ways with the pirate ship in New Orleans, landing a job as an entertainer at a "School for Young Ladies" run by Madame Brizar (Elsa Lanchester). Although it provides entertainment for high society soirees, the "school" seems a little more like a high-class bordello, but we won't go there...

Debbie soons discovers that the pirate captain has another identity entirely among New Orleans high society -- and she's not happy to hear the handsome fellow is engaged to Arlene Villon (Andrea King). She also comes to realize that "Baptiste" is something of a Robin Hood, stealing from ships owned by rich, ruthless Narbonne (Robert Douglas) in order to give to poor sailors.

It goes on from there but the plot isn't terribly important, other than it's a rollicking good time thanks to DeCarlo and the supporting cast of top pros, which also includes Norman Lloyd (who is now 105!), Jay C. Flippen, Peggie Castle, Henry Daniell, Douglass Dumbrille, Connie Gilchrist, John Qualen, and Verna Felton.

DeCarlo is simply a joy, energetic, self-confident, and apparently having a lot of fun as spunky Debbie. She's also incredibly gorgeous in this -- she always was, of course, but never more so than here. Delightful to watch in every respect.

Her singing, incidentally, seems to have been dubbed in a couple of high soprano numbers, while it's obviously her voice in "A Sailor Sails the Seven Seas," sung in a lower range.

This is a highly enjoyable comedy which had me smiling throughout. I highly recommend both this film and the just-reviewed SON OF ALI BABA (1952) for chasing the blues away.

The movie was directed by Frederick De Cordova and filmed in beautiful candybox Technicolor by Russell Metty. DeCarlo's lovely gowns were created by Yvonne Wood.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray is lovely, with excellent sound.

Extras on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray include a commentary track by Lee Gambin, the trailer, and a trailer gallery for three additional films available from Kino Lorber.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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