CinemaSerf

It’s not really very original, this, but it’s still a good fun swashbuckling adventure. “Monterrey” (Lex Barker) is the captain of a Spanish garrison that falls foul of some pirates who have inside information on the cargo of silver his ship is carrying. Luckily, he manages to escape from his captors after his subsequently rigged treason trial and together with his loyal crew joins the pirates in Tortuga where he signs articles with the duplicitous “Capt. Olonese” (Livio Lorenzon). There he agrees to help them take sides when Spain and Britain declare war but is his new ally trustworthy? Just to further complicate matters, the niece of the governor (Estella Blain) has fallen into their hands and both gents have their eyes on her! After plenty of sea battles and swordplay, we discover just who is pulling the strings before it all ends, Errol Flynn-style, with a rousing fencing denouement aboard the ship. This is a colourful and decently put together seafaring adventure with the romance kept to a minimum and the Lorenzon (who reminded me a bit of Torin Thatcher) proving an entertaining foil to the wooden as a mainmast Barker. Perfectly watchable if you like the genre.