Raiders Of The Seven Seas

Solid Swashbuckling Entertainment
"Raiders of the Seven Seas" is a far better film than it has any right to be. Who ever would think of John Payne and Donna Reed as dashing swashbuckling leads? Yet, they are both very game and acquit themselves admirably in this enjoyable picture.

John Payne, who is no doubt best known for "A Miracle on 34th Street", plays the dread pirate Barbarossa (Red Beard), erstwhile corsair for the Sultan, now harrier of the Caribbean. Well, he's not so dread, really rather a softy, especially with the ladies, but dire enough to his enemies. After fleeing Arabia his arrival in Tortuga coincides with his falling for the haughty Contessa Alida (Donna Reed), and they spend much of the film sparring in denial of their love, while getting in and out of swashbuckling scrapes.

There are humorous ruses, great sea battles, an attack on Havana, rapier duels, and even at 90 minutes a tight script that keeps the story moving along apace. Gerald Mohr as Salcedo plays a wonderfully...

Fun in the piratical vein.
RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS (1953, directed, produced, and co-written by Sidney Salkow) is mistitled in one respect: we get just one sea in the film, which follows Caribbean pirates and their exploits, lives and loves. It's an update of the Tyrone Power-Maureen O'Hara classic, THE BLACK SWAN (1942), and prefigures the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN trilogy in offering a model for Elizabeth Swann in the role played by Donna Reed, an Oscar winner as best supporting actress in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY the same year. Reed is at her best, as is the dashing John Payne, a more mature lead than most in this genre. He hit the gym sufficiently to acquit himself well in several outfits baring his chest, and he's athletic in fights--some with swords, some with fists. The dialogue is arch, but that goes in '50s pics where people write with feathers. The music is obvious in cueing audience response, but that too is common. The film is strong in all technical categories, with a sharp use of color (costumes...



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