The Buccaneer (1938)

30% of users liked it
(53 ratings)

Cecil B. DeMille's The Buccaneer stars Fredric March, complete with curly hair, pencil moustache and florid "Sacre Bleu!" French accent, as 18th century pirate Jean Lafitte. Operating out of a "buccaneer's haven" of the coast of New Orleans, Lafitte plunders all passing ships for their wealth, but… More Cecil B. DeMille's The Buccaneer stars Fredric March, complete with curly hair, pencil moustache and florid "Sacre Bleu!" French accent, as 18th century pirate Jean Lafitte. Operating out of a "buccaneer's haven" of the coast of New Orleans, Lafitte plunders all passing ships for their wealth, but refuses to attack any vessel flying the American flag. During one seafaring skirmish, he rescues Dutch maiden Gretchen (Franziska Gaal) from a sunken ship. Gretchen falls madly in love with the dashing Lafitte, but he has eyes only for aristocratic Louisana belle Annette (Margot Grahame). During the War of 1812, Lafitte is offered a pardon by Andrew Jackson (Hugh Sothern) if he and his pirates will fight on the American side. As good as his word, Lafitte stands shoulder to shoulder with Jackson as they ward off the British at the Battle of New Orleans. During a Victory Ball in his honor, Lafitte is confronted with evidence that he unknowingly caused the death of Annette's younger sister Marie (Louise Campbell) during a previous act of piracy. The assembled guests are all for hanging Lafitte on the spot, but General Jackson offers the pirate an hour's head start out of New Orleans, provided he never set foot on American soil again. This naturally costs Lafitte the love of Annette; fortunately, Gretchen is awaiting him on board his ship with open arms. From the opening scene in which Dolly Madison (Spring Byington) rescues the Declaration of Independence during the burning of Washington to the closing clinch between Lafitte and Gretchen, The Buccaneer is one of DeMille's most exhilarating films. It was remade less successfully in 1958 under the direction of Cecil B's son-in-law Anthony Quinn, who played the supporting role of Beluche in the original film. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 2 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Cecil B. DeMille
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Feb 4, 1938 Wide

Critic Reviews

Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
Cecil B. DeMille plays fast and loose with his history, as usual, but he also has more fun with the story than in many of his big historical spectacles...

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Typically florid DeMille drama not as over the top as some is solid entertain ment. Some of the obvious projection shots take you out of the movie but overall well made.

Cast

            Fredric March as Jean Lafitte

            Franziska Gaal as Gretchen

            Akim Tamiroff as Dominique You

            Margot Grahame as Annette de Remy

            Walter Brennan as Ezra Peavey

            Ian Keith as Sen. Crawford

            Spring Byington as Dolly Madison

            Douglas Dumbrille as Governor Claiborne

            Robert H. Barrat as Capt. Brown

            Hugh Sothern as Andrew Jackson

            Beulah Bondi as Aunt Charlotte

            Anthony Quinn as Beluche

            Louise Campbell as Marie de Remy

            Montagu Love as Adm. Cockburn

            Eric Stanley as Gen. Ross

            Fred Kohler as Gramby

            Gilbert Emery as Capt. Lockyer

            Holmes Herbert as Capt. McWilliams

            Evelyn Keyes as Madeleine

            Francis McDonald as Camden Blount

            Frank Melton as Lt. Shreve

            Stanley Andrews as Collector of Port

            Richard Denning as Capt. Reid

            Lina Basquette as Roxanne

            Davison Clark as Colonel Butler

            Ethel Clayton
            
            Ellen Drew as Woman

            Paul Fix as Dying pirate

            John Hubbard as Charles

            Alphonse Martell as Major Latour

            Philip Morris as Pirate

            Barry Norton as Villere

            John Rogers as Mouse

            Reginald Sheffield as Ship's Surgeon

            Hans Steinke as Tarsus

            Evan Thomas as Sir Harry Smith

            Charles Trowbridge as Daniel Carrol

            Luana Walters as Suzette

            J.P. McGowan as Jailer

            Charles Brokaw as Vincent Nolte

            Thaddeus Jones as John Freeman

            Eugene Jackson as James Smith

            Douglass Dumbrille
            
            Franciska Gaal
            
See full cast