MovieChat Forums > The Pirate (1948) Discussion > Underrated or justly dismissed?

Underrated or justly dismissed?

posted 15 years ago by CinemaBuff84
15 replies | jump to latest

Underrated, of course.

Gene Kelly & Judy Garland both firing high & producing some of their most recognized talents. Their chemistry is right on, Garland's voice powers a lot of the film along with Kelly's dancing.

The film was ahead of its time, Minelli's directing of a big budget musical was ambitious & not the conventional musical that's why audiences rejected it at the time of its release.

For any Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, or Vincente Minelli fan or just a casual musical fan should discover this on DVD.

[–] praxagora 15 years ago

I pretty much agree with everything that you said - almost.
It's a fun movie. The Nicholas Brothers are great, Kelly looks drop-dead gorgeous and Garland is great as always.

That being said, while I generally love Cole Porter's work, IMHO the songs are only ok - which really hurts a musical.

It feels like it could have been really great - but just doesn't quite make it for me.
I like the movie, but I can understand why it is generally dismissed.

Still - it isn't a bad movie by any means, and people should hunt it down and check it out for themselves.

[–] jrsl88 14 years ago

I find this film very cultly like The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

SOCK IT TO ME

[–] mylie13 14 years ago

I never understood why people don't find the songs remarkable...

I really adore every song in this movie! Be a Clown is fun as hell, Mack The Block is pretty powerful, Nina is sexy and has a great choreography, while Love Of My Life and You Can Do No Wrong are such beautiful ballads...

For me, this movie is truly underrated. Gene Kelly and Judy Garland have a great chemistry, the plot is original, funny and smart. The costumes and the settings are beautiful. Everything is perfect!

It's one of my favorite musicals, but I can see why it might not have been popular in it's day. It's sad, but at least we can still see it today.

The only thing I'm truly sad about is that we'll never get to see Voodoo!!!!!!!!

"Cause all things are equal when it comes to love..."

[–] kelly-billy 14 years ago

I'm equally sad we'll never get to see "Voodoo!" I'm really hoping SOMEONE went behind Mayer's back and kept a copy. As a total GK fangirl, I'd be eternally grateful :)

[–] mylie13 14 years ago

Yeah, That person would be my hero!! I'm also a GK fangirl and Judy is my favorite actress ever.

"Cause all things are equal when it comes to love..."

[–] garlandbrando 14 years ago

Criminally underrated! This is probably one of, if not my favorite Garland films. Very ahead of its time, as you said, but full of clever moments and fun musical numbers... "Mack the Black" is one of the most exciting vocal (and visual) performances Judy ever gave, in my opinion!

[–] Felonious-Punk 13 years ago

Underrated!

I loved it, yes it's way ahead of its time, in tone, in camera work, in color work, in it's integrated dancing, in it's spectacular ballet scene. It's just fantastic, and the two leads deserve acting praise, and the director deserves direction praise. I just wish it all didn't end so abruptly. Kind of seems tacked on. I wouldn't be surprised if they had another ending in mind but that the studio demanded they go the cheap route. Still, it's genius and I love it.

The closest movies to my heart: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=46910443

[–] Ishallwearpurple 14 years ago

---walked out of the theater in '48 with my gal pals and we agreed it was awful. Only Be A Clown could be sung by us. The rest were toooooooo ?? I donno but something. We were all 14 - 15 years old and saw one or two films a weekend, and we hated we spent our money on this one.

My comments on my Blog: I thought it was too frantic, too loud, and for a fantasy - not fun enough. Some good dancing, but the songs were atrocious IMO. Only one hummable song, with lyrics we can remember and sing. Thank goodness, Kelly brought back the "Be A Clown" number and had Donald O'Connor do it in "Singing In The Rain." That made it a 'classic.' Think Gene is more fun in his Three Musketeers role (and much better acting); and Judy is 3-times better in Easter Parade with Astaire. Rated 5/10

Jane
My Movie Blog, The Ancient Pelican here:http://purpleladyj.blogspot.com/

[–] bravehome 13 years ago

Actually, according to Robert Osborne on TMC, Kelly didn't bring back this song. A musical number was needed in a hurry for the Donald O'Connor part, and Arthur Freed said he could do it. Next day, he gave them "Make 'em Laugh".

The fact that it was a nearly direct rip of the Cole Porter tune did not go unnoted by Cole, who did not sue (although the cast expected him to) because of his friendship with Arthur.

[–] Earl-Janoth 12 years ago

As a huge fan of both Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, not to mention Vincente Minnelli, I grapple with this question every time I watch it. I am watching it as I write this in fact. As always I am grappling...and my mind wont make itself up easily.

I enjoy the film a lot. I think it has some beautiful moments of theatricality, stunning visual elements, not to mention passionate, stylized performances, some great choreography and superb vocals from Judy.

However, all the right ingredients dont quite seem to make the result a success. I have repeatedly heard people call this movie 'ahead of its time'. The OP has said this... could you please give some examples? HOW is it ahead of its time? If anything, I feel like it was a little bit late if anything. I feel the exact same way about Bringing Up Baby whenever someone calls it 'ahead of its time', although I think the sum of Bringing Up Baby's parts is a much greater success than The Pirate.

Although it has a special place in my heart, and I always find delight in watching it, I think The Pirate is quite rightly dismissed by most people. I greatly respect all of the artists involved and for that reason it pains me to say it, but I think a fan of this movie that is not also a fan of Gene Kelly or Judy Garland or both would be quite rare, surely?

[–] usersince03 11 years ago

I always found it underrated

[–] RichN36 11 years ago

I think it's underrated as well. What my problem is it took a long time to like GK in the film didn't warm to him till half way through the movie. But as for the rest of the film I liked the Music and of course Judy was as beautiful as ever in the movie though her chacter took a long time to warm up to as well. My favorite song is and always will be "Be A Clown" and the sexy "Mack the Black"

There is more Gravy about you then the Grave. Scrooge.

[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

I'm amused at the extremes people are going to, even the OP ("Underrated or
justly dismissed?"). Uh, I don't think the film is often cited for EITHER.
Most reference books (including Leonard Maltin) generally give the film a good,
but not great rating. And that, to me, is what is is! Certainly Minnelli did not
achieve greatness, but it's still a witty, fun ride. And the Cole Porter
score, while not among his greatest, still delivers some nice songs ("Be a Clown"
is a classic; "You Can Do No Wrong" is far from it, a pleasant but instantly
forgettable piece of music. "Mack the Black" is neither great nor terrible).

One things's for sure with me: This is the only Judy Garland movie I can think
of where her co-star's musical numbers outshine hers. On every level, "Nina",
"The Pirate Ballet" and "Be a Clown" with the Nicholous Brothers are superior
to "Mack the Black", "You Can Do No Wrong" and the overrought "Love of my Life."
Garland's best number is the one she shares with Kelly, the reprise on "Be a
Clown."

One final note: I am shocked at those who wish "Voodoo" remained. Why??? Have
you ever heard the prerecording? There is no melody, no sense of lyric. It's
just plain WEIRD.

I also agree that while "Easter Parade" may have been a less ambitious musical,
it is, in balance, a far more successful film. A true classic.

[–] xgirlsmind 9 years ago

I don't know, I have tried watching this film several times because I am a big fan of both Judy & Gene but I feel like something is just missing from it. Maybe because it is not really like a clean cut, cute film like "For Me and My Gal" or "Summer Stock." "The Pirate" is my least favorite out of the J/G films. The music is okay, I didn't find it as catchy as the other films but yet it is still enjoyable. I really do love "Mack the Black", I listen to it a lot. I really wish this film would have had J/G dancing together or something. I would have liked to see them dancing together in "The Pirate Ballet." That was something that was missing. I realize they did have a dance together but it was cut from the film.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

I agree, it's underrated.