Joan Fontaine was never more beautifully costumed and made up as a lady longing for romance with a dashing pirate to escape her dull marriage--but she never quite convinces she has all the spirit and fire of the heroine. (Evidently, Maureen O'Hara was unavailable). She poses prettily in a number of extravagant costumes but the fantasy escapism of the story seems artificial and contrived. A nice asset is a background score featuring Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' and a properly wicked performance from Basil Rathbone (who gets his comeuppance from the fair lady by having a suit of armor tossed at him.) Cecil Kellaway and Nigel Bruce don't fare as well in rather thankless roles. Unfortunately, the pirate is played unimpressively by Arturo de Cordova, entirely lacking in the charisma required to make his part believable. Women will especially love the idea behind the story--escape with the man of your dreams if only for a day or night of pirate adventure. Nothing deep here, but it's beautiful to look at and justly won an Oscar for Best Color Art Direction and Interior Decoration. For fans of romantic fiction, this one fills the bill.
Review of Frenchman's Creek
