PIRATES OF TRIPOLI

(director: Felix Feist; screenwriter: Allen March; cinematographer: Henry Freulich; editor: Edwin H. Bryant; music: Mischa Bakaleinikoff; cast: Paul Henreid (Edri Al-Gadrian), Patricia Medina (Princess Karjan), Paul Newlan (Hammid Khassan), John Miljan (Malek), Mark Hanna (Ben Ali), Lilian Bond (Sono); Runtime: 72; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Sam Katzman; Columbia Pictures; 1955)
“Tired swashbuckler costume cheapie, with pleasant scenery(mostly stolen from Columbia’s previous pirate films)to take your mind off the dreadful acting.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Tired swashbuckler costume cheapie, with pleasant scenery (mostly stolen from Columbia’s previous pirate films) to take your mind off the dreadful acting. Veteran B-film director Felix Feist (“Donovan’s Brain”/”The Big Trees”/”The Devil Thumbs A Ride”) keeps it listless, as the romantic adventure tale falls flat. Writer Allen March provides the trite dialog. The film’s popular A-film star Paul Henreid seemed out-of-place in this second-tier film, but seems to be having a good time as he hams it up.

The escapist pic is set in the seventeenth century.

Bad dude Malek, the Bay of Tunis (John Miljan), conquers most of North Africa and then overwhelms the kingdom of Misurata. The conquering Malek orders the death of the kingdom’s Princess Karjan (Patricia Medina), but she splits for Tripoli. Though followed by Malek’s men, the princess still meets the legendary pirate sea captain Edri-Al-Gadrian (Paul Henreid), while disguised as a boy, and convinces the powerful pirate to help her fight the tyrant Malek.

The predictable romance story offers no surprises, but plenty of cliches and employs enough inept dueling costumed pirates to throw a dumb Halloween party in the Hollywood Hills.

REVIEWED ON 6/27/2013 GRADE: C