Pirata das Arábias

"You stand on one edge of this cloth, and I on the other" is amusing ( won't spoil it for you ) & there are quite a few other amusing moments that make this worth watching.

Unfortunately there are also many other gags that do not work that were left in & the storyline becomes ridiculous at times which then takes away from the comedy & story.

In order for great comedy to work best the basic story has to be very serious & make enough sense to the viewers to keep you engaged in the story ( suspension of disbelief ) then when the good comedy comes it comes across that much more funnier especially if you catches you off guard.

I personally enjoy pirate movies so feel this was worth watching once, but won't be looking to add it to my movie collection ( as only films worth watching again do I buy ).

The actor who plays the butler in TV's popular show "Batman" ( Adam West TV series that is ) is in this film, as see if you can spot him ( you may recognise others too ).

This film is set in the late 1700s and follows a young shopkeeper's apprentice named "Davey Crandall" (Donald O'Connor), who is falsely accused of selling stolen goods and is subsequently scheduled to be hanged by the local authority, "Governor Elden" (John Emery). It turns out that Governor Elden is jealous of Davey's romantic relationship with the young maiden, "Lady Sylvia Copeland" (Helena Carter), whom he wants to marry. Furthermore, it soon becomes clear to the viewer that Governor Elden is the main beneficiary of all the stolen goods in that area. Even so, realizing that he won't have a chance to clear his name, Davey and his loyal friend "Tom Botts" (Will Geer) manage to escape from prison, after which he rises to fame as one of the most notorious pirates of the Caribbean. Now, instead of revealing more, I'll just say that this wasn't a bad movie per se, but it lacked the humor necessary for a musical-comedy of this sort, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly below average.

Double Crossbones finds Donald O'Connor as a poor shop apprentice who finds himself nabbed for piracy quite innocently. But before the film's over, O'Connor is the greatest buccaneer of them all, Bloodthirsty Dave.

During the course of his incarceration O'Connor learns that the shop that he and Will Geer worked at was a front for the selling of pirate loot and the guy behind the piracy none other than the governor of the Carolinas, John Emery. In fact Emery has all the pirates of legend that you can name, Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and the famous female pirate Anne Bonney all working for him. And he's getting the best of the deal. They clearly need a better deal and O'Connor puts himself forth as the guy to give it to them. And incidentally win the heart of the beautiful Helena Carter who is Emery's fiancé.

As she usually does, Hope Emerson as Anne Bonney steals the film when she's in it. As Donald O'Connor says, she's best man of the lot of them.

Double Crossbones is a nice satire of pirate movies and O'Connor does fine in the title role. But this seemed to be a film crying for Danny Kaye and I wouldn't be surprised if he was originally offered the lead.

I can't understand how anyone about to watch this movie, knowing it stars Donald O'Connor, can be surprised to discover that it's funny, lighthearted, and contains some dancing.

I was thoroughly delighted each time I watched it. Besides the fantastic, under-appreciated Donald O'Connor, the cast includes Will Geer (Grandpa Walton), as well as many other actors fans of classic movies and TV will recognize, by sight if not by name. The plot is no more far-fetched than any other pirate movie, and the acting is very good.

If you want to watch a serious pirate movie, by all means put in "Captain Blood." But if you're looking for some upbeat entertainment, I heartily recommend "Double Crossbones."

Through a strange series of circumstances a menual, inoffensive shop assistant (Donald O'Connor) becomes feared as a pirate called "Bloodthirsty Dave."

A few familiar faces show up (mostly rising talent) but O'Connor is the only bona fide movie star in sight. He lacks the insoucuant edge he'd later adopt in "Singin' in the Rain" but he's likeable enough.

It seems to be an attempt to turn O'Connor into the next Danny Kaye, especially in the one song in the piece, performed by O'Connor in a tavern early on. The movie's not really a musical and it could use a few songs and dancing. As it is, O'Connor's atheletic body is impressive, little though it is.

The comedy is in the mode of Danny Kaye and Bob Hope (without their overplayed cowardice). Though in his upper twenties, O'Connor looks barely out of adolescence.

Lots of light-hearted adventure crammed into a movie that certainly doesn't overstay its welcome. A fun time for anyone who isn't too demanding.