O Último Pirata

Pirate Jean LaFitte declares war on Spain and raids Spanish ships under the Venezuelan flag, but never touches American ships. He fights the Indians and eventually establishes Galveston, on the Gulf of Mexico, where he hoards his loot. When one of LaFitte's pirates, unordered, sinks an American ship, he is hanged on LaFitte's orders. Belle Summers intends to find out whether LaFitte was guilty and while she finds the truth, her servant betrays her, and the American Army moves into Galveston, destroying the pirate's headquarters, LaFitte and Belle escape.

Paul Henreid stars as Jean Lafitte, a pirate and smuggler who lucked into being a minor hero of the War of 1812, and he does a fine job. The fact he isn't Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power in looks adds some authenticity as a real life pirate wouldn't look so dashing as the aforementioned actors. There's a certain sincerity in Henreid's acting, the technicolour is glorious and the action can be lively, however when there's talking the film's pulse is flatlined and the pace is a bit sluggish. Still it provides some entertainment and the climax is exciting.

"Last of the Buccaneers" concerns Jean Lafitte (1776-1823), a French pirate and privateer who is best known for having fought in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. The film begins after the Battle of New Orleans.

Austrian born Paul Henreid (1905-92) plays Lafitte, but he's no Burt Lancaster or Errol Flynn. Henreid was well past his prime (e.g., Victor Laszlo from "Casablanca" or Jerry Durrance from "Now Voyager"), and it shows. Shortly after this film Henried was a victim of the communist scare and was blacklisted as an actor, turning his attentions to directing and work on stage.

Jack Oakie and John Dehner plays pirate sidekicks, and this may be the worst acting for either of them. Oakie is just plain out of his element and Dehner's accent is downright embarrassing.

The special effects are cheesy and the fighting scenes look like a high school play.

IMO the best pirate films are - Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) with Charles Laughton and Clark Gable, The Sea Hawk (1940) and Captain Blood (1935) with Errol Flynn, Treasure Island (1934) Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper, Peter Pan (1953) Disney's animated version, The Crimson Pirate (1952) with Burt Lancaster, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), The Black Swan (1942) with Tyronne Power and Maureen O'Hara, and Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kid (1952) with Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd.

Starting with THE Spanish MAIN (RKO/1945) and continuing too the mid 1950s Paul Henried made a series of discount SwashBucklers. LAST OF THE BUCCANEERS is his effort for 1950 from Columbia. Henried plays JEAN LAFITTE a Pirate whose main claim to fame was his participation in the 'Battle of New Orleans' during the 'War of 1812'. This movie purports to show his adventures after that event.

The print of the film is in first class shape and filmed in brilliant TechniColor, this is its sole saving asset. By 1950 the days of glory for Henried (and Bette Davis) at Warner Brothers were long gone. Now middle aged he (and her) were no longer suited for those classic romances, made obsolete post WWII. Henried's accent though was useful and it slated him for these action epics. As long as they were 'B' films with a budget that reflected the same and made money he had a job. Another curious casting was in comedic song and dance man Jack Oakie, like Henried now obsolete, though we could never understand his appeal anyway. Today he is best remembered for playing 'Benzini Napaloni' in THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940). His favorite role for us was when Lloyd Nolan made him eat lead in THE Texas RANGERS (1936) a fate he truly deserved.

LAST OF THE BUCCANEERS is one of those films that if you are channel surfing and nothing else appeals to you is worth a look since it runs only 79 minutes. For real action on the high seas you are better off with Errol Flynn, THE SEA HAWK (1940) or Tyrone Power, THE BLACK SWAN (1942). For JEAN LAFITTE best to tune into THE BUCCANEER (1958). Yul Brynner does a commendable job and it features 'The Battle of New Orleans'.

I will never get tired to watch old Lew Landers movies from this period, forties and fifties, only B features about crime, adventures, western, even horror, even loust, laughable at many times, especially like this one, supposed to be inspired by historical characters who actually existed. But I am dead sure that the producers were not at all concerned to be faithful to the real events.... This item was very hard to find for me, and I was very glad to finaly purchase it, despite the corny directing, and quality of this B movies gem. If you like pirates movies, swashbucklers topics, you will like this one, though it is not CRIMSOM PIRATE.