In 1805 a small group of American Marines are assigned a dangerous mission against the rulers of Tripoli whose pirates have been plundering ships entering the Mediterranean.
Maureen O'Hara is feisty as always as the "Countess D'Arneau". She is the love interest/advisor to the refugee Pasha of Tripoli (Phillip Reed) whom the US government wants to see returned to his throne so the Tripolitan pirates will stop harassing US merchantmen. The underrated John Payne plays "O'Bannion" who leads a small group on a mission - it's an action-packed, colourful adventure with intelligent dialogue, love rivalry, struggles (sandstorm sequence, for example), subterfuge and romance. Payne's character can be a bit up himself, arrogant, but he's hero so he gets the leading lady. There's not much naval action, it's mainly set on land - the climax is quite exciting.
