Trivia

With Errol Flynn recovering from a broken ankle sustained while filming Against All Flags (1952), Universal-International took advantage of the standing sets for that film by putting together this modest epic during the hiatus.

David Porter served his country in the undeclared war against France, the Barbary Coast War and the War of 1812. While serving in the West Indies in the action to stamp out piracy (1823-25) --the period covered in this film--he invaded a Spanish town in Puerto Rico to avenge the jailing of one of his officers. The U.S. government did not sanction the action, and he was court-martialed. As a consequence, he resigned his commission to accept the post of Commander of the Mexican Navy (1826-29).

David Farragut was born James Farragut, the son of a Spanish merchant captain and Revolutionary War veteran, but was adopted in 1808 by David Porter after the death of his mother and the death of Porter's father on the same day. Happy to have been adopted, the young Farragut changed his first name to David. He was captured at age 12 by the British during the War of 1812 and served during the actions against the Caribbean pirates in 1822.

David Farragut went on to serve through the Civil War. At the Battle of Mobile Bay he uttered the famous line, "Damn the torpedoes (mines), full speed ahead." For his service during the war, Congress authorized the new rank of Rear Admiral for him. He became the first Rear Admiral in the US Navy, and later the first Vice Admiral and the first Admiral.

Walking the plank originated in 19th-century novels about piracy by authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson.