Double Crossbones

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."

Swashbuckling comedy, not as bad as I had anticipated but clearly no more than a footnote within the annals of this colorful action genre (here in its heyday). Donald O'Connor is an amiable and undeniably energetic lead (obviously, he gets to sing and dance too) – playing a shop-keeper's assistant who wants to make good for love of heroine Helena Carter. She, however, is coveted by her much older guardian…who also happens to be the (actually treacherous) Governor of the colony in which events are set.

Immediately falling foul of pirate Charles McGraw, O'Connor eventually finds himself serving under him – after he, his pal and their employer are accused (by none other than the Governor himself) of accepting and selling stolen goods. The villain, in fact, is in cahoots with a society of legendary pirates comprising Sir Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, Ann Bonney (Anne Of The Indies – whose story, incidentally, was being told contemporaneously in a much more satisfying film by that title), Captain Kidd, etc.; apparently, this Governor's so mean that even they are no more than his mere underlings!

Anyway, O'Connor eventually captures a ship practically single-handed (and sets free the convicts within, among them James Arness, on their way to Debtors' Prison), which wins him the moniker "Bloodthirsty Dave" and – naturally – a place in the pirate brotherhood. Recognizing the Governor's right-hand man as the courier of his message to them, the hero realizes the statesman's dual nature and determines to meet Carter in order to stop her impending marriage (she had earlier shunned O'Connor for his own buccaneering activity!).

This he does by impersonating a foppish aristocrat at a ball (whose presence causes a snobbish lady to enquire "Who is that weird creature?"), though his ruse is discovered soon after and lands him once again in jail. Needless to say, everything comes out right by the end: the villain receives his come-uppance after engaging in a fencing duel with O'Connor on a ship's mast, hero and heroine marry, and the pirates – given a royal pardon – turn respectable…or do they?

Double Crossbones is directed by Charles Barton and written by Oscar Brodney. It stars Donald O'Connor, Helena Carter, Will Geer, John Emery, Charles McGraw, Hope Emerson and Morgan Farley. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by Maury Gertsman.

Davey Crandall (O'Connor) and friend Tom Botts (Geer) are falsely accused by the corrupt Governor Elden of Charleston (Emery) of fencing stolen pirate booty. Bluffing their way onto the ship of local buccaneer Capt. Ben Wickett (McGraw), the pair soon become embroiled in piracy purely by accident and then have to pretend they are in fact pirates just to prove their innocence!

Nothing to dislike here, it does exactly what it promises to do, it's avast yee frothy merriment with a little song and dance routine thrown in for good measure. It's comedy satire on the seven seas where everybody seems to be having great fun. There's treachery and trickery, a gorgeous dame to be spared from the villain's plans and a splendid narrative set up that puts all the famed pirates of Tortuga in one "brotherhood" meeting room.

O'Connor comes off as a poor version of Danny Kaye, but he is an amiable lead here, with energy unbound and a quip on the lips he makes the most of the standard screenplay. The production design is mightily handsome and Gertsman's Technicolor photography is quite simply stunning. Support cast list is impressive, with McGraw (sadly not in it enough) and Emerson (stealing the film) the highlights.

It's all very playful and colourful and not intended for deeper dissection, accept it on its own frothy terms and it becomes a fun 75 minutes of film. 6.5/10

Dave : Donald O'Connor, is a shopkeeper who is falsely framed by the corrupt governor Elden : James Emery, then he embarks, along with his friend Tom Botts : Will Geer, on a pirate ship commanded by the local buccaneer Bloodthirsty Ben . Along the way, they avoid being murdered by faking a case of pox, the reason for the crew quickly flee . Later on, at Tortuga island he joins the feared and famous pirates Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, Anne Boney, all of them lay siege Charleston where the nasty governor resides and has his impregnable fortress. Soon after, Dave is deemed to be the bravest pirate of the seven seas.

Amusing and fun adventure comedy movie, being especially made for enhance the hilarious and musical qualities of the always likeable actor Donald O'Connor who finds himself mistaken for a pirate. Furthermore, there are two musical numbers performed by Donald O'Connor himself. This is a funny and bewildering flick with a disconcerting and little credible story shot as a fun festival of gags. There are enjoyable appearance of notorius pirates as Henry Morgan played by Roger Barrat, Captain Kidd performed by Alan Napier, Anne Boney by Hope Emerson, Ben Avery by Glenn Strange and Ben Wickett interpreted by Charles McGraw.

The motion picture was profesionally directed by Charles Barton , mixing comedy, adventure and pirate genres. He was an acceptable filmmaker, shooting several movies as cinema as TV, such as : The shaggy dog, Dance with me Henry, Ma and Pa at the fair, Africa screams, Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, Abbot and Costello meet Boris Karloff, Mexican hayride, The noose hangs high, Buck privates go home, The time of your lives, Helltown, Forlorn river, Thunder pass, Thunder trail, Desert gold, Wagon wheels, among others. Rating 6/10. Passable and acceptable.