The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd
| The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by |
Derwin Abrahams Charles S. Gould |
| Produced by | Sam Katzman |
| Written by |
George H. Plympton Arthur Hoerl (story and screenplay) |
| Starring |
Richard Crane David Bruce John Crawford George Wallace |
| Music by | Mischa Bakaleinikoff |
| Cinematography | William P. Whitley - B&W |
| Edited by | Earl Turner |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates | January 1, 1953 |
Running time | 15 Episodes, 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1953) was the 52nd serial released by Columbia Pictures. It is based in the historical figure of Captain William Kidd.
Plot
In 1697, agents Richard Dale and Alan Duncan are sent on an undercover mission by the British Fleet to find and gather information on the notorious pirate, Captain William Kidd. Dale and Duncan soon join Kidd's crew and discover, to their surprise, that the Captain is far different than they had expected.
Cast
| Richard Crane | Richard Dale | |
| David Bruce | Alan Duncan | |
| John Crawford | Capt. Kidd | Crawford was equally proficient at playing both good and bad characters. His casting added to ambiguity over Captain Kidd's guilt or innocence.[1] |
| George Wallace | Buller | |
| Lee Roberts | Devry | |
| Paul Newlan | Long Ben Avery | |
| Nick Stuart | Dr. Brandt | |
| Terry Frost | Moore | |
| John Hart | Jenkins | |
| Marshall Reed | Capt. Culliford | |
| Eduardo Cansino Jr. | Native | |
| Willetta Smith | Princess | |
| Lou Merrill | Lord Bellmore | |
Production
This was the last costume serial and possibly the most faithful of the rare serial entries in the swashbuckling genre since Pirate Treasure.[2]
The plot was based on the possibility that the real Captain Kidd was misjudged in an unfair trial.[1]
Stock footage from feature films allowed the inclusion of seafaring scenes, which would have been too expensive to film on a serial budget. This resulted in, according to Cline, "a unique flavour for which it is fondly remembered."[2]
Chapter titles
- Pirate vs. Man-of-War
- The Fatal Shot
- Attacked by Captain Kidd
- Captured by Captain Kidd
- Mutiny on the Adventure's Galley
- Murder on the Main Deck
- Prisoners of War
- Mutiny Unmasked
- Pirate Against Pirate
- Shot from the Parapet
- The Flaming Fortress
- Before the Firing Squad
- In the Hands of the Mohawks
- Pirate Gold
- Captain Kidd's Last Chance
Source:[3]
References
- 1 2 Cline, William C. (1984). "5. A Cheer for the Champions (The Heroes and Heroines)". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 76. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
- 1 2 Cline, William C. (1984). "3. The Six Faces of Adventure". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 29. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
- ↑ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 255. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
Sources
External links
- The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd at the Internet Movie Database
- The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd at AllMovie