Against All Flags (1952)
Today we have a pirate adventure film on offer staring well known swashbuckler Errol Flynn with support from Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn. A British naval officer is sent to spy on a pirate held port in Madagascar so that the navy can rid the Indian Ocean of this pirate menace to the East India company trade routes.
While this is largely a par for the course action adventure what is interesting is that O'Hara's character is not just another damsel in distress but rather a pirate captain in her own right who is more than happy to go toe to toe in a sword fight. Even today there are still a lot of female roles in films that serve to be little more than rescue bait for the hero so it is some what surprising to see such a strong female character in an older film when the sexual revolution of the 60s is yet to kick off.
The film itself has decent set pieces with good production values, although a lot of the costumes do seem fairly garish. While the miniature work is not completely invisible it is at least as good enough to hold up to modern eyes. Overall it is a well made effort but is not above anything else you are likely to see in the genre.
3/5
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