The Pirates of Penzance **** (1983, Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, Linda Ronstadt) – Classic Movie Review 9131

Director Wilford Leach’s 1983 comedy musical The Pirates of Penzance is the welcome, ultra-cheerful, uber-energetic film version of the bright, vivacious Broadway and London revival (by producer Joseph Papp) of a souped -up version of W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s classic comic operetta, featuring the American stage cast boosted by Angela Lansbury.

It is a tribute to the movie that it is almost as entertaining as it was on stage, thanks to the exuberant cast, attractive stylised sets and theatre director Leach’s evident wish for the best possible record of the show.

The actors are super with the hilarious slapstick comedy, acrobatics, swashbuckling and songs. Kevin Kline is an exuberant delight as The Pirate King, Angela Lansbury is a virtual necessity, as Ruth, and Linda Ronstadt’s big voice in an asset, as Mabel Stanley. It is Ronstadt’s only film appearance.

Also in the cast are George Rose as Maj. Gen. Stanley, Rex Smith, Tony Azito, David Hatton as Samuel, Stephen Hanan as the singing voice of Samuel, Louise Gold, Teresa Codling, Tillie Vosburgh, Peppi Borza, Preston Lockwood, Romolo Bruni and Zoot Money.

The chorus are British performers lip-synching to the American singers from the original Broadway production.

Wilford Leach writes the screenplay from the operetta by Sir William Schwenck Gilbert.

It was filmed at Shepperton Studio Centre, Chertsey, England.

Kline won the 1981 Tony Award (New York City) for Best Actor in a Musical for 1981-1982 The Pirates of Penzance Broadway production.

There is also a 1980 TV movie version of the New York Shakespeare Festival show, a live recording from the Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan, with Patricia Routledge as Ruth and the understudy G Eugene Moose as Samuel (though the regular performer was Stephen Hanan).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9131

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