The Princess and the Pirate *** (1944, Bob Hope, Virginia Mayo, Walter Brennan) – Classic Movie Review 7325

Director David Butler’s 1944 pirate romantic comedy adventure The Princess and the Pirate stars Bob Hope as the dithering Sylvester, who is caught up among the sinister schemings of buccaneers in this typical, daft star vehicle.

It was nominated for two Oscars: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (David Rose) and Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color (Ernst Fegté and Howard Bristol).

Victor McLaglen plays The Hook, a pirate chasing Hope and pretty Princess Margaret (Virginia Mayo), though for very different reasons! Walter Brennan as Featherhead and Walter Slezak as La Roche complete a funny, appealing star quintet, who know exactly what they have been hired for by producer Samuel Goldwyn.

A lot of work has gone into making this merry carefree entertainment seem effortless, with lively direction, lovely photography in Technicolor by William Snyder and Victor Milner, and stirring music by David Rose, who was rightly honoured with an Oscar nomination.

Also in the cast are Marc Lawrence, Hugo Haas, Maude Eburne, Adia Kuznetzoff, Brandon Hurst, Tom Kennedy, Stanley Andrews and Robert Warwick.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7325

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