The Pirate: A Garland and Kelly Musical
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
“Manuela, you can’t marry that man. You’re not in love with him, you’re in love with me.”
Serafin
The Pirate is an American musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer featuring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. The premise of the movie is centered an island girl named Manuela (Judy Garland) that occupies a small village in Calvados. She has a consuming fantasy of being swept away by a legendary Pirate called Mack “the Black” Macoco. However, these dreams are shattered when Manuela discovers her arranged marriage to the town’s mayor, Don Pedro (Walter Slezak). As her last wish before a loveless marriage, Manuela begs her aunt to visit a nearby town where she meets Serafin (Gene Kelly) – a travelling actor. Upon meeting, a love-hate dynamic ensues between the main characters and a pesky love-triangle is established.
Commercially, this film was not considered as one of MGM’s best, especially given the massive amount of talent attached to the movie. A few notable critiques lie in the weak plot, set design, the music, and oftentimes, the acting. The story within the movie is paper thin and requires no major thought as there are no sharp turns or surprises to beware. The set design was a visual eyesore with noticeably bad props. A majority of the soundtrack is forgettable besides the final act “Be a Clown.” The movie provides comedic scenes but oftentimes the exaggerated tendencies made it seem like a parody of itself. Though, it is argued that the reason for the paradoxical nature of the film is meant to portray facets of a storybook.
However, there are a few praises for this film such as its dance sequences which are always executed beautifully by Kelly. His number with the Nicholas Brothers proved to be very innovative, especially given racial and social issues in the 1940s. Even more so, the chemistry and hilarity between Garland and Kelly’s characters compensated for the weak plot. For what it’s worth, The Pirate provided enjoyment despite the obvious flaws.
The Island Cinephile 
