Script review – “The Sea Kings” by William Goldman (warning: spoilers)

This was one of two screenplays Goldman wrote for Joe Levine after A Bridge Too Far (the other being Year of the Comet) the saga of which he talks about in Which Lie Did I Tell? It wasn’t made, mostly due to cost, which you can understand because it’s an 18th century pirate movie for two stars and presumably would have cost a bomb. It’s a shame it was never made though – I particularly loved Levine’s idea of casting Sean Connery and Roger Moore, both would have been perfect (Roger Moore and Dudley Moore would have been awful). It’s much better than pirate movies made in the 70s and 80s – Scallywag, Swashbuckler, etc.

Some of it sags a bit – Bonnet’s desire to become a pirate feels a little clunk. Blackbeard’s initial appearance, with a tough guy backing away from fighting him the moment he realises who it is, is similar to Sundance’s introduction in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But its very enjoyable. The part of Blackbeard is particularly excellent – tough, humorous, melancholic, prone to self doubt, regretful. Connery would have been great – also Lee Marvin, even Charles Bronson, one of the tough guys with sad eyes.

The climax doesn’t quite work, though – Blackbeard double-crosses Bonnet, who goes looking for revenge. There is a big fight, Bonnett and Blackbeard duel… then they decide to be friends again and flee from some Virginians. It’s like it needed another villain or something. You don’t feel too roused because you know they will both die shortly after. (I thought Goldman would get around this by having someone take one of their places eg Bonnett actually standing in for Blackbeard, like a franchise).