Hollywood doesn't make many films about the War of 1812, for a number of reasons: it's not very well known, sensitivity towards the British market, the fact that the Americans lost (or at the least tied). Their Navy had some exceptional victories though, which inspired Kenneth Roberts to make it the focus of a best selling novel, which was filmed by Hal Roach in 1940.
Roach is best remembered for his comedies but around this time he was turning out some interesting non-comedy features: One Million Years BC, Of Mice and Men, Captain Fury. The latter was, like this, an action tale - only with the twist that it was set in colonial Australia. This is a swashbuckler with the twist of the War of 1812 so I wonder if that was a conscious decision on Roach's part when taking on the majors - to make genre pictures with odd backgrounds
This features Roach's discovery, Victor Mature, in his third film. He's the co lead along with Louise Platt, best known as the pregnant wife in Stagecoach. She's the daughter of a ship's captain (Robert Batty) who is horny for first mate (Victor Mature) but he's reluctant to marry. They are returning from the Far East, not knowing the two countries are at war, when the English attack, killing dad. She vows vengeance and takes over the ship.
This is a fascinating movie. It's a pretty good story, with a great star role for Platt - but she's not up to it. She's dull and uninspiring. Once of the best female parts in a swashbuckler, ever and it's wasted. To think of all the female stars at the time who could've played it! Even Roach contractee Carole Landis would've been better. Maybe Claire Trevor? (I'm trying to think of realistic names here).
(I should add the film isn't exactly a feminist treatise - Platt is hoodwinked by Cabot and spends the second half of the film being a passive victim; at the end she doesn't join in on the big fight, she just watches.)
The guys are better. Bruce Cabot is charismatic as the slaver who works for Platt. (This American character, a Benedict Arnold type, is far more of a villain than the British.) Mature was too odd looking at this stage of his career - it was before he grew into his looks - but at least is virile; he doesn't do that much in the first half except express caution. He and Platt don't have great charisma.
Alan Ladd pops up in a small but showy role as an American sailor captured by the British; it's actually one of Ladd's best pre-stardom parts, with his blonde hair sticking up, skin covered in dirt and a bad case of PTSD and hatred for his captors.
There is decent action with two big ship battles (at the beginning and the end) and an enjoyable uprising from prisoners - the filmmakers had clearly seen Captain Blood. Some awkward amateurish moments but this was an entertaining film, a solid swashbuckler - just like Captain Fury was, come to think of it.
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