One of the most entertaining courtships in the history of swashbuckling films is that of Tyrone Power as buccaneer Jamie Waring and Maureen O'Hara as Lady Margaret Denby in 1942's The Black Swan. Although opposites attract (and socially they could scarcely be in greater opposition), they are far more similar in temperament, which leads to an amusing tug of war amongst the backdrop of warring pirates and privateers in the Caribbean during the reign of William III in England and Captain Henry Morgan in Jamaica. The fencing is excellent, as can be expected with Tyrone Power in the lead, although it suffers in at least one scene from the film having been unnecessarily sped up, which is certainly dismaying for those who appreciate Power's swordsmanship. Beautifully filmed and scored, The Black Swan ranks as one of the genre's enduring classics.
Writing: GoodDirecting: Good
Acting: Great
Cinematography: Great
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Great
Panache: Great
Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Great
[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 29 July 2009.]
Addendum
Written by: Ben Hecht and Seton I. Miller
Based on: The Black Swan by Rafael Sabatini
Directed by: Henry King
Performed by: Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Laird Cregar, Thomas Mitchell, George Sanders, Anthony Quinn, George Zucco, et al.
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