Charles Laughton plays the infamous 17th century pirate captain, William Kidd. Hoping to increase his ill-gotten gains, Captain Kidd inveigles King William III (Henry Daniel) into appointing him the “patriotic” protector of a valuable treasure ship.
Kidd intends to steal the ship’s cargo for himself with the aid of his lieutenants William Moore (Gilbert Roland) and Orange Povy (John Carradine).
The romantic subplot involves brigand Adam Merry (Randolph Scott) and kidnapped noblewoman Lady Ann Falconer (Barbara Britton).
Laughton reprised his part in the 1952 farce Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd.
Oscar Nominations:
Scoring of Dramatic or Comedy: Werner Janssen
Oscar Context:
The winner was Miklos Rozsa for Hitchcock’s “Spellbound.”
Credits
United Artists
Running time: 83 minutes.
Directed by Rowland V. Lee
DVD: May 22, 2001
