The Golden Hawk (1952)

A 17th century French privateer (Sterling Hayden) sails the Caribbean seas in search of Spanish and English ships to plunder. On one such ship, he rescues a feisty maiden (Rhonda Fleming) who he underestimates. She is, in fact, a notorious lady pirate. An intense love/hate relationship ensues. Based on a novel by Frank Yerby (FOXES OF HARROW), this low budget Technicolor pirate adventure has enough twists to hold our interest but it never rises above routine swashbuckler fare. It's the kind of glossy potboiler where Hayden is French, Fleming is British and John Sutton (whose performance I'd take more seriously if he didn't remind me of Harvey Korman) is Spanish ... and no one has an accent! Perhaps the most interesting character is Helena Carter (INVADERS FROM MARS) as Sutton's spoiled bride, who finds her sexual and emotional allegiances shifting but she's not developed fully. But who watches pirate movies for character studies anyway? Directed by Sidney Salkow. With Michael Ansara and Donna Martell.