Sadly Over-hyped

Pretty Good

Excellent but underrated film

The acting in this movie is really good.

Robert N. Lee wrote the story of " Captain Kidd " and when it got to the Silver Screen became a must see movie. The film which followed is very interesting and the leading man of the tale is none other that Charles Laughton who plays Capt. William Kidd with relish and is quite convincing in the role. As to whether the movie is based on fact is poor at best. Modern Historians contend that Kidd was unjustly hanged and displayed as an example to others in England 1701. The movie on the other hang is active, enjoyable and well done. The pirate's exploits garners the audiences' attention and the adding of some of Hollywood's' actors makes for a spirited adventure. One however questions the addition of Randolph Scott as Adam Mercy as he most apt to play Westerns. Others like John Carradine, Gilbert Roland, Sheldon Leonard and Reginald Owen are well placed. Eye candy is provided by Barbara Britton as Lady Anne Dunstan and in addition, the movie is filmed in Black and White. However, it's a good feature movie and does prove to become a Classic in many ways. In retrospect, the movie like the Legend of Captain Kidd is often misunderstood. Recommend to Charles Laughton fans. ****

While there's action and plenty of villainy, the lack of color (both physical and metaphorical) makes this a dull adventure. Charles Laughton, captain at sea in "Mutiny on the Bounty" and pirate of sorts on land in "Jamaica Inn", combines both as the title character, hamming it up to try and enlivening things, and is assisted in nefariousness by John Carradine, but theirs is a flaccid attempt to enliven a lackluster screenplay. Interest wanes as he goes up against the king's plant, Randolph Scott, who of course gets the heroine (Barbara Britton) as he sets out to expose and bring Laughton to justice. By the time Laughton gives a final curse in his broadest thespian manner, you'll have lost interest. Laughton would do better in this role when he got the bumbling team of Abbott and Costello to lighten things up for him.

Seeing Charles Laughton in a nautical-themed movie, I was hoping for something akin to his brilliant turn in "Mutiny On The Bounty" made 10 years earlier. Unfortunately, aside from another good performance from Laughton, this bears little resemblance to that earlier masterpiece. There's not really much "nautical" adventure in this. Even when the movie is set on the high seas, we rarely see the sea, the story being confined to the inner parts of the ship. Laughton's Kidd is not an historical treatment of the legendary pirate, but rather a mythical yarn about Kidd's attempt to reclaim a treasure stashed away near Madagascar, and his attempts to gain even more treasure by selling himself to King William III as a protector and escort of one of His Majesty's ships en route from India to England laden with riches.The performances here were all right - headed of course by Laughton - but the story honestly didn't really capture me. Compared to Laughton's earlier "Bounty" this seemed much older in terms of production values and quality, in spite of it being made 10 years later. Overall, it's something of a disappointment.

Very good swashbuckler film from the mid 40s. Charles Laughton is at his best...deceitful, scheming and conniving as Captain William Kidd. The ruthless Captain Kidd buries treasure on Madagascar intending to never split the spoils with anyone. And that same treasure may never be found. The infamous pirate tries to pull a scheme on the King of England by offering to give protection to a treasure ship bound from India to England. Kidd will skillfully remove the treasure from the ship he is suppose to be guarding and then blows it to smithereens. But is the notorious scoundrel of the sea smart enough to keep escaping the law? CAPTAIN KIDD features a talented and well respected cast: Randolph Scott, Reginald Owen, Gilbert Roland, John Carradine, Barbara Britton, John Qualen and Sheldon Leonard.