''Caribbean Gold'' is a 1952

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

pirate film In English-speaking popular culture, the modern pirate stereotype owes its attributes mostly to the imagined tradition of the 18th century Caribbean pirate sailing off the Spanish Main and to such celebrated 20th century depictions as Capt ...

directed by

Edward Ludwig Edward Irving Ludwig (October 7, 1899 – August 20, 1982) was a Russian-born American film director and writer. He directed nearly 100 films between 1921 and 1963 (some under the names Edward I. Luddy and Charles Fuhr). Ludwig was also one ...

and starring John Payne,

Arlene Dahl Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021) was an American actress active in films from the late 1940s. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. She was also an author and entrepreneur. Sh ...

and

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and ...

. It is known by the

alternative title An alternative title is a media sales device most prominently used in film distribution. Books and films are commonly released under a different title when they are screened or sold in a different country. This can vary from small change to the t ...

''Caribbean''.

Plot

In 1728, Dick Lindsay is taken prisoner by Captain Barclay and incarcerated aboard the ''Black Panther'', his pirate ship. Also on board against his will is Robert MacAllister, nephew of Barclay's nemesis, Andrew MacAllister. The pirate kidnapped Robert as retribution for MacAllister having long ago done likewise to Barclay's infant daughter, Christine. The feud has continued for more than 20 years. Now the pirate intends to settle it once and for all. He propositions Dick to impersonate Robert and return to his uncle, going so far as to duplicate a distinctive scar on Robert's face. Dick does as told, hoping to gain his freedom. He is a welcome sight to MacAllister, but others are not quite sure what to make of this newcomer, including Shively, a brutal overseer of the men, and particularly Christine, now a grown woman with a volatile disposition. Put in charge of the mill, Dick gains the trust of MacAllister's slaves, who are plotting a revolt. The real Robert's dead body washes up, however, so MacAllister now knows he is being deceived. Christine's growing love for Dick is a factor in not having him killed at first, but soon Shively and Dick are engaged in a

knife fight A knife fight is a violent physical confrontation between two or more combatants in which one or more participants is armed with a knife.MacYoung, Marc, ''Winning A Street Knife Fight'', (Digital format, 70 min.), Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, (J ...

to the death. Captain Barclay and his men await a signal to invade the island. When a stash of explosives is detonated, they storm the isle. MacAllister is killed by Barclay, who is savoring his revenge when Christine gains some of her own, mortally wounding Barclay. She remains unaware that she has just killed her own father, and with his dying words, Barclay implores Dick to keep it a secret.

Cast

* John Payne – Dick Lindsay / Robert MacAllister *

– Christine Barclay MacAllister *

– Captain Francis Barclay *

Francis L. Sullivan Francis Loftus Sullivan (6 January 1903 – 19 November 1956) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Francis Loftus Sullivan attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England, whose alumni include Charles Laughton ...

– Andrew MacAllister *

Willard Parker Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series ''Tales of the Texas Rang ...

– Shively *

Dennis Hoey Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. Early life Hoey was born Samuel David ...

– Burford *

Clarence Muse Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, singer, and composer. He was the first African American to appear in a starring role in a film, 1929's ''Hearts in Dixie''. He acted for ...

– Quashy * William Pullen – Robert MacAllister *

Walter Reed Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 – November 22, 1902) was a U.S. Army physician who in 1901 led the team that confirmed the theory of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito species rather than b ...

– Evans * Ramsay Hill – Townsend * John Hart – Stuart * Zora Donahoo – Elizabeth *

Woody Strode Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first Black American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. Aft ...

– Esau * Ezeret Anderson – Cudjo * Kermit Pruitt – Quarino * Dan Ferniel – Caesar * Rosalind Hayes – Sally

Production

The film was based on a 1926 novel by Ellery Clark, ''Carib Gold''. In January 1951 the film rights were bought by Pine Thomas Productions, who had a deal to make films for Paramount. Mark Stevens was to star and

to direct. However, by March, Stevens was out and the film was to star John Payne, who had made a number of movies for Pine Thomas. Curtis Kenyon and Morton Grant were to write the script. In June 1951 John Payne signed a contract with Pine Thomas Productions to make two films a year for three years. The first of them were to be ''The Green Grass of Nevada'' and ''Caribbean Gold''. In July

was announced as Payne's co star; it would be the first under a deal for her to make two films a year for Pine Thomas over three years. Filming was to begin October 1951 but Paramout had a backlog of unreleased films and asked Pine Thomas to push the shooting date back to January. "It's strictly entertainment", Payne said of the film, adding that Hardwicke and Sullivan were "two of the finest actors in the business." Dahl signed a nine-picture contract with Pine-Thomas.

Reception

It earned an estimated $1.4 million at the US box office in 1952. Pine Thomas announced they would reteam Payne and Dahl in ''Lost Treasure of the Andes'', ''Thunderbolt'' and ''High Tension''. In the final event they did not appear together again. Neither was a remake of '' Old Ironsides'', which Pine Thomas said they would make with Payne and Hardwicke.

References

External links

*
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{Pine-Thomas 1952 films Pirate films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Edward Ludwig 1950s action adventure films Films set in the Caribbean Films set in the 1720s American action adventure films American historical films 1950s historical films 1950s American films