Shortly after completing PASSION, Lon Chaney journeyed South of the border to El Salvador for his second of three features from Lippert Pictures, preceded by THE BIG CHASE, and followed by THE SILVER STAR. THE BLACK PIRATES, shot in June 1954 under hot and humid conditions in tiny Panchimalco, at a real 350 year old church roughly 40 minutes out of San Salvador, produced by a family-owned company, Salvador Films, eager to do a picture starring Anthony Dexter, the celebrated star of 1951s VALENTINO. Current prints are rather worn, but still in Ansco color, unlike Chaneys 1948 16 FATHOMS DEEP, available only in black and white. Not the Mexican title its often mistaken to be, EL PIRATA NEGRO is a completely land-locked pirate adventure (Chaneys last) set in 1777 Salvador, with pirate leader Zargo (Dexter) leading his crew ashore, hoping to uncover buried treasure that will enable them to buy a new ship to replace the one recently sunk in a typhoon. Unfortunately, the location has become a community known as the Village of Miracles, where Padre Felipe (Lon Chaney) has already found and spent the fortune, believing it to be a gift from God. The actor was originally tabbed for one of the interchangeable pirates, wisely choosing to play the sympathetic priest, earning third billing (out of 13) as the moral center of the film, biding time as the cutthroat crew ravage his beloved church, praying to avoid the villages destruction. These are not the romanticized bunch represented by Chaney and John Payne in RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS, but a ruthless, despicable lot deserving of their bloody comeuppance (their first victim on the beach is quickly slain without a word). Robert Clarke (THE MAN FROM PLANET X, THE HIDEOUS SUN DEMON, BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER) also stands out as a lovelorn villager who gets whipped in his very first scene, finally encouraging his people to revolt against the invaders after the apologetic Chaney is murdered in cold blooded fashion right before their eyes. The sluggish swordplay is strictly amateurish, each actor basically swinging at the camera, making for a painfully dull climax, Dexters villain silently dispatched all too easily. Anthony Dexters star continued to fade until his 1967 retirement from the screen, upcoming titles including FIRE MAIDENS OF OUTER SPACE, THE STORY OF MANKIND, 12 TO THE MOON, and THE PHANTOM PLANET. With 11 1/2 minutes screen time, Lon Chaney enjoys his largest role since his last pirate adventure, RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS, and certainly selected the best part in this one (one final buried treasure feature ahead, MANFISH). Next up NOT AS A STRANGER.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 09:26:24 +0000
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