The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

"The Devil-Ship Pirates" is an odd film because it's all about the adventures of a Spanish privateer...yet no one on the ship sounds very Spanish. Instead, they're all Brits and a few of them (such as Christopher Lee as Captain Robeles) sport body paint to make them look more Spanishy (is that a word?). This is a shortcoming in an otherwise decent adventure film from Hammer Films.When the story begins, the Spanish Armada is being beaten and the ship 'Diablo' (I think that's some sort of fighting chicken*) is taking on water and must retreat. But this privateer ship can't make it all the way back to Spain and they are forced to put in in a lonely part of the English coast and hope they aren't discovered. However, they soon are and the residents of this small town are then held hostage and many of them are forced to help fix the Diablo...or else. To help encourage their cooperation, the pirates not only use threats of force but lie and tell them that the Spanish won! However, the citizens are good and loyal subjects of the Queen and eventually you know they are going to fight back and at least try to stop these rogues.This is a fairly decent film. Sure, it won't make you forget about "Sea Hawk" or "Captain Blood" but is a competently made and interesting film. Not a film I'd rush to see but an amiable time- passer with a few nice action sequences.*Yes, I know Diablo is Spanish for Devil. The fighting chicken reference is from "Talladega Nights".

Christopher Lee's performance as the stern captain keeps "The Devil-Ship Pirates" from being a typical pirate flick. I also thought that Suzan Farmer was a real hottie in this movie, as she also was in "Die, Monster, Die!" True, this wasn't the best role of any of the cast members, but I enjoyed it.Whenever I watch old movies set in centuries past, I notice that they characters look well groomed. I doubt that anyone looked that tidy in 1588. Of course, no one expects action movies to be realistic. Along with the scenes of the captain discussing how to keep the town under control, there's some drinking and swordfights to keep things going.Pretty fun movie.PS: The long-term result of the war involving the Spanish Armada was that the British colonization of the Americas got delayed twenty years: when they returned to the Roanoke colony in 1590, the colony had vanished, and its fate remains a mystery to this day.

1588. A severely damaged Spanish pirate ship is forced to pull into a small isolated village on the British coast for repairs. The pirates led by the stern, fearsome, and ruthless Captain Robeles (a terrific performance by Christopher Lee) convince the villagers that they have won the war and are their rightful masters. Director Don Sharp, working from a tight and compelling script by Jimmy Sangster, does a sound job with the engrossing story: the steady pace never falters, there's a vivid and credible evocation of the period, the lively sword fights are staged with real skill and brio, the pirates are a memorably scruffy and scurvy bunch, the strong central theme about bravery and cowardice adds extra substance to the narrative, and the thrilling fiery conclusion delivers the exciting goods. Moreover, further kudos are in order for the fine acting from a bang-up cast, with especially stand-out turns by Barry Warren as the firm and no-nonsense Don Manuel Ridrigeuz de Savilla, John Cairney as the bitter and insolent Harry, Suzan Farmer as the sweet Angela Smeeton, Michael Ripper as the jolly Pepe, Duncan Lamont as the tough and loyal the Bosun, Ernest Clark as the wimpy and sycophantic Sir Basil Smeeton, Natasha Pyne as the fragile Jane, and Andrew Keir as the pragmatic Tom. Michael Reed's vibrant widescreen cinematography gives the picture a pleasingly handsome look. Gary Hughes' spirited score likewise does the zesty trick. A very worthwhile and enjoyable movie.

Like its companion film, "The Pirates of Blood River," this Hammer production is set almost entirely on land. There are probably budgetary reasons for this but the results may be a tad disappointing for those seeking a rousing sea-going adventure.There are compensations -- a competent script, adequate mounting, and a cast of capable performers headed by Christopher Lee. What's more, John Cairney, who plays the village's hotheaded rebel, gets a flogging in the town square while bound, bare-chested, to a whipping post. Alas, only the final five of his allotted twenty-four lashes are shown on film.