The Buccaneer

1958
U
1h 59m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

2.9K

YOUR RATING

Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner in The Buccaneer (1958)

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Period Drama Adventure Drama History Romance War

During the War of 1812, Louisiana buccaneer Jean Lafitte assists the Americans in defending New Orleans against the attacking British war fleet.During the War of 1812, Louisiana buccaneer Jean Lafitte assists the Americans in defending New Orleans against the attacking British war fleet.During the War of 1812, Louisiana buccaneer Jean Lafitte assists the Americans in defending New Orleans against the attacking British war fleet.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

2.9K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total

Videos1

Featurette 10:25

The Buccaneer

Photos58

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Cecil B. DeMille's prologue fails to mention the great irony of the Battle of New Orleans: by the time it was fought, a treaty to end the War of 1812 had already been signed in London. However, word of the signing did not reach New Orleans until weeks later.

Goofs
Andrew Jackson appears as he looked at the time of his Presidency: 62 years old and white-haired, just as on the $20 bill. At the time of the Battle of New Orleans he was not yet 48 years old and his hair was still red.

Quotes
Jean Lafitte: [Told by the British that a battle is coming and he *better* be on the winning side] Oh, the side I choose will be the winning side!

Alternate versions
Anthony Quinn, in his only outing as film director, had his cut of the picture received warmly by preview audiences, but his executive producer/father-in-law Cecil B. DeMille substantially re-edited the movie anyway. Quinn's version has not been seen since.

Connections
Edited into Voyagers! (1982)

User reviews39

Featured review

8/10

interesting history, great romance, outstanding stars

As Cecil B. DeMille said in a theatrical trailer of this, his last movie, see the movie to determine whether or not Jean Lafitte during the War of 1812 is a hero or villain. Nobody could have portrayed the buccaneer LaFitte better that Yul Brynner, which is why he did play that part.(Brynner was not one bit bald-headed in the movie.) And, nobody could have portrayed better General Andrew Jackson than did Charlton Heston, and so he did. Inger Stevens was adorable as LaFitte's love interest. Brynner and Heston clicked well together as they did in The Ten Commandments.

The battle of New Orleans in this movie is hot in more ways than one, with plenty of gunfire and small rockets flying around in the muggy, hot, swamp there in the New Orleans area.

To be sure, the War of 1812 is, again, depicted well, so convincingly. As always, the champion movie director Cecil B. DeMille made here a great directing feat and, since this was his last major production, "left on a good note."