As is usually the case, the truth is perhaps somewhere in the middle of these two extremes: the film shows the exuberant visual flair of Minnelli in his prime (his background as an art director is especially on display in the vivid production design), and there are several breathtaking sequences (notably the fantasy pirate ballet), but a lot of the film is overblown and badly over-played.

Based on a play by S.N. Behrman (originally written for Lunt and Fontanne), the film follows the exploits of a traveling entertainer (Gene Kelly) who pretends to be a pirate to woo the hand of Manuela (Judy Garland), who happens to have an unhealthy crush on said pirate, after reading of his exploits.

Kelly's candid assessment that his attempts to mimic John Barrymore and Douglas Fairbanks in his performance were at the least misunderstood is an acknowledgement that the almost buffoonish characterizations deter from the enjoyment of the film rather than adding to it. But Kelly is frequently matched by Judy Garland's uncharacteristically over-the-top performance.

The film went through so many rewrites, and Garland's legendary off-set troubles had her missing so much of the initial shoot, that whole sequences were planned around her absence, with her scenes shot later.

It all adds up to a very disjointed experience, both in terms of story and performance style. Cole Porter was pretty much at the nadir of his long career when he wrote the handful of songs that purportedly make this film a musical, but aside from the joyous "Be a Clown," not much else resonates with the classic works of his youth, or his "second coming" which would soon be on display with the great hit "Kiss Me, Kate," and the musicals he would pen after "Kate." Because of the constant rewrites and Garland's troubles, the first song doesn't appear until 15 minutes into the film, and then it's a lamentable number sung by Kelly (you know you're in trouble when Porter rhymes "Nina" with "neurasthenia" and "schizophrenia").

All of this is to point out that the film is really no misunderstood classic--it's a deeply flawed attempt to push the boundaries of the film musical, something that Minnelli and Kelly would continue to do in the coming decade. This is not to say that the film is not replete with its own distinct pleasures--Kelly has never been more athletic (even acrobatic at times), and Garland looks and sounds wonderful, belying the stresses she was experiencing in her private life. Walter Slezak has a great comedic turn as the town mayor, and Garland's fiance, with a dark secret of his own, and the cast is full of the great character actors that always inhabit these grand MGM productions.

The DVD

Video:
This is for the most part a great looking DVD. The colors are well saturated and aside from one or two brief scratches, the film looks better than it has in years. The transfer is sharp, if a bit dark.

Sound: Unfortunately the sound of this DVD is a major problem. There is peculiar distortion throughout the film. Listen to the first 5 minutes of the film, and then note the transition to a "clean" soundtrack at 5:05 (which sadly reverts to more damage a few minutes later). What is strange is this phenomenon is nowhere to be heard in the clips from The Pirate in the That's Entertainment films, and in one of the extras, where soundtrack music is played, it's also not evident. Why some sort of restoration to this track, or a better soundtrack source element, wasn't attempted is anyone's guess, but for a film of this repute (whether warranted or not) to be released with this shoddy a soundtrack is really a disappointment.

Extras: The expected talking-heads featurette is actually better than most this time, with nice interviews with Liza Minnelli, historian John Fricke (who also contributes his usual expert and detailed commentary), and Gene Kelly's widow, among others. Aside from Fricke's really excellent commentary, there's also the theatrical trailer, and a misguided stereo remix of one of Garland's songs (the stereo separation is fine, but whoever mixed the levels needs a little tutorial--the singer is supposed to be able to be heard over the instrumental backing). There's also an MGM short and cartoon, making for a nice full package reminiscent of the Warner Night at the Movies DVDs.

Final Thoughts:
The Pirate may not be the holy grail of "lost" film musical classics that some of its adherents make it out it be, but it is nonetheless a lavish and largely enjoyable romp with some nice moments between Kelly and Garland. The Porter score is not his best, or even close to it, but the production design and overall look of the film are enough to give this a qualified "recommended" for those interested in the golden age of Hollywood musicals. Pick this up in the boxed set "Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory, Vol. 2" and you'll end up paying about $7 or $8 for it, rather than its standalone price of $19.97.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet