Queen of the Pirates Film Review

For I am a Pirate Queen!

And it is, it is a glorious thing

To be a Pirate Queen

I am a Pirate Queen!

I don't know if actress Gianna Maria Canale was a pirate queen, but she was the Queen of the Italian adventure films from the 1940s into the 1960s. She was married to director Riccardo Freda and he starred her in a number of his genre films. Among her movies were loads of swashbuckling films as well as Peplums (Hercules), spy, historical (a Spartacus movie) and horror (I Vampiri). It is easy to understand why. Raven black hair, green eyes and full figured. She commands the screen like a Pirate Queen should.

This isn't by any means a big budget film, but back in 1960 in Italy you could get a lot for smaller budgeted films. The reason why many American films were shot there. And for period films, there were a lot of authentic Medieval structures to use. Like a castle with a moat and battlements to shoot cannons from. Sandra (Canale) is the tomboy daughter of a merchant sea captain who wears pants and is very handy with a sword. When the men of the cruel Duke (Paul Müller) try and confiscate their freight, they resist and are captured. The father is sentenced to be hanged, Sandra with other lovely women are to be sold to an Ottoman Pasha.

Thanks to a Count (Massimo Serato) who is engaged to marry the Duke's beautiful but evil daughter (Scilla Gabel, who early in her career was Sophia Loren's body double), the father escapes hanging and helps Sandra overthrow the ship they are being trafficked on. She soon is being dubbed The Queen of the Pirates and begins ravaging the Duke's ships. Some good pirate action as they capture ships and then a large set piece as the pirates attack the castle. Nicely shot in color. The actresses are all stunning including Moira Orfei who is Sandra's friend and was also a Queen in real life. Queen of the Circus.