Director
Wilford Leach
Cast
Cast
Kevin Kline - The Pirate King
Rex Smith - Frederic
Angela Lansbury - Ruth
Linda Ronstadt - Mabel
George Rose - Major-General Stanley
Tony Azito - Police Sergeant
I love satire! My cynical inside gets a grin when the more solemn parts of culture, formalities (the pointless ones especially), and today's social influencers receive a ribbing now and then. It doesn't need to be a hostile punch in the face or a hit below the belt (except maybe some thrown at today's social influencers out in the open on the intellectual wasteland that is Tik Tok). Just some playfully facetious humor told with innocent merriment is all it takes to get a laugh out of me. Satire is the sweet and sour candy of life. It's best when given in large doses while taken in small ones, with a grain of salt of course.
Some of the best in the art of satire comes from the comedic partnered minds of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a substantial number of comedic operettas, or short operas, back in the Victorian era of England. Unlike an opera, and operetta generally has light-hearted and/or humorous themes with spoken language alongside singing.
Some of their works are still rather mainstream today, with their most noteworthy plays being "H.M.S. Pinafore," "The Mikado," "Patience," and "The Pirates of Penzance."
Gilbert and Sullivan are unique for writing satirical plots that are completely awry, with round-about resolutions. And it's all decorated with catchy music and very creative comedic libretto.
It's impossible to watch a Gilbert and Sullivan performance and not have a song or two stuck in your head for days. That's true, even if you find yourself bored with whatever play of theirs you might be watching. Their stories generally involve tongue-in-cheek jabs at such things as unqualified leadership in the British Royal Navy, British law and order, the whimsical nature of poets and the aesthetic movement, English bureaucracy, and class distinctions found in England back in the day.
"Stick close to your desks and never go to sea, and you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee," Sir Joseph sings in "H.M.S. Pinafore" as he recounts his beginnings in the Queen's Navy despite having no naval qualifications.
There's no real disdain for these things in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. It's pure light-hearted satire for a hearty laugh. Never mind the why and wherefore.
"Stick close to your desks and never go to sea, and you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee," Sir Joseph sings in "H.M.S. Pinafore" as he recounts his beginnings in the Queen's Navy despite having no naval qualifications.
There's no real disdain for these things in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. It's pure light-hearted satire for a hearty laugh. Never mind the why and wherefore.
My introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan was the "Cape Fear" episode of "The Simpsons" from the show's fifth season which aired back in 1993. In that episode, Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) sends Bart threatening letters from prison. After he's released on parole, the Simpsons enter a witness protection program, and live in a houseboat.
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| Rex Smith, Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury in "The Pirates of Penzance." |
Sideshow Bob manages to follow them, and then attempts to kill Bart, but not before granting him a final request. So, Bart asks if they can sing the entire score to the "H.M.S. Pinafore."
"Very well, Bart. I shall send you to Heaven before I send you to Hell," Sideshow Bob replies.
It wasn't until my high school music class that I learned more about these Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and the significance behind them. Of course, my initial thought that day in music class, when my teacher played the class portions from "H.M.S. Pinafore" was that episode of "The Simpsons."
I never knew there was an actual movie of "Pirates of Penzance" until a few days ago when I found a copy while shelving DVDs at the library I am employed with. At first, I assumed it was a filmed stage production. Nope. It's an actual feature film with Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, and Linda Ronstadt.
The story, set in the 1850s, centers on a young lad named Frederic (Rex Smith). Prior to the beginning, his youth was spent under the care of his nursemaid, Ruth, (Angela Lansbury). During his boyhood, Frederic was supposed to be sent to an apprenticeship with a pilot. However, as Ruth's hearing is less than adequate, she mistakenly sends him to an apprenticeship with the Pirate King (Kevin Kline) and his Pirates of Penzance.
The story begins with Frederic at age 21. His pirating apprenticeship has come to an end, and he wants to leave the dreaded Pirates of Penzance, all of whom were orphans in their youth.
On top of that, he wants to rid the world of pirates altogether. And Ruth, who also lives with the pirates, wants to go with him.
Within no time, Frederic runs into a group some gorgeous young maidens. Seeing them makes Frederic realize just how old, especially in her face, Ruth has become.
Mabel (Linda Ronstadt), on the maidens, wants to help Frederic free himself from the pirates and offers him her love. Frederic is smitten with her and accepts her assistance...and her love.
When his former fellow pirates catch up to him, they find him in the midst of all these young ladies. So, they take them into their custody with the intent to marry them.
Their father, Major-General Stanley (George Rose), arrives and isn't too keen on the situation.
"I object to pirates as sons-in-law," he says.
"We object to Major-Generals as fathers-in-law. But we waive that point. We do not press. We look over it," the Pirate King replies.
So, knowing full well that the pirates are orphans, he tricks them into thinking he, too, is an orphan as they certainly wouldn't attack one of their kind. And he's right. The Major-General fools them, and they let him and his daughters free.
Yet, the Major-General is a man of high morals and standards. He wrestles with his conscience for having told a lie, even to pirates.
Mabel and Frederic attempt to ease the pangs of his bad conscience. Frederic calls for the constabulary, along with their sergeant (Tony Azito) to assist in defeating the pirates. The police, however, are too timid and scared to be of any real use.
"When constabulary duty's to be done, a policeman's lot is not a happy one," they sing.
Both the Pirate King and Ruth discover within Frederic's apprenticeship indenture that as he was born on a leap year, he cannot be out of his indenture until he actually turns 21 sometime in the 1940s. With really no other option available, Mabel agrees to wait for him until then.
The police come back on scene as the pirates take the still guilt-ridden Major-General. Mabel encourages the police to take on the pirates once again.
Rather, the Police Sergeant persuades the pirates to surrender "in Queen Victoria's name." The pirates, filled with patriotic sentiment, do just that.
Ruth, meanwhile, is convinced that all the pirates are great men who have simply been led astray, So, the Major-General grants them all an official pardon and allows them to marry his daughters. And
everyone is happy in the end.
For a musical comedy from 1879, "The Pirates of Penzance" still entertains and remains catchy.
"Very well, Bart. I shall send you to Heaven before I send you to Hell," Sideshow Bob replies.
It wasn't until my high school music class that I learned more about these Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, and the significance behind them. Of course, my initial thought that day in music class, when my teacher played the class portions from "H.M.S. Pinafore" was that episode of "The Simpsons."
I never knew there was an actual movie of "Pirates of Penzance" until a few days ago when I found a copy while shelving DVDs at the library I am employed with. At first, I assumed it was a filmed stage production. Nope. It's an actual feature film with Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, and Linda Ronstadt.
The story, set in the 1850s, centers on a young lad named Frederic (Rex Smith). Prior to the beginning, his youth was spent under the care of his nursemaid, Ruth, (Angela Lansbury). During his boyhood, Frederic was supposed to be sent to an apprenticeship with a pilot. However, as Ruth's hearing is less than adequate, she mistakenly sends him to an apprenticeship with the Pirate King (Kevin Kline) and his Pirates of Penzance.
The story begins with Frederic at age 21. His pirating apprenticeship has come to an end, and he wants to leave the dreaded Pirates of Penzance, all of whom were orphans in their youth.
On top of that, he wants to rid the world of pirates altogether. And Ruth, who also lives with the pirates, wants to go with him.
Within no time, Frederic runs into a group some gorgeous young maidens. Seeing them makes Frederic realize just how old, especially in her face, Ruth has become.
Mabel (Linda Ronstadt), on the maidens, wants to help Frederic free himself from the pirates and offers him her love. Frederic is smitten with her and accepts her assistance...and her love.
When his former fellow pirates catch up to him, they find him in the midst of all these young ladies. So, they take them into their custody with the intent to marry them.
Their father, Major-General Stanley (George Rose), arrives and isn't too keen on the situation.
"I object to pirates as sons-in-law," he says.
"We object to Major-Generals as fathers-in-law. But we waive that point. We do not press. We look over it," the Pirate King replies.
So, knowing full well that the pirates are orphans, he tricks them into thinking he, too, is an orphan as they certainly wouldn't attack one of their kind. And he's right. The Major-General fools them, and they let him and his daughters free.
Yet, the Major-General is a man of high morals and standards. He wrestles with his conscience for having told a lie, even to pirates.
Mabel and Frederic attempt to ease the pangs of his bad conscience. Frederic calls for the constabulary, along with their sergeant (Tony Azito) to assist in defeating the pirates. The police, however, are too timid and scared to be of any real use.
"When constabulary duty's to be done, a policeman's lot is not a happy one," they sing.
Both the Pirate King and Ruth discover within Frederic's apprenticeship indenture that as he was born on a leap year, he cannot be out of his indenture until he actually turns 21 sometime in the 1940s. With really no other option available, Mabel agrees to wait for him until then.
The police come back on scene as the pirates take the still guilt-ridden Major-General. Mabel encourages the police to take on the pirates once again.
Rather, the Police Sergeant persuades the pirates to surrender "in Queen Victoria's name." The pirates, filled with patriotic sentiment, do just that.
Ruth, meanwhile, is convinced that all the pirates are great men who have simply been led astray, So, the Major-General grants them all an official pardon and allows them to marry his daughters. And
 |
| Linda Ronstadt as Mabel. |
For a musical comedy from 1879, "The Pirates of Penzance" still entertains and remains catchy.
The acting, singing, and energy in the movie are spot on. It's evident the actors are enjoying it presumably just as the audience is. They clearly put everything they have into creating something enjoyable. And the movie treats the source material with the respect it deserves.
The orchestral soundtrack and set design, however, are a bit underwhelming.
The orchestral soundtrack and set design, however, are a bit underwhelming.
I was hoping to see a grander set, with a boisterous musical score. Maybe the bulk of the budget went towards the talented and big name cast, leaving little for the design and soundtrack. Neither are terrible. The music and atmosphere don't really pop out and grab the audience. And some of the lead singing is done by external singers off camera for the actors on camera.
Regardless, it's still an entertaining musical with actors who put forth a lot of energy and talent.
Director Wilford Leach had directed a made-for-TV production of "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1980. It, too, starred Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, George Rose and Rex Smith in the same roles as this movie. However, Patricia Routledge ("Keeping Up Appearances") stars as Ruth in the television production.
Gilbert and Sullivan's story "H.M.S. Pinafore" satirizes the unqualified leadership in English rule, particularly the Navy. This theme is touched upon in "The Pirates of Penzance," particularly with the character of the Major-General. The sense of duty and obligation when it comes to family and society is knocked around a tad, along with the education of the day, and the formalities one is expected to practice in proper society. It's stretched so far to the point where it simply doesn't make much sense. And that's the comedy. It's pulled off beautifully in the movie.
I highly recommend this movie, and Gilbert and Sullivan in general. If it's not your cup of tea, well, then what can I say? There's lot of other movies out there - terrible ones to punish yourself with.
Regardless, it's still an entertaining musical with actors who put forth a lot of energy and talent.
Director Wilford Leach had directed a made-for-TV production of "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1980. It, too, starred Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, George Rose and Rex Smith in the same roles as this movie. However, Patricia Routledge ("Keeping Up Appearances") stars as Ruth in the television production.
Gilbert and Sullivan's story "H.M.S. Pinafore" satirizes the unqualified leadership in English rule, particularly the Navy. This theme is touched upon in "The Pirates of Penzance," particularly with the character of the Major-General. The sense of duty and obligation when it comes to family and society is knocked around a tad, along with the education of the day, and the formalities one is expected to practice in proper society. It's stretched so far to the point where it simply doesn't make much sense. And that's the comedy. It's pulled off beautifully in the movie.
I highly recommend this movie, and Gilbert and Sullivan in general. If it's not your cup of tea, well, then what can I say? There's lot of other movies out there - terrible ones to punish yourself with.
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