Avast ye hearties! (That’s what she said) Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. So, in the spirit of such event, let’s talk about some of the most underrated pirates portrayed in tv and film over the years.
Cyril Ritchard’s Captain Hook (Peter Pan Musical – 1955)
There have certainly been plenty of pirate stories told throughout history, followed by what feels like even more adaptations. It wasn’t until very recently I watched the original Disney animated classic, Peter Pan. The very first Peter Pan I ever saw as a kid was the TV production of the Broadway musical, starring Mary Martin. NBC was still airing this as a special, I believe every year, and my mom recorded it on VHS.
Talk about classical acting! It might be time to get some of this back in movies, especially pirate movies. More jolly show tunes, less dark and scary CGI.
One-Eyed Willy (The Goonies – 1985)
Now, maybe you’re thinking, One-Eyed Willy wasn’t really a character played by an actor in The Goonies. This is true. However, One-Eyed Willy is the backbone to the entire plot. If it weren’t for Willy, there would be no Goonies adventure; therefore, no storyline.
Even though One-Eyed Willy was just a skeleton abord a pirate ship, his spirit lived on. Mikey left some of the treasure for Willy, ultimately saved the Goonies, and Willy’s ship made the escape the pirates needed all along. True magic.
Steve the Pirate (Dodgeball – 2004)
Now, Dodgeball isn’t even a movie about pirates. But is sure is one heck of a funny movie and one of the most underrated pirate characters of all, Steve the Pirate.
Steve the Pirate is a part of Average Joe’s dodgeball team with a slight quirk. He believes he is an 18th century pirate and spends the entire movie speaking only in pirate lingo, which makes a nice addition to the already silly humor of the rest of the characters. What gives the audience sympathy for Steve is that in the end, he falls into a slump when he learns he really isn’t a pirate but in the end, his friends reassure him he needs to continue to be a pirate, and they need him to succeed.
Morgan Adams (Cutthroat Island – 1995)
If you were a Geena Davis fan in the 90s, then you probably did see Cutthroat Island, or at least heard of it. And believe it or not, it was a major flop at the box office (according to critics).
I remember watching this as a kid and thinking is was a great pirate movie! I didn’t know it got massacred at the box office honestly until looking back to write about it today. I heard one fan define it as a lot of “kick-ass swashbuckling.” I would have agreed! A hot pirate heroine fighting for treasure. And it had Chris Masterson in it, well before he went on to do Malcom in the Middle! It’s been a while since I sat and watched this one, although it will probably go towards the top of my movie list.
So, in celebration of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, I say pour some grog, eat some grub, and watch some of your favorite pirate(s). Otherwise you might just have to walk the plank.
