One of my all time favorites.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Copyright 12 September 1944 by Paramount Pictures Inc. A Mitchell Leisen production. New York opening at the Rivoli: 20 Septem¬ber 1944. U.S. release: October 1944. U.K. release: 12 February 1945. Australian release: 5 July 1945. Sydney release at the Prince Edward: 29 June 1945 (ran six weeks). 12 reels. 10,127 feet. 112½ minutes.SYNOPSIS: 17th century England: Married noblewoman falls in love with a French pirate.NOTES: Dreier, Fegté and Comer won The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual award for Best Art Direction (color).COMMENT: Few novelists have been as fortunate in having their works transferred to the screen as Daphne du Maurier. Not only in quantity, but also in quality her film adaptations excel. No less than three Hitchcock picturizations (Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, The Birds) lead a list that includes the lavishly-produced Hungry Hill, the highly regarded My Cousin Rachel, and the partially unsuccessful though still fondly remembered The Scapegoat. Only The Years Between (1946) is completely forgotten today (and that some what undeservedly, in view of its marvelous cast: Michael Redgrave, Valerie Hobson, Flora Robson, Dulcie Gray).What about Frenchman's Creek? Would you believe that although the film was often screened on television some years back, it was never shown in color! I hope no-one watched it. Frenchman's Creek is one of Technicolor's noblest achievements. Never before (or since) was money spent with such reckless regard for a studio's solvency in order to achieve the most artistically pleasing, the most aesthetically satisfying effects in sets and costumes. Incredibly, cinematographer George Barnes was nominated for an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Award - but not for this film - for the dazzlingly colored but considerably less impressive The Spanish Main. However, the art directors did carry off the prize - and never was that award more deserved! If ever a movie was a scenic designer's dream come true that movie was Frenchman's Creek. Director Mitchell Leisen was himself an art director (it is significant that of the thirteen AMPAS nominations Paramount achieved for Art Direction from 1940 to 1949, no less than seven were for Leisen pictures). With his approval and encouragement, Drier, Fegté, Comer and Pene du Bois (a Broadway scenic and costume designer who also worked with Leisen on Lady in the Dark and Kitty) were given every opportunity to take advantage of the period settings. The director of photography and the Technicolor consultants were likewise exhorted to aim for absolute perfection in artistry and lighting. As a consequence, shooting proceeded at a snail's pace with numerous delays caused by adjusting and re-adjusting the lighting arrangements while the cast sat around doing nothing. Frenchman's Creek ran months over schedule and almost trebled its original generous budget. Paramount shareholders held Buddy De Sylva (the famous songwriter-turned-producer) directly responsible for these excesses and he was fired as the studio's production chief. Somehow Leisen managed to escape the ax but was henceforth regarded with suspicion by the Paramount management. He was often described to me by producers as a wantonly extravagant director to whom "money was of no importance". Although not entirely deserving this reputation, it pursued him for the rest of his career. He found it extremely difficult to obtain work after his Paramount contract expired early in 1951.Frenchman's Creek also marked a turning point in the career of my favorite actor, Basil Rathbone (he and Bruce were seconded to the production in the middle of their Sherlock Holmes series). Aside from his delicious spoof in The Court Jester twelve years later, this was Basil's last role as a period swashbuckling menace (although, alas, he has no scenes to demonstrate his superlative swordsmanship). As usual, he is absolutely riveting, making a marvelous foil for Joan Fontaine's entrancingly love-troubled heroine. Both are costumed to the hilt. Few actors can wear period clothes with as much flair as Rathbone; and not many actresses can model stunning gowns with the same spirited charm and grace as Joan Fontaine.The rest of the cast is no less engrossing. De Cordova is perhaps a little weak as the Frenchman, but Nigel Bruce, Ralph Forbes, Cecil Kellaway, Billy Daniels, Harald Ramond and Moyna Macgill are wonderfully effective.Some critics have complained that the script is a trifle slow, but when such beauty, such artistry, such elegance so continually shines from the screen, who cares? I regard Frenchman's Creek is the most beautiful Technicolor film of the forties.

In the era when pirates and their freebooter crews still held sway upon the ocean and near the coasts with their fast and well armed ships, a beautiful Frenchwoman is trapped in a marriage to a noble buffoon and tries to find relief from him and his obnoxious friends at court by taking her children to the family's summer estate on the coast. The house is beautiful and isolated but everything seems out of place. Clearly something is amiss with the house and servants and the noble lady realizes she needs to find out why. To her surprise it is used by a swashbuckling pirate and his crew as their private and very secret hideaway. The lady is indignant and decides to intervene. How could she know this would change her life, forever? Basil Rathbone is at his best and Joan Fontaine is a classic leading lady. Great sword fight with Holyywood's master swordsman, Basil battling to the death. If you love a swashbuckler with romance and fun, this is it.

In examining this well-done film,I find myself in disagreement with one of the other critics,in terms of regarding the performances of some of the supporting players.Where do we start? 1)Nigel Bruce is doing his usual blundering,obtuse,blithering,pompous oaf,as we have seen in numerous other films.In this picture,however,his character is not as benign as we have witnessed elsewhere. 2.)Cecil Kellaway,as William,is doing a masterpiece.His character is sly,wise,verbally adroit,socially adept,sensitive,and intuitive.This is the sort of fellow we would wish to have as the major-domo,or butler. 3.)Forbes,as Harry,does well in what happens to be an extremely thankless role.Dona's husband is a clod and a buffoon.He is a self-centered,selfish,immature man,who married for all of the wrong reasons(although the right ones for that period.)He wanted to have a beautiful wife,who would provide him with sexual companionship,company,and would handle all of the business aspects while he could go out with his pals and have a good time.He's not only NOT interested in handling his end of the relationship,but he puts her in the way of Lord Rockingham,even though he knows that she finds his attentions repugnant.it's not easy to do this kind of part,but he does carry it off.

Unless you're in for real camp, where the men are prettier than the women, especially in their wigs......then pass on this one. I rolled on the floor with laughter at the histrionics....breasts heaving an all (Joan Fontaine's, not mine). Not that I know it was made in 1944, when we were in a horrible war, I can understand why there was so little emphasis on the screen play. Escapist lore at it's funniest: think of one of those little romance novels that high school housewives love to read....that's the level you're looking at.But hey, it's pretty color. And unconsciously funny.