Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The acting in this movie is really good.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

I didn't really like The Pirate, but I totally understand why other people think it's a classic. Gene Kelly and Judy Garland team up in an odd, stylized period piece; she's dreading an arranged marriage to Walter Slezak, and he's part of a travelling circus troupe that comes to town. The love story is not hard to predict. The songs-with exception to "Be a Clown," which sounds almost identical to "Make 'Em Laugh"-aren't very memorable or toe-tapping. The dance numbers are a little tiresome, as is the acting.However, if you enjoy Judy and Gene's hammy chemistry together, you can rent this one. If you liked Summer Stock, there's a good shot you'll like The Pirate, and vice versa. They're both a little too corny and campy for my taste. When someone acts for the back row of an amphitheater in a closeup, it's not very enjoyable for me. Plus, since the story is very thin, and the musical numbers extensive, it makes the running time feel twice as long. Maybe if I went into it thinking it was a classic "melodrama", I wouldn't have minded it so much. I don't really want to rent it again, though. I'd rather watch Marjorie Morningstar for my Gene Kelly fix.

1948 was Gene Kelly's banner year for swashbuckling roles. Not only did he here play a combination of an itinerant gymnastic carnival actor and pirate imposter, he also starred in the non-musical "The 3 Musketeers". .....Having missed the opportunity to costar with Judy in "Easter Parade" that year, due to an injury, this was their second pairing, but the first photographed in color, and what color! It was also the first of 3 films starring Kelly that was directed by Judy's husband at the time: Vincente Minnelli. The second, 2 years later, was the Oscar-winning "An American in Paris", also a very colorful experience. Reportedly, Judy became increasing mentally unstable, missing many days, or being late, which put a strain on their marriage.......The screenplay is scripted to occur in Calvado: a town on a small Caribbean island, with it's many colorful people and costumes. Judy is cast as the unmarried Manuela, who lives with her aunt and uncle. Arrangements have been made for her to marry the plump middle-aged Don Pedro(well played by Walter Slezak), who is the new town mayor. But Manuela yearns for her imagined hero: the infamous pirate Macoco. She first encounters the athletic performer Serafin(Kelly) and his troupe at the wharf, as they arrive. He takes an immediate fancy to her. Upon learning of her infatuation with her imagined Mococo, Serafin decides to masquerade as the pirate: quite believable to Manuela. Later, we will meet the real Mococo, presently masquerading as one of the town folk. I will stop my introduction here......The tacked on finale centers on the tumbling, slapstick and singing associated with Cole Porter's new song : "Be a Clown". It's certainly the most memorable of Porter's scores composed for this film. It was done twice, with a brief interlude. First, Kelly teamed with the African American Nicholas Brothers: who specialized in gymnastic dancing and stunts. They were incorporated into several musicals in the '40s, but never before in an act that included a Caucasian. Although their version was cut out in copies sent to The South, many people found that combination unacceptable. Hence, they relocated to Europe until the Civil Rights revolution brought them back. The second version included Judy, with Kelly. This was more oriented toward slapstick rather than tumbling, and is the version seen in all copies. It was a great way to finish the story, with Manuela reinventing herself.......Four years later , the tune of "Be a Clown" was resurrected for "Singing in the Rain", with new lyrics by Arthur Freed. The result was the much remembered "Make 'Em Laugh" production, starring Donald O'Connor. Strangely, at the IMDB site for the present film, Nacio Brown is listed as the tune composer and Arthur Freed as the lyricist, published in 1948, rather than 1952! I don't imagine MGM cared much who got the credit for composing the tune, as they presumably owned the copyrights for both.

Some hokum about a Caribbean pirate's nest. Gene Kelly pretends to be Judy Garland's dream man, the notorious pirate Macoco. He rescues her from a planned marriage to the walrus-like Walter Slezak, she discovers that Kelly isn't a pirate at all but the dancer in a troupe of traveling players. It all ends happily.This kind of musical is kinetic and over the top, as suits a story about egotistic, hammy actors. The dialog can be pretty funny too. Garland has just been shrieking at some visitors to leave. They don't listen. Kelly, holding a whip, saunters up to them and quietly mutters, "Get out," and they leave at once. "You should try underplaying sometime," he tells her.It's not one of Cole Porter's most inspired scores, despite the blare and thunder given it by the music department. One song, "Niña," searches desperately for lyrics that rhyme. "Love of My Life" is pleasant enough, sung by Judy Garland, but the only memorable tune is "Make 'Em Laugh" -- I mean "Be a Clown." It's hyperkinetic vaudeville and exhilarating.As I say, it's all overacted, but that's in keeping with the story. Kelly has never been more acrobatic, swinging from ropes, dancing with a cutlass, turning calisthenics into a ballet for the common man. Even when he's not dancing, Kelly's postures, knees bent, fingers fluttering, suggested a coiled spring about to be released.The screenplay is a little weak and, alas, much of the success of a musical depends on the libretto. Everybody seems to have had a hand in bringing S. N. Behrman's play to the screen except Comden and Green. Betty Comden and Adolf Green were experts at putting together the story behind the songs in films like "On The Town" and "Singin' In The Rain." But penetrating and occasionally challenging wit is replaced here by mixed identities and pratfalls.Kelly's acting is surprisingly good -- in a properly theatrical way -- and Judy Garland brings some life to otherwise clunkish scenes.

Porter, Kelly, Garland, Minnelli! How could you go wrong? I was all set to watch this on a cold, rainy afternoon on my 100" screen. And to my utter amazement, this is one of the worst (and ridiculous) movies I have ever seen. This movie makes the worst Elvis Presley movie look good.The sets looked like they were from a low budget Gillbert and Sullivan production. The dancing (if you can call it that) looked like it was from a high school musical. The songs, well, it is hard to believe they were actually penned by the great Cole Porter (he must have needed some fast cash).The only good thing about this movie was the Nicholas Brothers. (Now where did Michael Jackson get his moves?)