Product Details

• Actors: Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Lee J. Cobb, John Sutton
• Directors: Henry King
• Writers: Lamar Trotti, Samuel Shellabarger
• Producers: Lamar Trotti
• Format: Color, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: May 1, 2007
• Run Time: 140 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ND91XG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,451 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Captain From Castile" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

A young caballero fleeing the Spanish Inquisition falls in love with a peasant girl and joins Cortez's first expedition to the New World.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: NR
Release Date: 1-MAY-2007
Media Type: DVD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Power Shines in Conquistador Saga..., July 12, 2005

By 

Benjamin J Burgraff (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Captain From Castile [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It's a shame that 20th Century Fox has yet to have released DVD editions of many of the films of the studio's biggest star, Tyrone Power. Almost impossibly handsome, enormously popular, and with excellent acting credentials, Power nearly singlehandedly kept the studio solvent in the traumatic transition years following WWII, with costume epics like "Captain from Castile" showcasing his strengths.

"Castile" echoes Power's earlier films, "The Mark of Zorro" and "Son of Fury", as again he plays a gallant standing against an arrogant aristocratic class, but this time he runs afoul of the Inquisition, and must flee Spain to re-establish his wealth and reputation, accompanied by loyal friend Lee J. Cobb, and a servant girl who secretly adores him (Jean Peters, in one of her best performances). Recruited into the service of the charismatic Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero, who nearly steals the film), it's off to Aztlan (Mexico, today) with a small army to face the overwhelming but naive Aztec civilization.

While the film frequently drifts into melodrama, shooting on location in Mexico (with the permission and support of the Mexican government), in glorious Technicolor, gives even the most mundane moments a sense of spectacle, and the cast is in top form. Worth singling out is a terrific supporting performance by Thomas Gomez, as a soldier/priest who dispenses common sense as well as religion, and helps Power realize that the woman he truly loves is not on a balcony, in Spain, but beside him, as they march towards their destiny.

Two aspects of the film deserve special recognition; Alfred Newman's score, featuring the vaulting 'Conquest' march, is one of the finest of his long career, and is even more popular today than when the film was released; and Arthur E. Arling and Charles G. Clarke's cinematography is truly magnificent, particularly in the breathtaking finale, as Cortez' forces proudly march across a broad plain, with active volcanoes in the backround. Never has going 'on location' been more justified, as the image is unforgettable!

If any 'Powers that Be' are reading this review, PLEASE offer this film on DVD, soon! And while you're at it, consider Power's other great films of the 40s and 50s; he deserves to be 'rediscovered' by audiences, today...

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A COLOURFUL SWASHBUCKLER!, March 12, 2003

By 

"scotsladdie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captain From Castile [VHS] (VHS Tape)

One of the last great Technicolor swashbucklers, this is a fine example of a big-budgeted forties historical-adventure film. Notice that the film credits include an acknowledgement to the Mexican Government for their advice and cooperation in the reenactment of historical sequences. Near Jaen, Spain, in the year 1518, young nobleman Pedro de Vargas is riding through the countryside when he encounters Diego de Silva in pursuit of a runaway slave. Pedro offers to help search for the runaway, and while scouring the hills, he is attacked by the slave, Coatl. As soon as Coatl recognises Pedro as an old friend, however, he desists, then shows Pedro she scars he bears from the cruel de Silva's whip and declares that he would choose death over surrender...In December of 1944, 2Oth Century Fox purchased Samuel Shellabarger's novel for an astonishing 1OO grand. Originally, Linda Darnell was to have been Cantana & Fredric March Cortez. The shooting schedule lasted over three months, 83 of those days were spent shooting on location in Mexico. Nearly 2O,OOO native Mexican and Indian extras were used in the crowd scenes. This lavish Technicolor spectacle cost 4.5 million dollars & the Alfred Newman score won an AA nomination.

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great Action/Adventure Films, July 12, 2005

By 

Jerome R. Selmer (Arcadia, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Captain From Castile [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is truly one of the great swashbuckling, action/adventure films of all time. All the actors, Tyrone Power, (the gorgeous) Jean Peters and Cesar Romero are at their best. Beautiful color and a generally good script. At one point it was out on LaserDisc, however, there were problems with it. The folks who control such things really ought to put this wonderful film out on DVD now! It is amazing to me how great films such as this languish in vaults, and yet we see piles of worthless junk on DVD counters in every store.

Message to those in charge: We do not need more blood splattering and squirting two-bit horror films. We need classics such as this and many others which have been neglected over the years. Perhaps an executive with good taste would be a welcome change in the DVD manufacturing business.