Customer Reviews

Captain From Castile

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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...

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.

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.

Please allow me to differ with the gentleman from Mexico City who trashed this movie in his biased review. I have studied Spanish, regularly watch Spanish television, and HAVE READ many books about pre-columbian Mexico and it's Conquest by Cortez and his gang of adventurers. This movie was shot largely on location IN MEXICO and I only spotted a few minor historical errors. It is a GREAT movie, as good as Tyrone Power's "Zorro" or his "Black Rose". If anything, this movie glosses over the savagery and barbarism of the rulers of Mexico City and their priests who engaged in human sacrifice and cannibalism every day. There was no exhibition of this in this movie except at the very end we see a temple with blood splattered steps. The modern, politically correct idea that the evil white men came and stole the country from the native Mexicans has only been around for about two hundred years. For three hundred years before that the vast masses of native Mexicans never felt that way at all. The rulers of Mexico City terrorized the native peoples, were widely hated, and, in fact, at the time of the fall of Mexico City there were more native Mexicans fighting on the side of Cortez and the Spanish than there were fighting for the Mexicans. These are historical facts that are ignored in today's political climate. Cesar Romero makes a GREAT Hernando Cortez. He resembles him physically and captures his robustness, daring, great charisma, and charm as he leads the tiny expedition across Mexico, "Beautiful Mexico", from the tropics to the highlands to Mexico City itself at the end of the great causeway on the islands in the lake in the valley of Mexico, where you can even see the volcanos smoking in the background. Thank you very much.

"Captain From Castile" is the ultimate viewing experience for those seeking a colourful, well staged romantic adventure story set in a period far removed from our present reality. Based on the acclaimed novel by Samuel Shellabarger it features a more mature Tyrone Power in one of his more showy and important roles from the early postwar period. Splendidly directed by veteran Henry King who guided Power through many of his greatest successes the film tries as far as is possible in popular entertainemnt to stick to the historical facts of, in this case, Spain's invasion and conquest of the famous Aztec empire in central Mexico in the 16th century.

Tyrone Power had started back at his career after war serice quite strongly with his fine efforts in "The Razor's Edge" and "Nightmare Alley" and had returned to the type of gallant swashbuckling roles for which he had made his fame in the production of "Captain From Castile". Here he plays Pedro De Vargas a young Spanish nobleman who along with his family falls foul of the terrifying Spanish Inquisition. After his sister is tortured to death by the vicious Diego De Silva (John Sutton in a suitably devious role), Pedro while on the run from the inquisition joins up to try his luck with General Cortez in his plans to conquer the mysterious new world said to possess more gold than could ever be imagined. Taking with him the simple inn keeper's daughter Catana Perez (Jean Peters)who was responsible for saving his life Pedro finds danger and romance during his adventures in Mexico with Cortez's army. The film is blessed in so many ways making it a memorable viewing experience on so many levels. "Captain From Castile", boasts a top rate cast and while it is jarring to hear American actors like Power and Lee J. Cobb being called names like Pedro and Juan in other respects they fit the roles well. Cobb delivers a great performance as Power's friend in the new world. Veteran actor Antonio Moreno beautifully plays Don Francisco De Vargas, Tyrone's father with much dignity and his scenes during his families arrest are especially noteworthy. One of my favourite character actors George Zucco plays his usual villianous type in his Marquis De Carvajal, the chief justice of the town who betrays the De Vargas family. The real surprise standout in the cast is the performance delivered by Cesar Romero in the showy part of conquerer Hernando Cortez the man who has gone down in history as being responsible for bringing down the rich kingdom of the Aztec Indians. He delivers an energetic, colorful, and at times cold blooded interpretation of the great conquerer which is very close to the real historical truth and when made up as Cortez looks incredibly like the real man from history.

"Captain From Castile" despite its long running time (over two hours) is a most impressive production and had the full resources of the Twentieth Century Fox studio behind it to ensure that a magnificent end product was achieved. One of the film's main draw cards is the wonderful on location photography in Mexico that adds greatly to the visual sweep of the story while giving it a real relationship with the place where the actual story took place. The truly stunning colour photography is first rate and the attention to detail in all the superb period costumes makes the film a visual feast for the eyes. "Captain From Castile" also benefits from a wonderful Academy Award nominated musical score by the great Alfred Newman that adds richly to the adventure saga being unfolded on screen.

When dealing with such a topic as one nation's invasion and conquest of another there are bound to be confliting views on the rights and wrongs of those actions. The film in question here is naturally going to raise resentment in some quarters over the actions of Cortez's army in Mexico. Despite this film being an adventure story there are sections where happily the local Indians are allowed to express (via the screenplay) a bit about their feelings on Cortez's invasion of their country. While the film is undoubtedly seen from the Spanish viewpoint at least some effort has been made to show the other side to this settlement of the "New World" which certainly was not a new world to the Aztec's and surrounding tribes.

The above said the film is still a great viewing experience. Tyrone Power displays all his prewar energy in this role and the action while a bit slow at times manages to involve the viewer in an exciting and involving story set during a fascinating period of history. The visual elements of the film are its most appealing qualities and rarely do historical films come more colourful or lavish as "Captain From Castile".

I remember seeing "Captain From Castile" as a young boy on our B/W TV set with a 12" screen. My Dad had read the book years before and was as excited as I to see the movie in our home. The film captured all the romance, adventure, and swashbuckling drama that I loved then, and still love as a man in my 60s. Since then, I've seen this film many times and have read extensively about the Conquest of Mexico and found much of the movie to be historically accurate with regard to the conquistadors confrontation with the Mejica (i.e., Aztecs), the indigenous people who built the city of Tenochtitlan. Samuel Shellabarger's novel is more exciting to read, of course, especially the "Noche Triste" chapter, which was not in the movie, but I feel that the film should also be enjoyed as pure entertainment. It brings out the boy in me every time. I wish my Dad was still alive to enjoy seeing Tyrone Power and Jean Peters follow Cesar Romero's Cortes on his "conquest."

It would be wonderful to be able to see a mini-series of CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE filmed in the same cinematic style as the HBO/BBC collaboration on the made-for-TV series ROME. There were so many parts to the original novel, which ran over 500 pages, that it would have to be shot in segments. Of course, the PC crowd would have apoplexy if it followed Shellabarger's storyline, as tolerance of other people's culture and religious beliefs wasn't in vogue during the 16th century.

This is a great epic in the old Hollywood tradition. It awards us with some history of the Spanish inquisition and allows us to travel to the New Wrold in grand spectacle. Tyrone Power and Jean Peters are suitably matched and are supperb as the young lovers fleeing Spain. Cesar Romero does a fine job as Corteza. This is a colorful movie with all the action and adventure you would expect from a grand epic. I highly recommend it, specially to students wanting to learn something about the conquest of the New World.

Tyrone Power and Technicolor were two of the best things in Hollywood history, the latter being the greatest. This HUGE 1947 classic (Tyrone's second postwar role after The Razor's Edge and his first in Technicolor since Crash Dive) was filmed gorgeously on location in Mexico in some of the best Technicolor ever, Tyrone co-stars with future Niagara co-star Jean Peters (her first role), Cesar Romero as Cortez, Lee J. Cobb and many others! It was the Titanic of its day with its huge 5 million dollar budget, and was an enormous box-office success. Fox needs to release this title on DVD.

Tyrone Power, once Fox's golden boy in the late 30s and early 40s, had begun to fade upon his return from military service. However, epic adventure novels had become very prominent on the NY Times BestSeller list, and Captain From Castile was at the top of the lists. Fox took a chance on their fading star and gave him a first-rate production of a story which suited him to perfection. Tyrone still looked good, before his lifestyle and alcohol had taken their inevitable tolls.

This is a story incorporating the Spanish Inquisition, murder, flight to the Americas to aid Cortez' conquest of Mexico, passionate love, and all in exquisite Technicolor. Oddly, Fox followed up the popularity of CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE with another best-seller with Tyrone Power, and filmed PRINCE OF FOXES in black and white! Of course it bombed.

Tyrone Power is at his peak, and we have a fine performance from Jean Peters (her first), and a wonderful supporting cast which includes Lee J. Cobb, Alan Mowbray and John Sutton. It is still one of the best adventure films ever made.

"Captain from Castile" is a wonderful movie.Please release this movie onto DVD.