The Buccaneer *** (1938, Fredric March, Akim Tamiroff, Walter Brennan, Douglass Dumbrille, Anthony Quinn) – Classic Movie Review 13,845

Fredric March enjoys himself in a lip-smacking performance as Jean Lafitte, the infamous pirate, in Cecil B DeMille’s 1938 adventure film The Buccaneer.

Producer/ director Cecil B DeMille’s 1938 Paramount Pictures adventure film The Buccaneer is based on the 1930 novel Lafitte the Pirate by Lyle Saxon, and stars Fredric March, Akim Tamiroff, Walter Brennan, Douglass Dumbrille, and Anthony Quinn.

Fredric March enjoys himself in a lip-smacking performance as Jean Lafitte, the infamous pirate who helps President Andrew Jackson (Hugh Sothern) to repel the British in the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans.

The Buccaneer is grand semi-fictional historical adventure entertainment from Cecil DeMille, who gives us a costly, impressive production (though in black and white unfortunately) and a jolly fine cast.

The men fare best, but Franciska Gaal her moments as Gretchen, the woman Jean Lafitte (March) saves from a boat he has attacked and Margot Grahame does too, as Annette de Remy, his true love back in New Orleans.

Victor Milner’s striking black and white photography was Oscar nominated. There is a rousing score too by George Antheil.

The screenplay is by Jeanie MacPherson (adaptation), Edwin Justus Mayer, Harold Lamb and C Gardner Sullivan.

Release: February 4, 1938.

Runtime: 126 minutes.

Cecil DeMille produced a colour remake in 1958, The Buccaneer, directed by his son in law Anthony Quinn.

The 1975 film The Day of the Locust uses a fictionalised version of The Buccaneer’s Hollywood premiere for its finale.

Cast: Fredric March, Akim Tamiroff, Walter Brennan, Douglass Dumbrille, Anthony Quinn, Franciska Gaal, Margot Grahame, Ian Keith, Spring Byington, Robert Barrat, Hugh Sothern, Beulah Bondi, Louise Campbell, Montague Love, Eric Stanley, Fred Kohler, Gilbert Emery, Holmes Herbert, Richard Denning.

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,845

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