The Pirates of Penzance (1983 film)

Plot summary

Frederic (Rex Smith) was sent in the care of his nursemaid, Ruth (Angela Lansbury), to be apprenticed to a pilot. But she misunderstood her instructions, being hard of hearing, and apprenticed him instead to a pirate (Kevin Kline). Now he is turning 21 years old, and his service is finished, so he decides to leave the Pirates of Penzance. Ruth wants him to take her with him, but he soon meets some young maidens, the daughters of Major-General Stanley (George Rose), and realizes that Ruth is "plain and old". Frederic quickly falls in love with one of them, Mabel (Linda Ronstadt). He has a strong "sense of duty" and has vowed to lead a blameless life and to exterminate the pirates. Soon, however, the pirates return and seize the girls. Their father then arrives and lies to the pirates, telling them that he is an orphan. He knows that they are orphans themselves and never attack an orphan.

After the pirates leave, General Stanley wrestles with his conscience, having told a lie. Mabel and Frederic try to cheer him up, and Frederic has engaged the constabulary to help him defeat the pirates. The police arrive, but they turn out to be timid. Then the pirate king and Ruth find Frederic alone. They have reviewed the fine print on his apprenticeship indenture and have discovered that he is still a pirate because he was born in leap year on February 29, and he will not be out of his indentures to the pirates until his 21st birthday. Mabel agrees to wait for Frederic until then. The Police return and, hearing the pirates approach, they hide. The pirates arrive and seize the still guilt-ridden Major-General. The police are coaxed to battle the pirates, but they are defeated. However, the Sergeant of Police (Tony Azito) calls on the pirates to "yield in Queen Victorias name." The pirates tearfully do so and release the Major-General, surrendering to the police. However, Ruth reveals that the pirates are all "noblemen who have gone wrong", and the Major-General pardons them and invites them to marry his daughters, as all ends happily.

Musical numbers

1. Overture
2. Pour, oh Pour the Pirate Sherry – Pirates and Samuel
3. When Frederic Was A Little Lad+ – Ruth
4. Oh Better Far to Live and Die++ – Pirate King
5. Oh False One, You Have Deceived Me – Frederic and Ruth
6. Climbing Over Rocky Mountain+ – Major Generals Daughters
7. Stop, Ladies, Pray – Frederic and Daughters
8. Oh Is There Not One Maiden Breast+ – Frederic and Daughters
9. Oh Sisters, Deaf to Pitys Name – Mabel and Daughters
10. Poor Wandering One++ – Mabel and Daughters
11. Stay, We Must Not Lose Our Senses – Frederic, Daughters and Pirates
12. Hold Monsters and I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General+ – Mabel, Major General and Chorus
13. Act I Finale – Company
14. Oh Dry the Glistening Tear* – Mabel and Daughters
15. When the Foeman Bares His Steel++ – Sergeant of Police
16. Now For The Pirates Lair – Frederic, King and Ruth
17. When You Had Left Our Pirate Fold+ – Ruth, King and Frederic
18. My Eyes are Fully Open (from Ruddigore) – Frederic, Ruth and King
19. Away, Away, My Hearts On Fire – King, with Frederic and Ruth
20. Stay, Frederic, Stay – Mabel and Frederic
21. Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine – Mabel and Frederic
22. Oh Here Is Love And Here Is Truth – Mabel and Frederic
23. No, I Am Brave+ and Sergeant, Approach+++ – Mabel, Police and Sergeant
24. When A Felons Not Engaged In His Employment+ – Sergeant and Police
25. A Rollicking Band of Pirates, We – Sergeant, Pirates and Police
26. With Cat Like Tread++ – Pirates and Police
27. Sighing Softly To The River – Major-General and Men
28. Act II Finale++ – Company

Reception

The film was a box office bomb, with a US box-office gross of $694,497, but it received mostly positive reviews from critics; review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an 80% "fresh" rating for the film. Theater owners boycotted the film because Universal Pictures released it simultaneously to theaters and to subscription television services SelecTV and ON-TV. Only 91 theaters showed it.

The film was released on VHS in 1984 and on DVD in 2010.