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The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
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Overview
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Director:
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Release Date:
18 February 1983 (USA)
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Tagline:
Broadway's smash hit is now the movie! See more »
Plot:
This movie is an adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta of the same name, with parts of other of their operettas stirred in...
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Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe.
Another 1 nomination
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NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Free Flick of the Day: The Pirates of Penzance
(From Cinematical. 2 December 2009, 1:39 PM, PST)
Photo Flash: New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Debut A New Production of Ruddigore Inspired by Edward Gorey Illustrations
(From BroadwayWorld.com. 29 October 2009, 3:45 PM, PDT)
(From Cinematical. 2 December 2009, 1:39 PM, PST)
Photo Flash: New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players Debut A New Production of Ruddigore Inspired by Edward Gorey Illustrations
(From BroadwayWorld.com. 29 October 2009, 3:45 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Worthy staging of G&S's best operetta
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Cast
(Complete credited cast)Kevin Kline | ... | The Pirate King | |
Angela Lansbury | ... | Ruth | |
Linda Ronstadt | ... | Mabel | |
George Rose | ... | Maj. Gen. Stanley | |
Rex Smith | ... | Frederic | |
Tony Azito | ... | Sergeant | |
David Hatton | ... | Samuel | |
Louise Gold | ... | Edith | |
Teresa Codling | ... | Kate | |
Zoot Money | ... | Pirate (as G.B. Zoot Money) | |
Tilly Vosburgh | ... | Daughter | |
Peppi Borza | ... | Policeman | |
Preston Lockwood | ... | Orchestra conductor | |
Romolo Bruni | ... | Pinafore captain | |
rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Mohamed Aazzi | ... | Pirate | |
Anthony Arundell | ... | Pirate | |
John Asquith | ... | Pirate | |
Tim Bentinck | ... | Pirate | |
John Bett | ... | Pinafore company | |
Lennie Byrne | ... | Pinafore company | |
Jo Cameron Brown | ... | Pinafore company | |
Nicolas Chagrin | ... | Policeman | |
Frankie Cull | ... | Policeman | |
Ross Davidson | ... | Pirate | |
Zulema Dene | ... | Pinafore company | |
Marta Eitler | ... | Pinafore company | |
Carole Forbes | ... | Pinafore company | |
Mike Grady | ... | Pirate | |
David Hampshire | ... | Policeman | |
Stephen Hanan | ... | Samuel (voice) | |
Leni Harper | ... | Daughter | |
Phillip Harrison | ... | Policeman | |
Jack Honeyborne | ... | Pinafore company | |
Simon Howe | ... | Pirate | |
Alix Korey | ... | Edith (singing) (voice) (as Alexandra Korey) | |
Maurice Lane | ... | Policeman | |
Carol MacReady | ... | Pinafore company | |
Jerry Manley | ... | Policeman | |
Brian Markham | ... | Pinafore company | |
Neil McCaul | ... | Policeman | |
Clare McIntyre | ... | Daughter | |
Tony Millan | ... | Pirate | |
Valerie Minifie | ... | Pinafore Company | |
Rhys Nelson | ... | Policeman | |
Garry Noakes | ... | Policeman | |
Louise Papillon | ... | Daughter | |
Andrew Paul | ... | Pirate | |
Chris Power | ... | Policeman | |
Ken Leigh Rogers | ... | Pirate | |
Mohamed Serhani | ... | Pirate | |
Marcie Shaw | ... | Kate (voice) | |
Linda Spurrier | ... | Pinafore company | |
Ursula Stedman | ... | Pinafore company | |
Mike Walling | ... | Pirate | |
Kenny Warwick | ... | Policeman | |
Nancy Wood | ... | Daughter |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
112 min
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Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See more »
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
A boom on the Pirates' ship carries the friendly label "Watch Your Head." This is visible during the "I am a Pirate King" number.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: As the Sergeant does a backbend while Mabel sings to him, the position of his hand on his chest keeps changing between shots (as opposed to the actual movement prescribed by the choreography).See more »
Quotes:
Major General Stanley:Now that I've introduced my self I should like to know what's going on here?See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #26.117" (2010)See more »
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.See more (47 total) »
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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Pirates of Penzance (1983) See more »Recommendations
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I recently had the task, for a organization's class, to assemble various performances of the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta "The Pirates of Penzance". This has always been my favorite G&S work, and I have heard many live performances, plus I have played the Pirate King in a revue type staging of the work.
I recall seeing the Kevin Kline version many years ago, and did not recall the details. Obtaining a copy to view for my project, I was very impressed with the wit and overall quality of the performances. There are a few small issues, such as the fudging of Linda Ronstadt's and Rex Smith's vocal parts (It is clear, whenever Smith sings, that lots of electronic enhancement is being used to bring his voice into the same universe with the other more capable singers, but still he has right delivery and it works well; for Ronstadt, she does very well, but for "Poor Wandering One" her part has been transposed down a bit, probably so that she can manage the highest notes), and the overdubbing of a couple other performer's singing by better singers, but overall the dancing and singing is as good as any I have seen.
The staging is deliberately campy, somewhere between traditional stagecraft and a movie set, and it adds extra charm to the proceedings. There has been some carping about Angela Lansbury's singing, but what she does is in line with the requirements of the role, and is in fact typical of other performances of Ruth's character (I recall the director, during casting of the performance I was in, saying of Ruth, "we don't need a GOOD singer, only a FUNNY singer).
A quick review of the offerings of Pirates on Amazon reveals that the only DVD version of this cast is taken from an outdoor staging in New York (and without Lansbury). It is one of the mysteries of DVD releases that the film version does not exist on on DVD; it certainly one of the best.