The Cinematic Voyage of The Pirate

Earl J. Hess, Pratibha A. Dabholkar

The Cinematic Voyage of The Pirate: Kelly, Garland, and Minnelli Work, follows the model of the authors’ previous study of Kelly’s famous film, Singin’ in the Rain. Based on exhaustive research in archives, memoirs, interviews, and newspaper coverage, it takes the reader from the original conception of the story in the mind of a German playwright named Ludwig Fulda, through S. N. Behrman’s Broadway production starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, to the arduous task of crafting a suitable screenplay at M-G-M. Behind-the-scenes issues such as Garland’s personal problems during the making of the film, and the shaping of the film by Minnelli and Kelly, are among the many subjects detailed here. This book celebrates the vitality, originality, and artistic achievement of the people who worked hard to make The Pirate one of the very best film musicals ever made