It may not be the best of the pirate adventure films, but it holds its own against the Errol Flynn pictures of the era.

Of the old-time pirate movies, the top tier may be crowded with films like 'Captain Blood,' 'The Sea Hawk,' and 'The Crimson Pirate.' But 'The Black Swan' ranks just under those.

A rousing adventure story where the actors seemed in their element with all the hokum.

Clear the deck for action, Henry. Here comes the lass broadside! This is the story of the Spanish Main, when villainy wore a sash, and the only political creed in the world was, love, gold ........ and adventure! The Black Swan finds Tyrone Power at his swashbuckling best, here as James "Boy" Waring, a pirate starting to find his conscience as he starts to find love, Power is devilishly handsome and swaggers about with knowingly comic abandon. Though this Henry King directed picture reeks of being an illegitimate child to "Errol Flynn's" superior "Captain Blood", it has such a great sense of fun and high production values, it really doesn't matter one jot. The colour cinematography from Leon Shamroy rightly won an Academy Award, whilst the nominations for Alfred Newman's booming score and the one for the special effects team were very much deserved. The other thing to note is the fabulous costumes courtesy of Earl Luick, splendid attire, none more so than evidenced by Laird Cregar's joyous Henry Morgan. George Sanders and a ravishing Maureen O'Hara are in on the fun and really it's a film that to me is impossible not to enjoy, so avast yee lubbers and buckle up your swash. 7/10