A Frank Borzage Production. Copyright 29 September 1945 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 6 November 1945. U.S. release: September 1945. U.K. release: 15 May 1946. Australian release: 20 June 1946. 9,215 feet. 102 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A pirate who calls both himself and his ship "The Barracuda" threatens Spanish shipping in the Caribbean.
NOTES: RKO's first wholly in-house full-length Technicolor three- strip feature. Previous Technicolor releases had either been co- productions or releases for British or independent producers like Disney and Goldwyn.
With a net profit to the studio of $1½ million, The Spanish Main was 3rd to The Bells of St Marys and The Kid from Brooklyn as RKO's most popular release of the 1945-46 season.
George Barnes was nominated for 1945's most prestigious Hollywood award for Color Cinematography, losing to Leon Shamroy's Leave Her to Heaven.
Available on an Editions Montparnasse DVD.
COMMENT: An odd film for Frank Borzage. (His name rhymes with "key", and is pronounced "Bore-zay-gee"). There are a couple of scenes between O'Hara and Henreid which have a sentimental edge, but by and large it's just your typical piratical adventure, with a bit too much talk for the kiddies and far too much painted backdrops and obvious miniature work for the adults.
Slezak plays with his usual gusto, although he has only one or two really witty lines. Henreid is too glum for a Fairbanks-Flynn hero, whilst Maureen O'Hara is indulged with far too many close-ups. The characters are superficial, the scenario far too bland. It has no bite.
A more humorous stooge to Slezak than Antonio Moreno is badly needed, plus a more rousing music score. Fortunately, the action sword fights are not badly staged, although Binnie Barnes is a bit hard to take.
SYNOPSIS: A pirate who calls both himself and his ship "The Barracuda" threatens Spanish shipping in the Caribbean.
NOTES: RKO's first wholly in-house full-length Technicolor three- strip feature. Previous Technicolor releases had either been co- productions or releases for British or independent producers like Disney and Goldwyn.
With a net profit to the studio of $1½ million, The Spanish Main was 3rd to The Bells of St Marys and The Kid from Brooklyn as RKO's most popular release of the 1945-46 season.
George Barnes was nominated for 1945's most prestigious Hollywood award for Color Cinematography, losing to Leon Shamroy's Leave Her to Heaven.
Available on an Editions Montparnasse DVD.
COMMENT: An odd film for Frank Borzage. (His name rhymes with "key", and is pronounced "Bore-zay-gee"). There are a couple of scenes between O'Hara and Henreid which have a sentimental edge, but by and large it's just your typical piratical adventure, with a bit too much talk for the kiddies and far too much painted backdrops and obvious miniature work for the adults.
Slezak plays with his usual gusto, although he has only one or two really witty lines. Henreid is too glum for a Fairbanks-Flynn hero, whilst Maureen O'Hara is indulged with far too many close-ups. The characters are superficial, the scenario far too bland. It has no bite.
A more humorous stooge to Slezak than Antonio Moreno is badly needed, plus a more rousing music score. Fortunately, the action sword fights are not badly staged, although Binnie Barnes is a bit hard to take.