The Buccaneer

The Buccaneer is set during the War of 1812, as General Andrew Jackson prepares to defend New Orleans against an approaching British fleet. Outnumbered and short of men, Jackson must find allies wherever he can. The key to the city's defence lies on a nearby island held by Jean Lafitte, a buccaneer who has kept his men out of the conflict and avoided attacking American ships. The governor of Louisiana despises Lafitte for trading without paying taxes, while the public admires him for the same reason. As the British threat grows, Lafitte weighs which side to support, torn between his own sympathies and the wishes of his crew, who favour the stronger power.

Anthony Quinn directed the film, working from a screenplay by Harold Lamb, Jesse Lasky Jr. and Bernice Mosk, with Cecil B. DeMille producing. Yul Brynner plays Lafitte, heading a cast that includes Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer, Inger Stevens, Charlton Heston as Jackson, and Henry Hull, among 36 credited performers. Quinn had established himself as an actor before taking on directing work, and this was an early directorial credit in that later career. The production had a budget of 5 million dollars.

Released in December 1958, the film runs 119 minutes and belongs to the adventure, drama, history and war genres. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.4 from around 3,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.5 from 52 votes, indicating moderate and broadly similar responses from audiences on both platforms.