HelpPam Posted April 30, 2006 Hi, Can anyone help me find a movie title I thought was called "The Pirate". It is NOT the one with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, but it is a musical. I do not know the stars. I saw it many years ago, and it is basically the pirates of penzance storyline musical. The lead male is black haired and in it sings a song about "gesticulation". It is sort-of a musical comedy where he talks about if they cut off his hand for stealing how will he gesticulate or be able to speak without his hands. It is a color movie (appears to me like technicolor guessing 1940's or 50's) or has been colorized. It is sarcastic comedy musical. I have searched the web and can't find it any way I have tried. If someone can identify this movie with the correct title and the actors I would be ecstatic!! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HelpPam Posted April 30, 2006 Thought I saw it on this channel years ago or on AMC. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackBurley Posted April 30, 2006 Hi HP, I think you're mixing up a couple of musicals. As you noted, there is Vincent Minnelli's The Pirate and there is the movie version of the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance which featured Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury; but the song "Gesticulate" is from another Minnelli movie: Kismet. In it, Howard Keel sings: "Dear hand, deft hand, clever and facile extremity. A companion to me from my birth. Sweet hand, swift hand, spinner of fable and fantasy. Faithful friend of my art, would they rend us apart, leaving no finger nor fist there, but just a hint of a wrist there. Where then my spirit with my mercurial charm, am I fated to sit with elbow and arm, and no digits to top them off -- if they lop them off!" This song features "patter" sections that could be reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan. The music is by the Russian composer Borodin, and the themes such as the Polovtsian Dances and Prince Igor were wrested from their origins and thrown into a Mesopotamian adventure wherein the character Hajj must stand trial for theft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HelpPam Posted May 1, 2006 THANK YOU !!!! Yes, I was obviously confused, but I knew the song in it (or was close anyway)!! I was looking for the Howard Keel version of Kismet. I think someone told me this a long time ago (when the story line was fresh in my mind) but I had seen another 1944 version of kismet and didn't believe them!! Thanks for taking the time for such a good response!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralin37 Posted May 10, 2006 The non musical was with Marlene Dietrich and Ronald Coleman. The story is basically the same as the musical KISMET made in 1955? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
