Just as pirate swashbucklers
were popular in Hollywood in the 20s, 30s and 40s, the early days
of the Italian film industry saw many a high sea adventure brought
to the screen. Mr. Salgari's Corsair adventures have been the
basis for over 20 films, including eight adaptations of The Black
Corsair. In the 1920s Vitale
De Stefano made a series of silent films based on Il
corsaro nero and its sequels. Amleto Palermi's version
16 years later spared no expense. Ships were built specifically
for the movie, the director filming a live boardin raid. Famed
Italian fencing champion, Ciro Verratti was cast as the lead.
It was popular throughout Italy and Latin America and subsequently
remade as El corsario negro by Chano
Urueta in Mexico in the 1940s. |