Actor Jeff Chandler starred in a variety of roles, and happily he appeared in a few swashbuckler movies.
YANKEE BUCCANEER (1952) – An enjoyable movie but one which throws history out the window in the mind-boggling way that only Hollywood could manage! The real-life American naval heroes David Porter (Jeff Chandler) and David Farragut (Scott Brady) are presented fighting Caribbean pirates during the early 1820s.
The men and their crew are ordered to pose as pirates in order to infiltrate and bring down the real pirates menacing trade in the Caribbean. While undertaking that flashy, daring mission they get caught up in a plot involving Portugal and its colony Brazil against American interests.
Our heroes become romantic rivals for Countess Margarita La Raguna (Suzan Ball, Lucille’s cousin) as the movie ignores the fascinating REAL relationships between the Porter and Farragut families. Still, Yankee Buccaneer is fun, and naturally the good guys win. David Janssen, Michael Ansara and Tonto himself, Jay Silverheels, co-star. 86 minutes.
NOTE: While Commander Porter and Lieutenant Farragut really did take on pirates during that time period they never served on the same ship like this movie pretends. Farragut was on one of the smaller “mosquito” ships in Porter’s fleet. Continue reading
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