Best known for The Godfather, Dr. Strangelove and other classics, Sterling Hayden also starred in a few swashbuckler films.
THE GOLDEN HAWK (1952)
In the 1600s, French Privateer Captain Kit Gerardo – played by Sterling Hayden – sets out with his crew from Basse-Terre Island, Guadaloupe in a new ship he won in a duel with a pirate captain. He thus resumes his pursuit of plunder, and revenge on the Spanish pirate who killed his mother – Captain Luis del Toro (John Sutton).
His adventures lead to him meeting the beautiful female pirate Captain Rouge (Rhonda Fleming), who was staking out a ship he has just taken. He gives her a pistol to protect herself from his men while they loot the vessel, but when he gets too fresh with her, she shoots him and swims to safety.
Next, Captain Gerardo preys on several more Spanish ships, ultimately seizing one carrying Blanca (Helena Carter), the intended bride of his archnemesis Captain del Toro. He demands ten thousand gold doubloons from del Toro as ransom for Blanca, who faithlessly romances Gerardo while they wait to hear back from del Toro.
The day of the ransom exchange arrives. Kit and his crew plan to double-cross Luis del Toro, killing him and taking the ransom while keeping Blanca. Del Toro outmaneuvers Gerardo, however, surrounding him with three pirate ships loyal to him. Continue reading
