Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writers (WGA):

Ted Elliott (screen story) &
Terry Rossio (screen story) ...

Release Date:

9 July 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

Prepare to be blown out of the water.

Plot:

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.

Plot Keywords:

Pirate | Blacksmith | Caribbean | Love | Jack Sparrow

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 26 wins & 68 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Jack Sparrow
Geoffrey Rush	...	Barbossa
Orlando Bloom	...	Will Turner
Keira Knightley	...	Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport	...	Norrington
Jonathan Pryce	...	Governor Weatherby Swann
Lee Arenberg	...	Pintel
Mackenzie Crook	...	Ragetti
Damian O'Hare	...	Lt. Gillette
Giles New	...	Murtogg
Angus Barnett	...	Mullroy
David Bailie	...	Cotton
Michael Berry Jr.	...	Twigg
Isaac C. Singleton Jr.	...	Bo'sun
Kevin McNally	...	Joshamee Gibbs (as Kevin R. McNally)

Also Known As:

P.O.T.C. (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Pirates of the Caribbean (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for action/adventure violence.

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Italy:T | Iceland:10 | UK:12 (video rating) | UK:12A (original rating) | Malaysia:U | France:U | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating after appeal) | Chile:TE | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:14 | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | USA:PG-13 | Greece:K-13

Filming Locations:

Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Keira Knightley claimed she was so sure she was going to get fired after a few days work on this film, she only packed a few things to go with her to start filming.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Will Turner is bargaining for the lives of Elizabeth Swann and the crew of the Interceptor, Elizabeth's hair alternates being in and out of her face.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Young Elizabeth: [singing] Yo, ho, yo, ho/ a pirate's life for me/ Yo, ho, yo, ho/ it's a pirate's life for me/drink up me hearties, yo, ho...
Mr. Gibbs: [surprises her by coming up from behind her] Quiet, missy! Cursed pirates sail these waters. You want to call them down on us?
Norrington: [sharply] Mr. Gibbs, that will do!
Mr. Gibbs: She was singing about pirates. Bad luck to sing about pirates, with us mired in this unnatural fog... mark my words!
Norrington: Consider them marked.
Mr. Gibbs: 'Aye, Lieutenant.
[as he moves off]
Mr. Gibbs: Bad luck to have a woman on board, too. Even a miniature one.

Movie Connections:

References The African Queen (1951)

Soundtrack:

Pirate Music

Terrific!

You will always remember this as the movie that made Johnny Depp a superstar and almost got him an Oscar.The fact that he didn't win isn't a problem,since thanks to him this is the best pirate film ever made.

The opening concept is a clichè:a beautiful woman(Keira Knightley)is kidnapped by a bunch of filthy pirates(led by Geoffrey Rush's Barbossa)and the man(Orlando Bloom)who's desperately in love with her decides to track them down.From now on,things get unexpected,as he asks another pirate for help.And it's no ordinary pirate:it's Captain Jack Sparrow(Johnny Depp),a lying,cheating,but charismatic scumbag,the hardest man on Earth to predict,not to mention quite unlucky and clumsy("You are,with no doubt,the worst pirate I've ever heard of" "But you HAVE heard of me!").

It's got all the elements of a classic pirate movie,elements that would give this flick a 9/10.

So,why am I giving it a 10/10? The answer is simple:Captain Jack.From the moment he makes his entrance,justly included in the Empire Top 10 Entrances of all time,we know he's the reason people will keep watching the movie.He 's Depp's best non-Tim Burton-character ever,and I can't wait 'til he returns.

See you next summer,Captain!