The Devil-Ship Pirates
The Devil-Ship Pirates
| 01 August 1964 (USA)
The Devil-Ship Pirates Trailers

A pirate ship, fighting in 1588 on the side of the Spanish Armada, suffers damage and must put into a village on the British coast for repairs. The village is small and isolated and the Spanish convince the villagers that the English fleet has been defeated and that they, the Spanish, are now their masters. This results in the villagers' sullen cooperation, but rumors and unrest begin to spread and soon the Spanish pirates find themselves facing a revolt.

Reviews
Blucher One of the worst movies I've ever seen
Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Panamint Beautiful Eastmancolor 2.35:1 widescreen production with lots of action. "The Devil-Ship Pirates" is a well-paced and directed Hammer film with a decent budget and fine acting, including Sir Christopher Lee (then just plain Mr. Lee) convincingly mean and cruel as a pirate captain. One of Lee's better acting jobs in my opinion as he swashes and buckles (including some good sword fights) in an energetic role.English vs. Spaniards and pirates at the time of the Armada, while not much at sea there is plenty of action. Will hold your attention and moves at a brisk pace, therefore everyone can watch and everyone will be entertained.
AaronCapenBanner Don Sharp directed this pirate film set in 1588, where a pirate ship led by Captain Robeles(played by Christopher Lee) is fighting for the Spanish Armada against the British. Their ship is badly damaged, and must go into dock for necessary repairs before they are captured. Their only chance is to convince an isolated nearby English village that in fact, the Spanish have won the battle(and not the other way around) which they manage to do at first, but after awhile, the village men become suspicious, and begin a campaign of sabotage and resistance, in the hope that they are in fact right... Good adventure yarn with interesting premise, fine acting, and well-staged action scenes. One of the best non-horrors from Hammer studios.
dinky-4 Like its companion film, "The Pirates of Blood River," this Hammer production is set almost entirely on land. There are probably budgetary reasons for this but the results may be a tad disappointing for those seeking a rousing sea-going adventure.There are compensations -- a competent script, adequate mounting, and a cast of capable performers headed by Christopher Lee. What's more, John Cairney, who plays the village's hotheaded rebel, gets a flogging in the town square while bound, bare-chested, to a whipping post. Alas, only the final five of his allotted twenty-four lashes are shown on film.
sherlock-34 Hammer's foray into straight adventure stories occasionally resulted in some first-rate films. Of course as was the norm with most Hammer productions, they were made on a shoestring budget. "The Devil Ship Pirates" certainly doesn't show it. It is clear that every cent was squeezed from the budget and shifted on-screen. The visuals in this film are incredible and run to the inclusion of a 120 foot long Spanish Galleon (The story of this ill fated large scale prop is an interesting tale all it's own), designed by Bernard Robinson. The costuming is splendid and certainly does much to make the film a convincingly effective historical piece. A strong cast, headed by Mr. Lee and ably supported by the likes of Andrew Keir, Philip Latham, Michael Ripper and Suzan Farmer, gives their all to achieve what is clearly one of Hammer's best forays into the pirate movie sub-genre. Michael Ripper in particular is, as always, a joy to watch.The film begins with the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The Spanish ship Diablo is badly damaged and her Captain, a rakish privateer by the name of Robeles, takes the ship into the English coast to make covert repairs. While there, a little plundering is in order and the crew of the ship occupy a small isolated village by duping the villagers into believing that the Spanish won and that they are there as representatives of Spain. A resistance movement is formed and the usual results: swordplay, flogging, and a good deal of running around.The plot is fairly standard stuff, but very well told and demonstrates a bit more depth than typical swashbucklers. The staunch British defend their island from invading foreigners. Thematically, it has as much in common with "The Adventures of Robin Hood" as it does with "The Eagle has Landed". Normans, Germans or as in this case, Spanish privateers, the mentality is the same. As Winston Churchill put it: "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." Devil Ship Pirates would have made a splendid WWII era morale booster with its rather blatant message. An interesting touch that adds depth and separates this film from the usual pirate fair. By including Barry Warren's sympathetic and honorable Spaniard character, the film narrowly avoids stereotyping the Spanish. A token effort, but one that raises the tone somewhat.Christopher Lee excels in the role of the nasty Captain Robeles. He looks magnificent in the red uniform and moves with incredible authority at all times. There are a good number of fencing sequences that are carried off with remarkable skill and dexterity; a real showcase of Mr. Lee's ability. The final sequences aboard the Diablo are simply stunning. This is one pirate flick that shouldn't be missed...and that's an order, Mister!