Mark Turner Tyrone Power was a force to be reckoned with when at his peak. Contracted to 20th Century Fox he was their lead performer for years. He was as adept at comedy and drama as he was the numerous swashbuckling films he made. And at the height of his career he made this film at a staggering (at the time) costs for production. Not only that the film runs 2 hours and 21 minutes, something unheard of at the time.The story is quite involved and takes place in two locales. The first is in Spain in the 1500s. There Pedro De Vargas (Power) is part of the upper class, a nobleman well loved. Pedro is in love with a fair haired maiden named Luisa De Carvajal (Barbara Lawrence). But Luisa has also caught the eye of Diego De Silva, the local representative of the Inquisition. When Pedro helps Coatl (Jay Silverheels), one of De Silva's Indian slaves escape, De Silva has Pedro and his family arrested and ready for questioning. His first victim is Pedro's 12 year old sister who dies while being tortured.Placed in cells Pedro is rescued by Juan Garcia (Lee J. Cobb), an adventurer friend he made earlier who lost part of his family to De Silva as well. A sword fight with De Silva leaves him bleeding and thought dead. While his parents head for the safety of Italy, Pedro along with Juan and Catana Perez (Jean Peters), a young woman Pedro helped when De Silva's men were upon her, all decide to join an expedition to the new world. Hoping to change their fortunes they sign on with Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero) and his search for gold possessed by the Aztecs.The film shifts to their adventures there in the new world and there are plenty of them. Between duplicitous seamen and the locals unwilling to simply part with their treasures the lives of these three are not easy. Added to the mix is the fact that Catana has fallen hopelessly in love with Pedro while Juan has grown fond of her at the same time.Pedro deals with his past when confronted by Father Bartolome Romero (Thomas Gomez). When asked why he hasn't shown up to mass he confesses his past sins and the death of his nemesis De Silva. Father Romero forgives him of his sins and makes him promise to atone for them. Which becomes an issue when nearly a year later De Silva shows up to represent the king and as a guest of Cortez.Keep in mind these are the basics of the story going on here, the bones that flesh is wrapped around. The movie is filled with romance and adventure like many movies of the time offered. What makes the movie special is that it is all done with such skill. Every bit of the movie comes together to make the story come alive, especially the score by composer/conductor Alfred Newman. Power is at his best here and Peters makes it hard to believe that this was her first film.Twilight Time has released the film with the cleanest picture ever offered for this title. In addition to that they've thrown in a number of extras this time around including an isolated music track, an audio commentary track featuring film historians Rudy Behlmer, Jon Burlingame and Nick Redman, TYRONE POWER: THE LAST IDOL an episode of the old Biography series, TYRONE POWER AND HIS LEADING LADIES and the original theatrical trailer. Once more Twilight Time has limited this to just 3,000 copies to pick one up if you're a fan.

Alex da Silva This is a rather long film that is a bit boring. Tyrone Power (De Vargas) has a rivalry with the Spanish Inquisition in the form of John Sutton (De Silva). Both want to see each other dead. The film begins in Spain, moves to Cuba and then ends up in South America as the Cortez Expedition begins its annihilation of the Aztec culture. This, of course, is glazed over as it is Hollywood. Instead, the film curiously ends with the blood-thirsty Spanish pirates marching on to carry out their criminal pillaging of Mexican culture whilst we get an American message of how the good and great are just around the corner. What an offensive load of nonsense! A few reviews have described this as some sort of swashbuckling epic. No, it's not. There is one sword fight at the beginning of the film and that's it. It does contain the funniest moment of the film, however, when Tyrone flicks Sutton's hat off with the tip of his sword. Cool move.The cast are all fine and if Caesar Romero had been given a larger part as the invading leader Cortez, he would have walked away with the film as his star power seems to project itself more than main man Tyrone Power. I'm not sure why they went to the trouble of filming this in colour – it just doesn't seem worth it. The most memorable thing about the film is the smoke bellowing out of a volcano in the background. And there you have it – the background is the best thing about the film. A pretty bogus state of affairs.

jpdoherty Arguably the finest romantic epic adventure of the Golden Age of motion pictures Fox's CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE (1947) has amazingly not dated one iota since its inception. The movie is a joy to behold! With rich vibrant 3 strip Technicolor Samuel Shellabarger's classic novel about the young Spanish nobleman who joins Cortez' Conquistadores in the New World to escape the inquisition comes mightily to the screen. This was a 1947 blockbuster with outstanding production values. Tyrone Power is terrific in it and Caesar Romero gives a striking performance as the all conquering Cortez. Solidly directed by the always reliable Henry King it was gleamingly photographed by Charles Clark and Arthur E. Arling and was splendidly written for the screen by Lamar Trotti. The only crib I have with the movie is its 140 minute running time. Despite the film dealing only with a little over half of Shellabarger's book it is still a tad long for a movie. With about 20 minutes shorn from its length it would have made for a tighter more cohesive viewing experience. Nevertheless it is still a memorable and spectacular piece of filmed entertainment.The picture cost almost 5 million dollars to produce. A gigantic sum in 1947 and the cost is evident throughout. Extensive location filming was done in Mexico where the real events depicted took place. And almost unbelievably coincidental is that while filming in Uruapan an active volcano was erupting and was utilised in the background for the closing scenes. This so accurately substituted for another active volcano that was erupting during Cortez' actual invasion all those centuries ago.Complimenting the colourful production throughout is Alfred Newman's blistering Oscar nominated score. Beside his Academy Award winning music four years earlier for "The Song Of Bernadette" CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE is his finest achievement and contains his celebrated and spine tingling "Conquest March" surely cinema's greatest march theme! Also from the score is the sumptuous music for Catana the peasant girl (The lovely Jean Peters making her debut) and the equally gorgeous theme for the lady Luisa (Barbara Lawrence). Although Newman's "Song Of Bernadette" is quiet brilliant it was really one dimensional in structure being unable to untangle itself from its overt piousness. CASTILE on the other hand is totally different. Edward B. Powell, Newman's trusted orchestrator for many years, said in a 1975 interview "it was a film that allowed Alfred full range as a composer. It had everything; love, death, pomp, action, scenery and The Church. The grandeur of the whole thing inspired the use of the complete orchestral palette in the grand manner".Alfred Newman's inspired score is just one of the many stunning elements that makes CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE an unforgettable movie. It is a radiant example of Hollywood's golden past that had exceptional writing, performances, Cinematography and music. Since it was made over sixty years ago it has been enjoyed by past generations and without doubt it will be enjoyed by many generations to come. A Fox winner!

Terrell-4 If Captain from Castile is remembered much today it probably is because of one of the most rousing marches a Hollywood composer ever wrote. The "Conquest" theme is heard only three times, and the first two are brief but effective scene setters. We have to wait until the movie is almost over and Hernan Cortez is setting out on his march to the Aztec capital of Tenochititlan for the full treatment. The music, by Alfred Newman, embraces the moment, with hundreds of soldiers, the priests, the natives, the hangers-on spreading out before us, the horizon lightening and a single volcano smoking in the distance. The theme is inspiring, martial, emotional, uplifting and memorable. It's enough to make most movie goers want to sign up and most historians queasy. In less than a generation a civilization of between 2 million and 6 million people was obliterated, ground into quickly fading memories under the heels of soldiers, landowners and priests, with nearly all Aztec records burned, nearly all Aztec structures torn down, and nearly all natives, allies and enemies of the Spanish alike, turned into ignorant serfs under slave conditions that would make most American slave owners either blanche or be envious. But enough about reality, a foolish expectation when Hollywood deals with history. Captain from Castile is a Tyrone Power swashbuckler made under the shrewd eye of Darryl F. Zanuck. Considering that the book by Samuel Shellabarger was a huge best seller, well written and stuffed full of history, the movie seems to me to be almost as dull at times as a Spanish onion, especially during the first half hour. Here, in Spain, we learn about how noble is young Pedro de Varga (Power), how noble his father and mother are, how noble the serving wench Catana (Jean Peters) is, how noble Juan Garcia (Lee J. Cobb) is...and what a piece of self- serving vomit is the local head of the Inquisition, Diego de Silva (John Sutton). Once we're in the prison with Pedro, his family and Juan, where de Silva has put them for heresy, things pick up. After Pedro and Juan escape with Catana's help and when the three reach Cuba, things pick up even more. And after an hour, when we finally reach the coast of Mexico along with Cortez and his raggedy army of about 600 soldiers, the movie actually starts. Pedro may be fleeing the Inquisition, but now he has a chance to prove himself, to help Cortez conquer an empire, to realize his growing love for Catana even though he is of aristocratic birth and she is but a peasant, and finally to ride along side Cortez for the fateful meeting with Moctezuma II. His friend Juan is with him. His new wife Catana, carrying their baby son, is in the crowd, and he has his friend and confessor, the wise and understanding Father Bartolomeo (Thomas Gomez), to nag about human rights. Pedro has survived false accusations, sword thrusts and knife wounds. He has proved his worth to Cortez, has foiled plots and, finally, has been promoted in Cortez' army to captain. The captain from Castile is on his way to being a contented conquerer of the Aztecs. Two first-rate performances are worth mentioning. One is by Lee J. Cobb. After seeing Cobb so powerful in movies like Thieves' Highway, On the Waterfront and Twelve Angry Men, it's a jolt to see him in this earlier costume caper. Still, he manages to give a strong performance, in spite of the tights he has to wear. The other outstanding performance is by Cesar Romero as Cortez. Romero roars through the movie with charisma, high spirits and shrewdness. It's an expert job with no hamminess, and is one of the few performances in the movie that has energy. We pay attention whenever Romero shows up. Captain from Castile is a great example of a big Hollywood spectacle from the Forties, and I don't mean that as a criticism. On many levels it's fun to watch. At the same time, it seems to me to be a film which is too solemn for its own good. For those who enjoy a good historical read, Shellabarger's novel still has its merits. For an engrossing, exciting and often gruesome picaresque novel about the Aztecs just before, during and just after the Spanish conquest, try Gary Jenning's Aztec.