The Pirates of Penzance (1983)

Awards
- 2 nominations

Top cast56

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Director
- Wilford Leach
Writers
- W.S. Gilbert
- Wilford Leach
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

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Trivia
Although the chorus consisted of British performers, they are all lip-synching to the American singers from the original Broadway production.

Goofs
About 40 minutes into the film, while Mabel sings "Poor Wandering One," a bird flies behind Frederic and hits the "sky" backdrop, causing the bird to fall to the ground. This is only visible if watching the film in its original aspect ratio of 2.35 to 1. For television airings which have modified the dimensions of the film, the bird is still shown but you do not see it hit the backdrop.

Quotes
[as Major-General Stanley has just entered the scene, all except the Pirate King sing to the tune of "Pirate King"]
Samuel: For he is a Major General!
Daughters: He is, hurrah for the Major General!
Major General Stanley: And it is, it is a GLORIOUS thing to be a Major General.
All: IT IS! Hurrah for the Major General, hurrah for the Major General!
The Pirate King: That's the same as the "Pirate King" tune!

Crazy credits
The classic 1927 Universal logo is shown in sepia tone, albeit in widescreen, and there is no "A MCA Company" byline.

Connections
Featured in Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (2019)

Soundtracks
Pour, Oh Pour The Pirate Sherry
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Lyrics by W.S. Gilbert
Performed by Stephen Hanan, Kevin Kline and Pirates

I first saw this incarnation of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance" at the age of 10, but just recently saw it again when my school decided to perform it for our annual spring musical. At the age of 18, I expected that I would find it immature after having liked it at 10. Needless to say, I was wrong. This is a wonderful adaptation of a great operetta, and becomes even better with the experience of performing it.

Fans of Kevin Kline rejoice! He plays the perfect "Pirate King," the silly leader of a band of pirates who seem to be completely incompetent, if only at piracy. He delivers his lines with precision and, along with David Hatton (Samuel), adds a much needed low bass-baritone to Rex Smith(Frederic) and the rest of the pirates' tenor in the pirate tunes.

The late Tony Azito(Police Sergeant)'s performance is literally unbelievable, as he looks more like a man made out of rubber rather than flesh and bone.

I would recommend this to anyone, especially die hard Gilbert and Sullivan fans.