This swash-buckling tale follows the quest of Captain Jack Sparrow, a savvy pirate, and Will Turner, a resourceful blacksmith, as they search for Elizabeth Swann. Elizabeth, the daughter of the governor and the love of Will’s life, has been kidnapped by the feared Captain Barbossa. Little do they know, but the fierce and clever Barbossa has been cursed. He, along with his large crew, are under an ancient curse, doomed for eternity to neither live, nor die. That is, unless a blood sacrifice is made.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is an American fantasy swashbuckler film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. It was directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The story follows pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) as they rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from the cursed crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who become undead skeletons at night.
Sailing to Port Royal, Governor Weatherby Swann, his daughter Elizabeth, and Lieutenant James Norrington encounter a burning shipwreck and recover a young boy Will Turner. Elizabeth hides a golden medallion owned by Will, and sees a ghost ship vanishing into the fog. Eight years on, Norrington is promoted to the rank of Commodore and proposes to Elizabeth, but her tight corset causes her to faint and fall into the sea. She is rescued by Captain Jack Sparrow, who Norrington identifies as a pirate who intends on commandeering a ship. Jack attempts to escape but runs into Will, now a blacksmith and a talented swordsman. They engage in a sword fight but Jack is captured by Norrington’s men and imprisoned.
That night, the Black Pearl, the ship Elizabeth saw as a child, assaults Port Royal in search of the medallion. Two pirates, Pintel and Ragetti, escort Elizabeth to meet Captain Barbossa to negotiate parley. Elizabeth pretends to be called “Elizabeth Turner”, but while Barbossa stops the attack he takes her prisoner. Barbossa reveals to Elizabeth that his crew are cursed to be immortal after taking the Aztec treasure of Cortez from Isla de Muerta, appearing as skeletons when out in moonlight. In order to free themselves, the crew gathered every gold piece and gave blood sacrifices, but still need the last piece and Elizabeth’s blood to complete it.
Will frees Jack from prison to rescue Elizabeth, Jack agreeing to when he learns Will’s last name. They commandeer the HMS Interceptor and recruit a motley crew from Tortuga, including Jack’s friend Joshamee Gibbs. Jack reveals that Will’s father, Bootstrap Bill, was a pirate. Will learns that Jack was formerly captain of the Black Pearl until Barbossa mutinied and marooned him on an island, leaving him with a pistol with a single shot that Jack never used, intending to shoot Barbossa. Arriving at Isla de Muerta, Will and Jack observe Barbossa trying to commence the blood ritual but finds Elizabeth is not the child of Bootstrap Bill. Will spirits Elizabeth away to the Interceptor, while Jack reunites with his former crew and is locked in the Pearl’s brig.
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg
Screenplay by: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio
Production Design by: Brian Morris
Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski
Film Editing by: Stephen E. Rivkin, Arthur Schmidt, Craig Wood
Costume Design by: Penny Rose
Set Decoration by: Larry Dias
Music by: Klaus Badelt
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action / adventure violence.
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: July 9, 2003
