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The Pirates of Penzance (1982)

Director: Wilford Leach

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From Time Out Film Guide

Not so much a movie as a straight lift from Joe Papp's Broadway stage production, this should of course be awful - a couple of Yankee pop stars (Ronstadt, Smith) camping up Gilbert and Sullivan. In fact, taken on its own terms, it's a near unqualified success, ironically because the camera illuminates the parts footlights fail to reach. Consequently, the show is strewn with throwaway sight gags absent from the stage version which, while mercifully never quite sliding into camp, serve to apply a much needed cattle prod to Messrs G & S. The sets are superb. La Ronstadt - despite a more than casual resemblance to Miss Piggy - makes Pamela Stephenson sound like Arthur Mullard; and Pirate King Kline is definitely the most dashing thing since Errol Flynn swung from his last chandelier.

Author: DAt 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Wilford Leach

Producer: Joseph Papp

Cast: Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury, Linda Ronstadt, George Rose, Rex Smith, Tony Azito full cast

Genre(s): Musicals

Duration: 112 mins


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