Captain from Castile

Plot synopsis:
In the spring of 1518, near Jaén, Spain, Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power), a Castilian caballero, helps a runaway Aztec slave, Coatl (Jay Silverheels), escape his cruel master, Diego de Silva (John Sutton). De Silva is el supremo of the Santa Hermandad, charged with enforcing the Inquisition, and Pedro's rival for the affections of the beautiful Lady Luisa de Carvajal (Barbara Lawrence). Later, Pedro rescues barefoot barmaid Catana Pérez (Jean Peters) from de Silva's men. At the inn where Catana works, Pedro becomes acquainted with Juan García (Lee J. Cobb), an adventurer just returned from the New World to see his mother.
Suspecting Pedro of aiding Coatl, and aware that Pedro's influential father Don Francisco de Vargas (Antonio Moreno) opposes the abuses of the Santa Hermandad, de Silva imprisons Pedro and his family on the charge of heresy. Pedro's young sister dies under torture. Meanwhile, Juan becomes a prison guard to help his mother, also a prisoner. He kills her to spare her further torture. Juan frees Pedro's hands and gives him a sword.
When de Silva enters Pedro's cell, Pedro disarms him in a sword fight, then forces him to renounce God before stabbing him. The trio flee with Pedro's parents. Forced by their pursuers to split up, instead of going to Italy to be reunited with his family, Pedro is persuaded by Juan and Catana to journey to Cuba to seek his fortune.
The three sign up with Hernán Cortes (Cesar Romero) on his expedition to Mexico. Pedro confides in Father Bartolomé (Thomas Gomez), the spiritual adviser to the expedition, about what occurred in Spain. The priest had already received an order to arrest him, but tears it up and gives Pedro a penance in praying for the soul of de Silva, neither aware that de Silva survived.
The expedition lands at Villa Rica in Mexico. Cortez is greeted by emissaries of Emperor Montezuma, along with a bribe to leave Mexico. Against the opposition of one of his captains, Cortez persuades his men to join him in his plan for conquest and riches.
Catana seeks the aid of charlatan and doctor Botello (Alan Mowbray). Botello tries to dissuade her, but in the end gives her a ring, supposedly with the power to make Pedro fall in love with her, despite their vast difference in social status. When Pedro kisses her, she rejects him, believing he is under the ring's spell, but he convinces her otherwise and marries her that very night.
Cortez marches inland to Cempoala, where he receives a bribe of gems from another Aztec delegation. He places Pedro in charge of the detail guarding the gems in a teocalli. Pedro leaves his post, however, to calm down a drunk and menacing Juan. When he returns, the gems are gone. Cortez accuses Pedro of theft. When Pedro finds a hidden door into the teocalli, Cortez gives him 24 hours to redeem himself. Pedro tracks the thieves, the captains opposing Cortez, back to Villa Rica, where they have incited mutiny. With the aid of Corio (Marc Lawrence), a loyal crewman, he recovers the gems, although he is seriously wounded in the head by a crossbow bolt during their escape.
Cortez promotes Pedro to captain. Then, to remove the temptation of retreat, he orders their ships burned. They march on to Cholula, where they are met by another delegation, led by Montezuma's nephew, who threatens the expedition with annihilation unless they leave. When Cortez protests that he has no ships, the prince reveals that more have arrived. Cortez realizes that his rival, Cuban Governor Velázquez, has sent a force to usurp his command. Cortez takes half his men to attack Villa Rica, leaving Pedro in command of the rest.
Cortez returns victorious, bringing with him reinforcements and Diego de Silva, the King's emissary. De Silva is there to impose the Santa Hermandad on Mexico. Juan challenges de Silva to a duel, but is turned down. Father Bartolomé reminds Pedro of his vow, and Cortez holds him personally responsible for de Silva's safety. When de Silva is strangled that night, Pedro is sentenced to death for the murder. Just before the execution, Coatl confesses to Father Bartolomé that he killed de Silva. Before Pedro can be notified, Catana stabs him with a knife to spare him the degradation of being hanged. Fortunately, Pedro recovers. Cortez and his followers march on the Aztec island capital.

Tags: revenge, murder, historical fiction

Review:
Shellabarger reads very much like Bernal Diaz, a common soldier under Cortez who wrote a history of the Conquest of Mexico.
Of course, there will never be another Tyrone Power, Jean Peters or Cesar Romero, but do it anyway -- and use Alfred Newman's original music score (adopted by the USC Trojans as their own "Conquest" march), and let Newman's son and nephew add the remainder of the score!
I fell in love with Jean Peters as Catana when I was only six years old in 1950; which is when I first saw the film.
Swordplay, battle scenes, triumphal marches and a bittersweet love story combine to make this the kind of adventure-romance Tyrone Power inevitably found himself in at Fox. The color photography is gorgeous and the music, by Alfred Newman, is outstanding, ranging from tender love themes to dances and the march for Cortez.
It's a shame that 20th Century Fox has yet to have released DVD editions of many of the films of the studio's biggest star, Tyrone Power.
Almost impossibly handsome, enormously popular, and with excellent acting credentials, Power nearly singlehandedly kept the studio solvent in the traumatic transition years following WWII, with costume epics like "Captain from Castile" showcasing his strengths."Castile" echoes Power's earlier films, "The Mark of Zorro" and "Son of Fury", as again he plays a gallant standing against an arrogant aristocratic class, but this time he runs afoul of the Inquisition, and must flee Spain to re-establish his wealth and reputation, accompanied by loyal friend Lee J.
Recruited into the service of the charismatic Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero, who nearly steals the film), it's off to Aztlan (Mexico, today) with a small army to face the overwhelming but naive Aztec civilization.While the film frequently drifts into melodrama, shooting on location in Mexico (with the permission and support of the Mexican government), in glorious Technicolor, gives even the most mundane moments a sense of spectacle, and the cast is in top form.
Worth singling out is a terrific supporting performance by Thomas Gomez, as a soldier/priest who dispenses common sense as well as religion, and helps Power realize that the woman he truly loves is not on a balcony, in Spain, but beside him, as they march towards their destiny.Two aspects of the film deserve special recognition; Alfred Newman's score, featuring the vaulting 'Conquest' march, is one of the finest of his long career, and is even more popular today than when the film was released; and Arthur E.
It fired my young imagination and encouraged me to read the book by Samuel Shellabarger upon which it was based.It has a wonderful cast including Ty Power, Jean Peters, Lee J.
Alfred Newman's score is  good.Power was great as usual and Jean Peters turns in an excellent performance -- this was her first film.Much of the film was shot in Mexico following the actual route that Cortez followed when he was conquering the Aztecs.
The Spanish inquisition and the invasion of Cortez into Mexico...Henry King style!A film firmly split in two halves, Captain From Castile may over stretch its aims on the page at times, but the sweepingly gorgeous texture is quite something to behold.
Tyrone Power takes up the lead role of Pedro De Vargas and firmly cements his star status with a wonderful performance, handsome and brave, he carries the film easily on its joyous course from Spain to Mexico, whilst stoic male support comes from Cesar Romero (Cortez), Lee J.
Head female duty falls to a vibrantly young Jean Peters (in her film debut) as Catana Perez, pretty and beguiling, her gorgeous green eyes shining bright in this Technicolor spectacle, she is the perfect foil to Power's dash and swagger.Production costs are thought to have been over $4 million, yet even though the film sadly lost money, the money spent is still evident at every turn and it proved to be very popular with critics and film lovers alike.
It's a far from perfect film for sure (the no battle pay-off at the finale is a great disappointment), but the harking back to old historical days of yore can induce a tingle on the spine, and in that respect the piece delivers handsomely.
This movie has it all love,action,betrayal,adventure,misery,loyalty,jealousy,honor and Tyrone Power.
If anyone else likes Tyrone Power in this film be sure to check out "the eddy duchin story" and "the razor's edge" he acts better in these films .
The conquest of Mexico by Hernan Cortez in the early 16th Century is the backdrop of a story of love,courage and adventure in this entertaining swashbuckler.
The movie was Jean Peters's first and she's a beguiling creature in this ,although her acting leaves a lot to be desired at this point in her career.Cesar Romero as Cortez paints an entertaining portrayal of this ruthless opportunist.
Tyrone Power does his usual competent job in this kind of adventure story.The movie is very entertaining but it does drag a bit in its 2 and a half hour running-time..
In the spring of 1518, in Spain, the nobleman Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power) helps the Indian slave and his friend Coatl (Jay Silverheels) to escape from the cruel Diego de Silva (John Sutton) and then he rescues the plebeian Catana Perez (Jean Peters) from two men of Diego de Silva.
Diego's executioners torture and kill Pedro's twelve years old sister but Juan Garcia and Catana help Pedro and his the family to escape from prison: Pedro's parents go to Italy and Pedro, Juan and Catana go to Cuba and join Cortez' expedition to Mexico.
They participate of the fall of the Aztec Empire in the beginning of the Spanish colonization of the New World."Captain from Castile" is a melodramatic and romantic epic adventure having the historic conquest of Mexico by Hernando Cortez as background.
Tyrone Power is excellent in the role of a Spaniard nobleman that joins the first expedition of Cortez to Mexico and is promoted to captain for his loyalty and efficiency.
Tyrone Power in the type of role he made his own,supported by an excellent Cesar Romero as Cortez.
The music by Alfred Newman and the direction together with the competent performance by the entire cast makes this film a most satisfying experience.I doubt whether there are any actors today who can emulate the style and screen presence of Power.
The most exciting part of "Captain from Castile" should have been the least exciting, the beginning of the story that takes place in Spain when the De Vargas family is wronged at the hands of Diego De Silva (John Sutton) in the name of the Spanish Inquisition.
Pedro De Vargas (Tyrone Power) seeking a runaway servant from the New World, happens upon two of De Silva's men tormenting a tavern girl, Catana Perez (Jean Peters), by sicking dogs on her to tear the laundry she is carrying to shreds.
Pedro's mother and father hide out in Italy, but Garcia persuades Pedro and Catana, who has aided in the escape, to accompany him on an expedition headed by Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero) to seek gold and adventure in the newly discovered West Indies.
Too much time is spent on the romance between Pedro and Catana, making this part of the film melodramatic soap opera, with a few exceptions such as the theft of the gems and the confrontation between Pedro and his old nemesis, De Silva, who reappears on the scene as an emissary from the King of Spain seeking to introduce the Inquisition to the New World.
Second, the acting is top notch with standout performances from Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, and in particular by John Sutton who plays the nasty villain De Silva with élan.
(Jay Silverheels shows great potential in the small but significant role of Coatl, before he became typecast as Tonto.) Third, the musical score by Alfred Newman, which was deservedly nominated for an Academy Award, adds much to the overall effect of the film, especially the "Conquest" march.
Of significance is the emphasis on the class system that existed in Spain and was brought to Mexico by Cortez and his army along with the Catholic religion, still powerful forces in Mexican culture today..
The conquest is put in the background with the surface story of a young aristocratic Castillian officer, one Pedro De Vargas (Tyrone Power) who in trying to defend his family against the evils of the Inqusition endangers his ambitions with an attempt on the life of Diego De Silva (John Sutton).
Tyrone Power is one hot Castilian as the "Captain from Castile" which costars Jean Peters, John Sutton, Cesar Romero, Thomas Gomez, Jay Silverheels, and Lee J.
Zanuck, in a panic when he saw Tyrone Power against type and looking like a washed-up drunkin Nightmare Alley, pulled that film from distribution and substituted it with this one.Power is a man who flees with his family during the Spanish Inquisition to the new land, Mexico, along with Cobb and Peters.
Another classic and convincing performance from Tyrone Power, as he goes from Royalty to villain and escapes the Spanish Inquisition.
Tyrone Power (De Vargas) has a rivalry with the Spanish Inquisition in the form of John Sutton (De Silva).
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.
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.
The only thing that redeems this terrible picture is the irresistibly gorgeous Jean Peters (whose acting is fine, although it can't hope to measure up to her looks).Major flaws that put this picture beyond saving:1) Tyrone Power terribly miscast as Pedro de Vargas.
Power is at his best but perhaps a little long in the tooth to be playing against the young Jean Peters(Catana)and equally young and gorgeous Barbara Lawrence(Luisa de Carvajal).
Captain from Castile shot in Cinemascope, and particularly with the last scene in mind, would have been sublime photography for this most entertaining film, one of the last of its kind, I believe..
If you want to see a great Tyrone Power movie, check out The Mark of Zorro.
Captain from Castille was not a great example of a Tyrone Power movie..
What happens to Power's little sister is shocking for a mainstream film seen by general audiences, even though the deed occurs off-screen...Power's allies include pretty Jean Peters (as Catana Perez), enterprising Lee J.
However, the story is wearisome.****** Captain from Castile (12/25/47) Henry King ~ Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Lee J.
Nevertheless the hero Pedro De Vargas (Tyrone Power) is a loyal soldier of Cortes, and his real enemy is the Inquisition, the horror of which is well described by the film.
Cesar Romero is great as Cortes in this mega budget film with great colors, directed by the excellent Henry King..
It reminded me that in 1948, students still learned and knew more of history than is common today and would have already had a knowledge of the time period.The dangerous mix of secular and religious motives in the Inquisition, different motives between the Conquistadores and the priests, the burning of the ships under Cortez, the addition of native Indians siding with the Spanish (as shown by their ever growing presence with the Spanish armies, but never actually discussed) and the march of the Spanish through Aztec territory followed history to a T.Much of the later Indian culture was destroyed from differing immune systems.
This film was set in the tormented years of the Spanish Inquisition, and because of their wicked dealings a young lord (Tyrone Power) is brought to a horrible plight of hate and revenge.
....With his galleons and guns Looking for the new world And the palace in the sun.Neil Young,"Cortez the killer","Zuma " album (1975)De Vargas (Power) escapes from Spain plagued by the Inquisition (the Holy Office!)The construction of the movie strongly recalls "prince of foxes" an earlier King work :a long prologue: Andréa Orsini helps Borgia with his problem :his sister's marriage in "prince" ;the horrors of the inquisition ,which culminate with Pedro's sister's murder-then the main story:Andrea Orsini tries to do away with an old lord whose valuable dukedom is coveted by Borgia;In the wake of Cortez,Pedro comes across the water on a galleon,looking for the new world in the sun.And at the end ,the final confrontation hero/villain."Captain of Castillo" is an absorbing storybook film ,with a lot of action, romance,treason and ,like "Prince of foxes" ,it was filmed on location.Jean Peters makes an impressive debut in a part close to those of Virginia Mayo.Lee J.Cobb is also effective particularly in the scene he goes crazy.Tyrone Power is par excellence the Latin -although his ancestors were Irish- swashbuckler hero.Cortez is a balanced character:whereas his attitude towards the Indians may seem obnoxious -although he was a great conqueror,like Colombus,his death was not glorious;both died left alone-he nonetheless does not side with the Inquisition's decisions."Here it does not mean anything" he tells De Silva.This is excellent entertaining stuff.Trust King when it comes to tell a story!.
The storyline, to reiterate briefly, centers on the young Spanish nobleman, Don Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power), who offends an official of the Inquisition and is forced, as are his parents, to flee from its net.
I feel Jean Peters carried this film, although it was perfectly suitable for Tyrone Power and he acted admirably, but where was the accent.
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.
Tyrone Power is terrific in it and Caesar Romero gives a striking performance as the all conquering Cortez.
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).
Captain from Castile is a Tyrone Power swashbuckler made under the shrewd eye of Darryl F.
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.
In addition to being a great role for Tyrone Power, it was also the feature film debut of Jean Peters (not to mention Jay Silverheels, who later portrayed Tonto).The first of the film follows Tyrone Powers' aristocratic background to the point where he gets in trouble with the Spanish Inquisition, resulting in the death of his young sister and the imprisonment of his mother, father, and himself...although, of course, they escape.
I was interested in noting Roy Roberts, who later ended up in many t.v. sitcoms (e.g., "The Lucy Show").Fine locales (including a real erupting volcano), good acting, lavish color photography...but all that doesn't equal a superior film.
All scenes of the Cortez Expedition were photographed in Mexico, wherever possible on the actual locations.Copyright Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
145½ minutes.SYNOPSIS: Effete young caballero escapes the Spanish Inquisition by joining up with Cortez and the conquest of Mexico.COMMENT: Dull.
Cesar Romero's genial Cortez is an odd characterization to say the least, while John Sutton's stiff, callow villain is no match for the likes of a Robert Douglas, a Claude Rains or a Basil Rathbone.But the film's greatest problem is actually its script: Wordy and garrulous in dialogue, superficially off-hand in background, casual in pace, one-dimensional and dull in characterization, repetitious and incredible in melodramatic plot.The worst sin of all is that the story lacks a climax.
Prince of Foxes and The Black Rose come to mind.In Captain, that conflict is downplayed in favor of 'Epic Scope' and Power's character actually seems to like and approve of Cortez as an admittedly greed-driven but basically decent good-guy whose heart is in the right place, once you get past his greed, genocidal tendencies and psychopathology.For most of the movie that actually works thanks to Romero's performance and the script's soft-soaping of Cortez's negative personality traits.
Not as classic in my opinion as the other Samuel Shellabarger book that was made into a Tyrone Power film, "Prince of Foxes".
I don't have all that much to add to what you've read here in the comments already, but for what it's worth here are a few more impressions: *Tyrone Power was quite good.
Very good-if unexpected.*Jean Peter-very young and pretty eye candy.*Cesar Romero as Cortez, not shown as being anything but what he was-a pirate, a soldier and a greedy one at that.
Instead, he decides to travel with the Cortez expedition and to make his fortune in Mexico.*Special Stars- Tyrone Power, Lee J.
Film's memorable heroic Alfred Neuman music features what was to become the University of Southern California (USC) 'fight' song played during the conquest of the Aztecs scenes with Cortez.
Always a film that uplifts the viewer's spirit with the plot's drama and action.*Based On- Loosely follows Captain Cortez histories in his conquest of Mexico..
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.
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.