Captain from Castile

"Captain from Castile" is a swashbuckling, action adventure film released by 20th Century Fox in 1947. Directed by Henry King, the Technicolor film starred Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, and Cesar Romero. It was filmed on location in Mexico and includes a few scenes of the Parícutin volcano, which was then erupting. The film features the debuts of actress Jean Peters, who later married industrialist Howard Hughes, and of Mohawk actor Jay Silverheels, who later portrayed Tonto on the television series "The Lone Ranger".

ynopsis

Pedro de Vargas (Tyrone Power) flees Spain for Cuba, after he believes he has murdered a leader of the Spanish Inquisition, Diego De Silva (John Sutton), who has been persecuting his family. Along the way he befriends a young servant at an inn, Catana Perez (Jean Peters), who joins him in sailing for the New World. In Cuba, he meets explorer Hernando Cortez (Cesar Romero) and agrees to join him on an expedition to Mexico. Cortez has heard reports of great wealth in Mexico and is determined to conquer the Aztecs, despite generous gifts from their emperor, Montezuma, along with warnings to leave Mexico. [American Movie Classics]

Music

The lively musical score was composed by Alfred Newman, Fox's longtime musical director. Newman recorded excerpts from the musical score for 78-rpm discs (reportedly at his own expense since soundtrack albums were unknown in 1947) and years later in stereo for Capitol Records. In 1973, Charles Gerhardt conducted a suite from the film for RCA Victor's tribute album to Newman, "Captain from Castile"; the quadraphonic recording was later reissued on CD. "Conquest," the spectacular march from the film has been adopted by the University of Southern California as a school song and is regularly performed by its marching band, the Spirit of Troy. It is also the corps anthem of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, which has performed the piece in their field show frequently in the past and manages to incorporate it somehow in their field shows of the present day.

Cast and Crew

*Directed by Henry King
*Writing credits: Samuel Shellabarger (novel), Lamar Trotti

*Tyrone Power ... Pedro De Vargas
*Jean Peters ... Catana Perez
*Cesar Romero ... Hernando Cortez
*Lee J. Cobb ... Juan Garcia
*John Sutton ... Diego De Silva
*Antonio Moreno ... Don Francisco De Vargas
*Thomas Gomez ... Father Bartolome Romero
*Alan Mowbray ... Prof. Botello (the astrologer)
*Barbara Lawrence ... Luisa De Carvajal
*George Zucco ... Marquis De Carvajal
*Roy Roberts ... Capt. Alvarado
*Marc Lawrence ... Corio
*Robert Adler ... Reyes (uncredited)
*Mimi Aguglia ... Hernandez, Luisa's dueña (uncredited)
*Dolly Arriaga ... Mercedes De Vargas (uncredited)
*Virginia Brissac ... Doña Maria De Vargas (uncredited)
*John Burton ... DeLora (uncredited)
*Willie Calles ... Aztec (uncredited)
*Harry Carter ... Capt. Sandoval (uncredited)
*David Cota ... Singer (uncredited)
*Gilberto González ... Aztec ambassador (uncredited)
*Reed Hadley ... Juan Escudero (uncredited)
*Estela Inda ... Doña Marina, Cortez's interpreter (uncredited)
*Robert Karnes ... Manuel Perez (Catana's brother) (uncredited)
*John Laurenz ... Diego Cermeno (uncredited)
*Fred Libby ... Hernan Soler (uncredited)
*Chris-Pin Martin ... Sancho Lopez (owner, Rosario Inn) (uncredited)
*Edward Mundy ... Crier (uncredited)
*Julian Rivero ... Marquis' servant (uncredited)
*Ramón Sánchez ... Aztec (uncredited)
*Robert Shaw ... Spanish army officer (uncredited)
*Jay Silverheels ... Coatl (uncredited)
*Bud Wolfe ... Sailor (uncredited)

*Produced by Lamar Trotti
*Original Music by Alfred Newman
*Cinematography by Arthur E. Arling (director of photography), Charles G. Clarke (director of photography)
*Film Editing by Barbara McLean
*Art Direction by James Basevi, Richard Day
*Set Decoration by Thomas Little
*Costume Design by Charles Le Maire
*Makeup Department: Ben Nye (makeup artist)
*Second Unit Director or Assistant Director: Robert D. Webb (second unit director), William Eckhard (assistant director), ) Henry Weinberger (assistant director)
*Sound Department: Roger Heman Sr. (sound) (as Roger Heman), Winston H. Leverett (sound)
*Special Effects by Fred Sersen (special photographic effects)
*Costume and Wardrobe Department: Sam Benson (wardrobe)
*Editorial Department: Richard Mueller (associate color consultant: Technicolor)
*Other crew: Natalie Kalmus (color advisor: Technicolor), Edward B. Powell (music arranger: orchestral arrangements) (as Edward Powell), Darryl F. Zanuck (presenter) [imdb.com]

Origins

The screenplay was adapted from a historical novel, "Captain From Castile" by Samuel Shellabarger, 1945

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