A Frank Borzage Production. Copyright 29 September 1945 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 6 November 1945. U.S. release: September 1945. U.K. release: 15 May 1946. Australian release: 20 June 1946. 9,215 feet. 102 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A pirate who calls both himself and his ship "The Barracuda" threatens Spanish shipping in the Caribbean.NOTES: RKO's first wholly in-house full-length Technicolor three- strip feature. Previous Technicolor releases had either been co- productions or releases for British or independent producers like Disney and Goldwyn.With a net profit to the studio of $1½ million, The Spanish Main was 3rd to The Bells of St Marys and The Kid from Brooklyn as RKO's most popular release of the 1945-46 season.George Barnes was nominated for 1945's most prestigious Hollywood award for Color Cinematography, losing to Leon Shamroy's Leave Her to Heaven.Available on an Editions Montparnasse DVD.COMMENT: An odd film for Frank Borzage. (His name rhymes with "key", and is pronounced "Bore-zay-gee"). There are a couple of scenes between O'Hara and Henreid which have a sentimental edge, but by and large it's just your typical piratical adventure, with a bit too much talk for the kiddies and far too much painted backdrops and obvious miniature work for the adults. Slezak plays with his usual gusto, although he has only one or two really witty lines. Henreid is too glum for a Fairbanks-Flynn hero, whilst Maureen O'Hara is indulged with far too many close-ups. The characters are superficial, the scenario far too bland. It has no bite. A more humorous stooge to Slezak than Antonio Moreno is badly needed, plus a more rousing music score. Fortunately, the action sword fights are not badly staged, although Binnie Barnes is a bit hard to take.

I really must say how much i enjoy this movie a great deal. It has the gorgeous Paul Henreid as the romantic hero and Beautiful Maureen O'Hara ( as two reviewers are clearly blind for one, in Hollywood of the 1940's women always looked older due to the amount of makeup and hairstyles they have and for the second, manly Jaw i have yet to see anything manly about Maureen O'Hara in any of her films. Rude just Rude.) I am now finished with my rant only to say how much i adore this movie and Walter Slezak as the baddie he always seemed to play in films of the 4o's.If Swashbuckle films of the 1930's and 1940's are your thing them make sure to check this out.

Previous comments have said nearly all, but I thought this film was a good effort for 1945. As always with films of this date, I wonder why some of the fit-looking men weren't in the armed services. (I realise that Paul Henreid was an Austrian who had fled his country before the war; and I note a lot of the supporting cast have Hispanic names, suggesting they may have been from countries not directly involved in the fighting.) Though Henreid made a number of swashbucklers, he appears a just a little effete, almost a not-quite-so sensitive version of Leslie Howard. I couldn't quite believe Maureen O'Hara finding him fascinating at first glance (as always, she looks marvellous). Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power would have been more convincing.The battling ships sequences look good, though it would be churlish to note that the model vessels show no signs of human life. I agree with the comments that Walter Slezak makes a fine villain.

I am a great admirer of all the movies that Maureen O'Hara has starred in. This film represents one more entertaining and absorbing swashbuckler typical of its day wherein you have a Ms O'Hara and Paul Henreid turning in excellent performances. The plot and love interest are easily assimilated and believable. If a movie holds your attention throughout like this one does, there's no question that it's worth the time and popcorn! Movies are made to be enjoyed and appreciated, and I'm sure the public knows what is enjoyable because such old movies are still in circulation, and that speaks for its quality.