The Spanish Main Reviews

The first in a series of Technicolor films contracted by RKO, THE SPANISH MAIN is a typical pirate movie helped immensely by the energetic performances of Henreid, O'Hara, and Slezak. Slezak plays a villainous Spanish governor who orders a shipwrecked crew of Dutch sailors to be enslaved and their captain, Henreid, hanged. The Dutchmen escape, however, and form a pirate gang which concentrates its raids on the Spanish. Seeking revenge on Slezak, Henreid and his men kidnap his bride-to-be, O'Hara. Henreid forces her to marry him, much to the chagrin of his crew who fear the whole Spanish Armada on their heads in retaliation. The crew steals O'Hara and takes her to Slezak to prevent a slaughter. Unfortunately for Slezak, O'Hara has fallen in love with Henreid, and she assists the pirate captain in his efforts to get her back.