Captain Sindbad is a 1963 fantasy adventure film directed by Byron Haskin and produced by Frank King and Herman King (King Brothers Productions). The film stars Guy Williams as the legendary Arabian sailor Sindbad, alongside Heidi Brühl, Pedro Armendáriz, and Abraham Sofaer. It was shot at the Bavaria Film studios in Germany and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Plot Summary
The story takes place in the peaceful kingdom of Baristan, which has fallen under the rule of the evil El Kerim (Pedro Armendáriz). El Kerim plots to capture Sindbad (Guy Williams), who is returning from a voyage to marry Princess Jana (Heidi Brühl). The princess convinces the magician Galgo (Abraham Sofaer) to transform her into a Firebird so she can warn Sindbad of the trap. El Kerim's guards, transformed into giant human falcons, sink Sindbad's ship. Sindbad and his surviving crew make their way ashore and eventually learn that El Kerim cannot be killed because his heart has been removed and hidden in a distant tower, guarded by supernatural forces. Sindbad must traverse a swamp of horrors, battle a nine-headed dragon-like creature, and overcome a giant protective hand to reach the heart. In the climax, Galgo tosses the heart from the tower, causing it to explode upon impact, killing El Kerim. The film concludes with the marriage of Captain Sindbad and Princess Jana.
Cast
- Guy Williams as Captain Sindbad
- Heidi Brühl as Princess Jana
- Pedro Armendáriz as El Kerim
- Abraham Sofaer as Galgo
- Bernie Hamilton as Quinius
- Helmuth Schneider as Bendar
- Walter Barnes as Rolf
- James Dobson as Iffritch
- Maurice Marsac as Ahmed
- Henry Brandon as The Guard
Production
The screenplay was initially written by Samuel B. West and Harry Relis, then rewritten by Guy Endore, and rewritten again by co-producer Frank King a week before filming began to reduce production expenses. The film was re-edited again prior to release. Director Byron Haskin also shot some of the film's special effects sequences as a television pilot for MGM Television, but no network picked it up.
Release and Reception
The film was released on June 19, 1963, with a running time of 85 minutes. It earned approximately $2,500,000 in the United States and Canada. The film is noted as a lighthearted fantasy adventure made five years after the better-known The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958), which featured the stop-motion animation effects of Ray Harryhausen.
