The Pirates of Penzance (1983) - 10 stars out of 10

The Pirates of Penzance (1983) - 10 stars out of 10

"The Pirates of Penzance" is a perfect telling of Gilbert and Sullivan's famed operetta.  Having a great familiarity and affinity for the show, I approached this film with a critical eye but was thrilled with my findings.  The sets are awesome, bringing the story the life while still giving it a "stage" feel.  The adaptation of the orchestration to include modern instruments was also interesting and never detracted from the show.  When I read some of the names on the cast list, I wondered how these actors could play these roles, but this is actually one of the most perfectly cast films that I have ever seen.  Kevin Kline's performance as the Pirate King absolutely dominates the film, from the buffoonery of his interactions with the Major General to the moment when he pretends to pass out during "My Eyes Are Fully Open."  Angela Lansbury is not a voice that I would generally associate with Ruth but her acting is so superb that it doesn't even matter.  Linda Ronstadt is cute as Mabel but is quickly forgotten because she plays opposite of Rex Smith as Frederic.  His over-the-top rock star moment when he sings for the daughters with the wind in his hair says it all.  Finally, George Rose IS the Modern Major General and nobody else could play this role so well.  This film is so good that it will take 3 hours to watch once you've rewound and rewatched all of your favorite songs 2 or 3 times.