Line #5 Film/AgainstAllFlags


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/against_all_flags.jpg]]
2
3	''Against All Flags'' is a 1952 American pirate film directed by George Sherman and Creator/DouglasSirk and starring Creator/ErrolFlynn as Brian Hawke, Creator/MaureenOHara as Prudence "Spitfire" Stevens and Creator/AnthonyQuinn as Roc Brasiliano.
4
5	In 1700 a British naval officer, Lt. Brian Hawke, goes undercover to infiltrate Madagascar-based pirates who have been attacking ships on the route to India. There is an instant attraction between Hawke and pirate Captain Prudence "Spitfire" Stevens, an independent woman who is any man's equal. Jealousies arise when Hawke, aboard Captain Roc Brasiliano's ship, rescues the pretty Princess Patma, daughter of the Moghul Emperor. Having obtained the information he set out for - the gun placements for the pirates' hideaway - he spikes the guns and signals the British fleet. The Princess is Brasiliano's prisoner however, and there is one final confrontation before Hawke can save her and make his escape.
6
7	-----
8	!!Against All Tropes:
9
10	* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: After capturing the Pasha's ship, Roc explains to chaperone Molvina [=MacGregor=] that the handmaidens under her charge are going to be sold into married life. He then adds:
11	-->'''Roc Brasiliano:''' ''(mockingly)'' Not that you'll need to worry about that.\
12	'''Molvina [=MacGregor=]:''' ''(indignantly)'' And why not?!
13	* {{Auction}}: When Roc auctions off Princess Patma's handmaidens as brides for the pirates, Hawke and Spitfire get into a bidding war for the disguised princess.
14	* BedlahBabe: The Princess Patma and her handmaidens are all dressed like this. Never mind that this is nothing like how the daughter of the Mughal Emperor (i.e. an Indian) should be dressed (not to mention that several of her handmaidens are blonde); RuleOfSexy is definitely in play.
15	* BladeBrake: Creator/ErrolFlynn does the "stab the sail" version in a clear homage to Creator/DouglasFairbanks in ''Film/TheBlackPirate''. Brian Hawke is cornered in the rigging of the ''Scorpion'', with pirates coming from three directions. He walks out across the yardarm and stabs his rapier into the sail, and then rides it down to the deck. This was apparently the only stunt in the film Flynn did not do himself.
16	* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: When the sailing master attempt to cheat by [[GrievousBottleyHarm breaking a rum bottle over Hawke's head]] during their duel, Spitfire shoots the bottle and shatters it while it is still in his hand.
17	* BridalCarry: When Hawke rescues Princess Patma from the burning ship, he scoops her up in his arms and charges through the smoke and flame off the ship.
18	* ChattyHairdresser: While chained to the auction block in the town square, Hawke receives a shave from Krukshank, the town barber. As talkative as any WildWest barber, Krukshank plays MrExposition and provides Hawke with plenty of details about Diego Suarez. Krukshank is also the town's surgeon and executioner, but confides that is barbering he enjoys the most.
19	* DamselInDistress: Princess Patma's sole purpose in the film is to be rescued: repeatedly.
20	* DopeSlap: The no-nonsense Molvina [=MacGregor=] does this to Princess Patma when the Princess threatens to have her cast into the cobra pit.
21	* EmbarrassingFirstName: When Hawke asks Spitfire her actual name, she makes him promise not to laugh before admitting that is Prudence.
22	* FedToTheBeast: Hawke, Harris and Jones are tied to tidal posts to be devoured by crabs. Spitfire declares she wants to kill Hawke herself, so rides over and seems to stab him, while actually cutting his ropes.
23	* FieryRedhead: 'Spitfire' Stephens. When Hawke asks Krukshank how she got her nickname, he is told he'll soon find out. She is a hot-tempered PirateGirl who will pull a pistol on any man who tries to kiss her, and once killed a man in a duel for daring to touch her without her consent.
24	%%* {{Flynning}}: It's an Creator/ErrolFlynn film. What did you expect?
25	* GrievousBottleyHarm: During their duel, the sailing master attempts to smash a rum bottle down on Hawke's head, only to have Spitfire [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands shoots it out of his hand]].
26	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Captain Kidd and Roc Brasiliano (more commonly known as Roche Braziliano) were historical pirates. However, neither would have been Madagascar in 1700: Kidd was imprisoned in Boston, and Brasiliano had vanished without trace (presumed lost at sea) in 1671.
27	* HumanShield: As Roc attempts to sail out of Diego Suarez under the British guns, he has the Princess Patma tied to the rails of his ship so that the British dare not fire.
28	* IllNeverTellYouWhatImTellingYou: Hawke asks the disguised Princess Patma what her name is. Patma goes blank and then tells him that she cannot remember what name [=MacGregor=] told her to give, but she does remember that she is not supposed to say she is the daughter of the Moghul Emperor. This seems to genuine naiveté (or stupidity) on Patma's case, rather than any desire to expose her true identity.
29	* InsigniaRipOffRitual: Part of the evidence Brian Hawke presents to the Council of Captains that he is a deserter is his Royal Navy coat with all of its official insignia ripped off. Roc points out that, by itself, this proves nothing, as he could have stripped them off himself.
30	* InterestingSituationDuel: When Hawke fights a duel against Roc's sailing master, the sailing master chooses boarding pikes as the weapons; leading to surprisingly brutal fight with the long, hooked weapons.
31	* KnifeOutline: When his sailing master is accused of stealing booty, Roc interrogates him by throwing knives around him so they just miss.
32	* LoveAtFirstSight: Princess Patma has never seen a man before that she wasn't related to, so quickly falls for the handsome hero who's rescued her.
33	* MadeASlave: Roc Brasiliano has the handmaidens he captured auctioned off as wives for the pirates of Diego Suarez.
34	* OutlawTown: Diego Suarez is a port run by and for pirates, and ruled by the Council of Coast Captains. The British Navy is desperate to put it out of operation, but needs to neutralize its defences before they can do so.
35	* {{Pirate}}: The villains in this film are pirates, with Brian Hawke on a secret mission to infiltrate their base in the OutlawTown of Diego Suarez and work out how to neutralize its defences.
36	* PirateGirl: 'Spitfire' Stephens is the only woman on the Council of Coast Captains, but she is regarded as the equal of any man amongst the Captains, even if she seldom sails with her crew.
37	* ReadyForLovemaking: Spitfire visits Hawke on the ''Scorpion'' while he is doing the accounts, and positions herself provocatively on the couch, saying she is ready for him. She is more than a little indignant when he rebuffs her advances.
38	* RescueRomance: Princess Patma falls in love with Brian Hawke after he rescues her from a burning, sinking ship.
39	* ATasteOfTheLash: One of the first scenes is British naval officer Brian Hawke being flogged so he can pose as a common seaman who's deserted and infiltrate a {{Pirate}} stronghold. When he's examined by some pirate leaders (supposedly) a few weeks later, one says he recognizes the style of the sadistic bosun who did the flogging — he likes to "sign his name" on the victim's back with the last several strokes.
40	* TenPacesAndTurn: Williams tells Hawke the story of how Spitfire killed another captain in a pistol duel for laying hands on her without consent, even though she could have just had him executed. She keeps his duelling pistols in her shop and uses them for target practice when she is upset.
41	* TitleDrop: When Roc Brasiliano asks Hawke why he has come to Diego Suarez, Hawke replies that he has come "to sail against all flags".
42	* UseYourHead: Patma's bodyguard Hassan attacks several of Roc's men by ramming them in the stomach with his head. This comes to an end when he accidentally runs headfirst into the mast and knocks himself out.
43	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What happened to the women sold off as wives to the pirates?

Context Film / AgainstAllFlags