Blackbeard the Pirate

“Blackbeard the Pirate” (1952) is in full color glory with Robert Newton’s vibrant portrayal of Captain Edward Teach. To the authorities, Teach pretends to have gone legit, but Robert Maynard (Keith Andes) is on a mission to prove he’s still the evil Blackbeard. In pursuit of proof, he poses as a ship’s doctor and encounters Edwina Mansfield (Linda Darnell), who hopes to sail free of all things pirate.

The real Blackbeard may have been as much a showman as the hammy Robert Newton. It’s said he put slow-burning fuses under his hat to scare adversaries. Whether or not this is true, he often depended on his terrifying image to inspire cooperation from his victims.