ANNE OF THE INDIES

english below

“I would have died if I'd lost the part of Anne. The costumes are delirious, any girl would look good in them (…) And the character is terrific, a girl raised by Blackbeard, the pirate, who knows no other life than the law of might. (…) I can't wait to begin it. Of course, I'm aware it's a dangerous part, too. You could make an awful fool of yourself if you went overboard.” 

De rol die Hollywoodster Jean Peters zo graag wilde, was die van piraat Anne Providence. ANNE OF THE INDIES fictionaliseert het leven van een van de weinige vrouwelijke piraten, Anne Bonny. In de film ontmoeten we kapitein Anne op haar schip, nadat ze een Brits schip heeft ingenomen. Ze spaart het leven van LaRochelle, een Fransman die door de Britse bemanning gevangen genomen was. LaRochelle vervoegt Annes crew en ze krijgt al snel gevoelens voor hem. Maar de man blijkt niet te zijn wie hij zegt.

Jean Peters schittert in haar eerste hoofdrol als piratenkapitein en voert overtuigend een bende zoute zeemannen met ooglapjes aan, wijst haar sabel zelfzeker naar eenieder die haar enerveert en is er niet vies van haar vijanden op de plank te doen lopen. Ze slaagt er zelfs in om de legendarische Blackbeard de loef af te steken. Peters stond in Hollywood bekend voor haar verzet om als een sekssymbool naar voren geschoven te worden. Voor haar waren het de rollen van nuchtere en soms onverzorgde vrouwen, die het meest te bieden hadden. “I often think our glamorization of Hollywood stars throws the public off. They don't recognize us as human beings subject to the same discomforts of climate and working conditions as they are. They expect to see that goddess leading a couple of wolfhounds come striding onto the set. Because I like to get away from all that and down to the heart of things I choose such characters as Anne.” 

ENG

“I would have died if I'd lost the part of Anne. The costumes are delirious, any girl would look good in them (…) And the character is terrific, a girl raised by Blackbeard, the pirate, who knows no other life than the law of might. (…) I can't wait to begin it. Of course, I'm aware it's a dangerous part, too. You could make an awful fool of yourself if you went overboard.” 

The role Hollywood star Jean Peters wanted so badly was the one of pirate Anne Providence. ANNE OF THE INDIES fictionalizes the life of one of the few woman pirates, Anne Bonny. In the movie, we meet captain Anne on her ship, after she’s taken over a British ship. She spares the life of LaRochelle, a Frenchman who was captured by the British officers. LaRochelle joins Anne’s crew and she quickly develops feelings for him. But it turns out the man isn’t who he says he is.

Jean Peters shines in her first leading role as a pirate captain and convincingly leads a pack of unwashed sailors with eye patches, confidently points her sword at anyone who annoys her and doesn’t shy away from having her enemies walk the plank. She even manages to best the legendary Blackbeard. Peters was known in Hollywood for her refusal to be marketed as a sex symbol. She found the roles of down-to-earth and sometimes unkempt women to be the most interesting and fulfilling ones. “I often think our glamorization of Hollywood stars throws the public off. They don't recognize us as human beings subject to the same discomforts of climate and working conditions as they are. They expect to see that goddess leading a couple of wolfhounds come striding onto the set. Because I like to get away from all that and down to the heart of things I choose such characters as Anne.”