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The Golden Hawk
The Golden Hawk
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sidney Salkow
Written by	Frank Yerby; Robert E. Kent
Based on	The Golden Hawk; by Frank Yerby
Produced by	Sam Katzman
Starring	Rhonda Fleming; Sterling Hayden ; John Sutton
Cinematography	William V. Skall
Edited by	Edwin Bryant
Music by	Mischa Bakaleinikoff
Production; company	Esskay Pictures
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	October 17, 1952;
Running time	83 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Golden Hawk is a 1952 American historical adventure film in Technicolor directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Rhonda Fleming, Sterling Hayden and John Sutton.^[1] It is based on the 1948 novel of the same name by Frank Yerby.^[2]^[3]

Plot

During the 17th century a French sea captain, Kit 'The Hawk' Gerardo is on Basse-Terre Island with a crew but no ship. He duels the captain the ship Sea Flower, and commandeers his ship. His objective is to capture a far larger 60-gun ship under command of a Spanish pirate, Luis del Toro, partly for loot but also believing him responsible for the death of Kit's mother, Jeanne Buoyant.

A female pirate who calls herself Captain Rouge disguises herself as a Dutch maid in order to board a vessel. The Hawk lends her his flintlock pistol with which to defend herself in her cabin at night, resulting in her shooting and wounding Kit when he attempts to make romantic advances. Rouge escapes through the window and swims to an island.

After several battles against Spanish ships Kit takes captive a mother and daughter, Bianca, who says she is betrothed to del Toro, and begins another love affair. He demands 10,000 pieces of gold for her safe return. Del Toro pays, then surrounds Kit with three of his ships to take it back. Kit floats a raft of gunpowder out to the ships in the night and blows one up. Nevertheless when he tries to escape he is captured.

Rouge wants half the loot for herself. In a raid of Jamaica on orders of the king, Kit discovers that the property once belonged to Rouge, who is a British subject, Lady Jane Golfin, trying to retrieve the riches that have been illegally taken from her family.

Kit breaks into the Spanish fortress to blow it up, hoping for the help of Bianca who resides there, but he is captured. Del Toro reveals to Bianca that he is Kit's son and the death of his mother was an accident.

Kit ends up tried, convicted and sentenced to hang. Rouge materialises and confronts Bianca. Rouge disguises herself as a man and cons her way into Kit's prison cell. Meanwhile the Sea Flower and multiple French men o'war make an attack on the fortress. Kit finds the gunpowder store and blows up the fortress. Del Toro is taken prisoner and father and son are reunited. Kit also decides it is Rouge that he loves.

Cast

Sterling Hayden as Kit 'The Hawk' Gerardo
Rhonda Fleming as Captain Rouge
Helena Carter as Blanca de Valdiva
John Sutton as Captain Luis del Toro
Paul Cavanagh as Jeremy Smithers
Michael Ansara as Bernardo Díaz
Raymond Hatton as Barnaby Stoll
Alex Montoya as Homado
Poppy del Vando as Doña Elena
Albert Pollet as Governor Ducasse
David Bond as Prosecutor
Donna Martell as Emilie Savonez
Mary Munday as Maria
Franklyn Farnum as Spanish Tribunal Judge
Tommy Farrell as Spanish Captain
Stanley Blystone as Pirate Lookout
Suzanne Ridgway as Native Girl
Amapola Del Vando as Senora del Toro

Production

Frank Yerby's novel was published in 1948.^[4] The book was a best seller, selling 1,863,000 copies.^[5] In 1951 it was announced Sterling Hayden and Rhonda Fleming would star in a film version.^[6] Helena Carter played the second female lead.^[7]

References

^ "The Golden Hawk". NY Times. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
^ The Golden Hawk at the TCM Movie Database
^ "Of Local Origin". New York Times. October 17, 1952. p. 33.
^ Watson, Wilbur (May 2, 1948). "Balloon Prose: The Golden Hawk. By Frank Yerby. 346 pp. New York: The Dial Press. $3". New York Times. p. 226.
^ "magazine of BOOKS: Two Best Sellers of 1948 Now Past Million Mark Hansen, Harry". Chicago Daily Tribune. December 19, 1948. p. e8.
^ "FILMLAND BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. September 18, 1951. p. B7.
^ Vagg, Stephen (February 14, 2020). "Helena Carter: An Appreciation". Filmink.