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Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

1951
Romance, Drama
2h 4m
Albert Lewin's interpretation of the legend of the Flying Dutchman. In a little spanish seaport named Esperanza, during the 30s, appears Hendrick van der Zee, the mysterious captain of a yacht (he is the only one aboard). Pandora is a beautiful woman (who men kill and die for). She's never really fallen in love with any man, but she feels very attracted by Hendrick... (imdb)
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Pandora and the Flying Dutchman

1951
Romance, Drama
2h 4m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 57.06% from 170 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(170)
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Rated 23 Nov 2009
40
13th
Silly, ridiculous dialogue. Ava Gardner is indeed one of the most breathtakingly beautiful women ever, but the Pandora character was loathsome and cold. Also fairly psychotic. Didn't care about the supposedly passionate and destined romance - they spent so much time talking like bad Shakespeare.
Rated 23 Jan 2012
80
91st
Weird and kinda wonderful, though prone to some long-ass speechifying, it's balanced by a heartfelt James Mason performance and the ravishing Ava Gardner, as well as some peculiarities in how the actors are arranged within the shot.
Rated 02 Mar 2008
51
21st
# 977
Rated 19 Dec 2008
54
8th
929
Rated 27 Sep 2010
62
37th
The script is obtuse and pretentious - but there are nuggets of goodness that only Mason's masterful acting and Jack Cardiff's cinematography can seem to reveal. Gardner seemed to have no direction, and the other actors seem to be hamming it, because most of it is odd. On a side, I now know where Coppola's Dracula weirdness came from. Dracula is the Flying Dutchman!
Rated 11 Oct 2010
4
6th
Overly dramatic, implausible story -The various characters are not likeable or believable. Of merit was the way the dialogue of the locals was not subtitled or spoken in accented English and the shots of Tossa were great.
Rated 17 Dec 2011
100
95th
watched: 2011, 2013
Rated 07 Sep 2018
41
4th
I am about ready to give watching the "greats" from the 50s, they are just so talky and boring as fuck. The only reason this gets some score from me is the visuals/scenery are actually quite decent and Gardner is certainly not hard to look at.
Rated 26 Apr 2020
75
83rd
I'm a sucker for star-crossed lovers, cursed romances, melodrama, coastal settings, and flawed characters so this really fit the bill. The characterizations were strange at first until we get to the exposition of The Flying Dutchman. Pandora was really unlikeable but that worked in her favor when she became very devoted. Time jump worked well to raise the stakes. Someone please make a good reincarnated lovers movie! Fav scene: talking on the beach about what they're each willing to give up.
Rated 26 Oct 2020
50
14th
This looks great, but after the gypsy dance at the beginning, this thing was as cold and lifeless as Pandora's netted body. So many long scenes of pure exposition--this might actually be something if they cut 90% of the dialogue and went for a purely visual presentation.
Rated 07 Mar 2023
6
86th
basically a very good archers movie complete with jack cardiff at the peak of his powers... but more steeped in the weirder, dreamier silents! mentaculus rightfully mentions coppola's dracula, and i think it anticipates everything from ruiz to maddin to querelle as well.
Rated 27 Mar 2023
70
96th
Ava Gardner amazing in a film that's too intelligent for its own good. So much romantic danger brewing, but no storm. Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) is certainly a fascinating piece. Cold and destructive in warm beautiful color.
Rated 07 Jan 2024
60
35th
The good: a "timeless" melodramatic romantic story. The great: the colorful scenery plus Gardner's costumes and whispering voice. The not-so-great: The innumerable voice-overs and almost criminally-used Mason who has to stand (or lie down) stock still at least a half-dozen times. It was a good movie but it sure did feel extra long. Fav moment: the maid giving up and having the coffee.
Rated 07 Feb 2024
82
79th
I really enjoyed this. I can see some of the criticisms people are bringing up, but I thought it really committed to an atmosphere and tone and delivered on it thanks to pitch perfect casting with both Mason and Gardner. Mason has exactly the right gravitas to make the somewhat overcooked dialogue work. Normally I'm skeptical of over-narration, but it works in this picture. A first rate production. Poetic, almost mystic at times, and Gardner is impossibly beautiful even by her standards.

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