The Pirates of Capri (1949)

Disciples of "B"-picture stylist Edgar Ulmer will not be disappointed with Pirates of Capri. Lensed in Italy, the film stars Louis Hayward as swashbuckling Captain Sirocco. Posing as a foppish nobleman by day, Sirocco tirelessly works on behalf of a group of insurgents bent on deposing the wicked Queen Carolina (Binnie Barnes, endearingly miscast). Every so often, the Captain pauses to romance Countess Mercedes (Mariella Lotti), whose character name was evidently lifted from The Count of Monte Cristo. The musical score is by Nino Rota, better known for his work on the Godfather films. As in his other films, the resourceful Edgar Ulmer works miracles with a skintight budget.