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Features earol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland, even Basil Rathbone makes an appearance. Herbert Marshall introduces the program as Cecil B DeMill is absent, making a film.
The drama opens with 5 accused pirates all claiming their guilt except for one. He is found guilty by his association with the others though. Since the hanging of pirates has been done away with, the group are sent to the Colonies to be sold into slavery. The man proclaiming innocence, and with a sassy mouth is Peter Blood, Earol Flynn. At the chopping block, Anabella, played by Olivia DeHavilland, buys Peter Blood. He is especially valuable because of his medical training. Though she is sweet on him, and doing him favors, and giving him special treatment, Peter is sassy and resentful. She can’t understand, but Peter holds a dislike over the experience of being sold. Will he come to love her, or will his status as her property be a road block for him?
Suddenly the settlement is under attack, and is saved by a rogue ship. The governor is surprised to learn that Peter Blood had escaped with a crew of fellow slaves, and ran that rogue ship which saved the day. The crew demands freedom and sail away on the renamed ship, Arabella.
Peter is now Captain Blood, and due to his rogue nature, the ship can’t legally sail into English ports, so the crew turn to piracy. The captain proves to be well liked, at least by his pirate crew, although he draws the line at mistreating women and taking them captive. He even seems to have made some alliances, and has grown a small fleet of pirate ships.
Returning from a trip to England, the ship that Arabella is sailing on is overrun by pirates, and when the booty, and prisoners are brought before Peter Blood, he has the chance to turn the tables and now buys his former slave owners as his property, including the lovely Arabella. Interesting. Now let’s see who is resentful. Will Peter be as protective of Arabella as she was of him? Will she be as resentful at becoming the property of another?
The romantic tension has Arabella’s emotions angry at her treatment, but she softens a bit when she learns from a fellow captive that she and the prisoners are to be taken back to Port Royal, their home settlement. During the passing of time, the pirates haven’t heard the news from England. They are at war with France, and French ships hold the settlement under siege. Peter Blood scoffs at the extended honor by the official that he kidnapped from his recent plundering to fight for king and country. The kicker for him is to know that another king now reigns over England, not the same one who sold him into slavery. Also, he and his crew are offered pardon and the chance to honorably return to citizenship.
The captive official is a man in authority, and when he finds the settlement has been abandoned, and in danger by the French, he isn’t too happy. He fires the old governor since he left the place unguarded while he went chasing after pirates.
Peter Blood is made governor, and gets some friendly revenge on his predecessor, . Not to mention that with all the difference in social status torn down, and now on equal footing, Peter and Arabella can openly express their love for each other.
A classic swashbuckling good romance.
