We got the WTFMARSROVER Transformer preview when we saw PotC, too. All I could do was snicker and mutter to The Boy, "You know, they *are* more than meets the eye." I heard someone behind me laugh when I said that.

Kate, the whole letters of marque plotline was basically lifted straight out of Casablanca -- the letters of transit that would allow 2 people safe passage out of Casablanca -- kind of a Get Out of Jail Free type thing -- in PotC, the letters were essentially meant to guarantee a commission in the Royal [military of some sort -- I don't have a bloody clue if it was Navy (which would make sense, huh?), or what] for the holder of the letters. They were intended for Jack, which would more or less be a *punishment* for him, to have to serve in the Royal [military]; Norrington, however, wanted the letters and the subsequent commission *because* he was a military dude and was all disgraced and shit, and even if he had to steal the letters and the still-beating heart of a fucked-up octopus-faced sea captain in order to get that commission, well, it still would have restored some of his honor (at least in his eyes, as of this movie; we'll see if it holds true in the third one).

To sum up: Casablanca. With pirates. And rum.

We'll always have the Black Pearl.

The pirates wore grey, you wore blue.

Oh, wait. I got it a little screwy. The letters of marque weren't a military commission; they were, essentially, just like in Casablanca, a guarantee of safe passage, of a sort -- that the holder of said letters would not be arrested. Where the military commission part comes in is that, in exchange for the letters of marque, Jack would have to accept a military commission, which, like I said in the previous post, would be like punishment for him.

And Norrington went after the letters for essentially the same reasons, except that a military commission would be not a punishment for him, but a reward, in his eyes. I'm assuming that he needed/wanted the letters b/c they would boost his cred with the Crown? Not sure on that.

Anyway, play it again, Davy Jones. (Which I realize is not *actually* the line that's in Casablanca, but since it's so associated with the movie, and since it fits so well with squidface, I'm standing by the misquote.)

A letter of marque is basically permission for a private citizen to capture people and/or goods of another country. In other words, a privateer. Similar to a pirate, but sanctioned by the government.

Having a letter of marque makes you a privateer. You're a pirate with diplomatic ties to a country (basically, you don't attack that country's ships, and you do attack their enemies). It's more like being a hired mercenary than joining the Navy, although still not something Jack would be into.

Edit: ...Or what everyone already said.

That's what I want. A letter of marque. A privateer's life for me.

What do you do with a scurvy privateer?

I want a letter of Mark. Maybe the M. It's a very slashy letter. Good for murder. I could do with the k too, though.

Just got back from seeing PotC2. Short form opinion is as follows:

I liked large parts of it, but the story needed to be tightened up by a good twenty percent at least. Losing some of the cool effects shots and trimming some of the exquisitely choreographed action sequences would have helped with that considerably. One should not be thinking "enough already!" during a scene that would otherwise have one on the edge of one's seat. When it comes to the glitz of effects and action, I'd rather have just a few truly memorable sequences that leave me wanting a little bit more.