think casting Lucy Lawless as a British doctor in the 17th century might take the movie less of an adventure romp and more of a science fiction piece.

She doesn't have to be a doctor. Doctors daughter?

A doctor's daughter who is convicted of treason and transported for treating survivors of the Monmouth Rebellion. And who eventually redeems herself as a privateer and is made the Governor of Port Royal.

I still think it's a tough sell.

I still think it's a tough sell.

Better to just go make a movie about La Maupin.

Swordfighting, crossdressing and opera. Plus convents.

A doctor's daughter who is convicted of treason and transported for treating survivors of the Monmouth Rebellion.

So far not less plausible than the original CB.

And who eventually redeems herself as a privateer and is made the Governor of Port Royal.

You don't have to stick that closely to the original story. Think of a happy fate that is somewhat plausible. Maybe her opponent ends up tongueless and paralyzed and is appointed governor. She is married to him, props him up in an attic, rules in his name and keeps her true love as a lover. I'll bet someone who spends more than 30 seconds I spared it can come up with something better.

Gerard Butler feels too bulky for me. I think someone with the profile of Rodrigo Santoro would suit the part better. Light on his feet and with the sardonic good looks necessary for a pirate.

I think someone with the profile of Rodrigo Santoro would suit the part better. Light on his feet and with the sardonic good looks necessary for a pirate.

Rodrigo...

::thuds::

James MacAvoy?

We just watched about 65 pirate movies, and one was a Captain Blood that I believe pre-dated the Flynn one. Not sure the actor's name, but he resembled Betty Crocker for most of the movie.

ETA: J. Warren Kerrigan, and the movie was from 1924.

Make Captain Blood a woman, and Lucy Lawless could totally play her

This would be my Traveller character, Madame Blood. Except she was played by Jane Seymour in my head.

Hmm...I will have to ponder this. The fact that my son calls himself Captain Blug when dressed as a pirate is causing some cognitive casting problems.

Seymour could work. I think there are more women actors who fit the Errol Flynn role around than men. It is not just a matter of being charming and athletic. Errol Flynn made it looked easy, like playing a role was, well, play for him. Incidentally, for those who doubt you could Captain Blood as a woman, I've posted an outline in FanFiction of how the 1935 movie could have been done that way in an alternate universe where Errol Flynn was Erin Flynn.

Typo Boy "Buffista Fic 2: They Said It Couldn't Be Done." Dec 3, 2008 7:48:43 pm PST

So far not less plausible than the original CB.

I think we will have to disagree on that. I feel obliged to note that the original source is the novel, not either of the movies.

It's not a matter of doubting one could do it. But it creates problems that hurt the story without any clear benefit that I can see. The story matters more to me than the casting. Change it so it's not historical, and that goes away. I'm not kidding about the sci-fi thing: set it in the future and put them on spaceships, or make it a fantasy and put them on dragons. Or, as Hec suggested, do a different story about a woman if that's the primary goal.

So far not less plausible than the original CB.

I think it would work if she had nursing skills (which explains why she assists the Monmouthians) and if her father is removed from the scene very quickly. Death would do. Maybe the soldiers kill him during the arrest.

Or, she's an innkeeper. Some of the rebels take shelter at her inn, and she doesn't know they're rebels. In this scenario, she's more independent, which makes her rise as a privateer a little more plausible.