Pirate films have crossed all genres, from adventure, romance, and drama to science fiction, musical, and comedy. Despite the fact that the silver-screen versions of pirates have been greatly exaggerated from their historical originals, they've been some of the most memorable characters of all time. The list of actors who've portrayed pirates reads like a Who's Who list of Hollywood's Golden Age, including Charles Laughton, Errol Flynn, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Tyrone Power, Robert Newton, Peter Ustinov, Fredric March, Yul Brynner, Randolph Scott, Robert Shaw, and Burt Lancaster.

Many classic pirate films such as The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, Peter Pan, and Treasure Island were based on novels. Others are an amalgam of literature and fantasy that alternately personify pirates as either romantic heroes or mischievous peglegged devils of the sea. No matter the pirate captain, his crew, his vessel, or his adventure, one thing is for certain when it comes to piratical cinema — there's always a swashbuckling tale and there's always a hapless heroine who can't help but fall in love with a dastardly black-hearted seafarer.