The Spanish Main (1945): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1945, The Spanish Main is a drama, adventure and romance film directed by Frank Borzage, running about 100 minutes. “Loving her . . . taming her . . . called for all his reckless daring!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Laurent van Horn is the leader of a band of Dutch refugees on a ship seeking freedom in the Carolinas, when the ship is wrecked on the coast of Cartagene. governed by Don Juan Alvardo, Spainish ruler. Alvarado has Laurent thrown in prison, but the latter escapes, and five-years later is a pirate leader. He poses as the navigator on a ship in which Contessa Francesca, daughter of a Mexican noble, is traveling on her way to marry Alvarado, whom she has never seen. Laurent's pirates capture the ship and Francesa, in order to save another ship, gives her hand-in-marriage to Laurent, who sails her to the pirate hideout. This irks the jealous Anne Bonney and,also, Captain Benjamin Black, who was already irked, anyway. They overpower Laurent and send Francesa to Alvarado, and then Mario du Billar, trusted right-hand man, makes a deal to deliver Laurent to Alvarado also.

Who’s in it. The Spanish Main stars Paul Henreid as Capt. Laurent Van Horn, Maureen O'Hara as Contessa Francesca, Walter Slezak as Don Juan Alvarado and Binnie Barnes as Anne Bonney, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, The Spanish Main has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Spanish Main page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Spanish Main tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.