Editing Captain Blood (1935 film) (section)

==Plot==
In England in 1685, Irish doctor Peter Blood is summoned to aid Lord Gildoy, a wounded patron who participated in the [[Monmouth Rebellion]]. Arrested while performing [[Hippocratic Oath|his duties as a physician]], he is convicted of [[treason]] against [[James II of England|King James II]] and sentenced to death by the infamous [[George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys|Judge Jeffreys]]. By the whim of the king, upon his advisor Lord Sunderland's counsel, Blood and the surviving rebels are transported to the West Indies to be sold into slavery.

In [[Port Royal]], Blood is bought by Arabella Bishop, the beautiful niece of local military commander Colonel Bishop. Attracted by Blood's rebellious nature, Arabella tries to improve his situation by recommending him as the physician to the colony's governor, Steed, who continually suffers from painful [[gout]]. Outwardly resentful toward Arabella, yet silently appreciative for her efforts on his behalf, Blood develops an escape plan for himself and his fellow prisoners. The plan is almost uncovered by the suspicious Colonel Bishop, who has one of Blood's men, Jeremy Pitt, flogged and interrogated. Blood is spared a similar fate when a Spanish [[Man-of-war|man-o'-war]] attacks Port Royal. During the raid, Blood and his fellow prisoners seize the Spanish ship from its drunken night watch and sail away to begin lives of [[piracy]] in 1687.

Captain Blood's crew quickly achieve great fame among the [[buccaneer]]s of the [[Brethren of the Coast|Brotherhood of the Coast]], with Blood himself deemed the greatest captain of the coast. When Governor Steed is unable to contain the pirate menace, Colonel Bishop is appointed governor. He sends Arabella to England on an extended holiday, but three years later, she returns to the Caribbean. Her ship, also carrying royal emissary Lord Willoughby, is captured by Blood's treacherous partner, the French buccaneer Captain Levasseur, who plans to hold them for [[ransom]]. Blood forces Levasseur to sell them to him, relishing the opportunity to turn the tables on Arabella. When Levasseur vehemently objects, despite having accepted Blood's payment, the two pirate captains duel, with Blood killing Levasseur. Blood offers Arabella valuable jewelry from his conquests as a sign of his love for her. Ungrateful for her "rescue," Arabella is indignant at having been purchased by Blood and calls him a thief and a pirate. Although angered by her rejection, he orders his men to set sail for Port Royal, where he will deliver Arabella and Lord Willoughby, despite the danger to himself and his crew.

As they approach Port Royal, they sight two French warships attacking the city; Bishop has left it undefended in his single-minded pursuit of Blood. With England now at war with France, Lord Willoughby pleads with Blood to save the colony, but the captain and his crew refuse to fight for the corrupt king. Willoughby reveals that James was [[Glorious Revolution|kicked out of England and fled to France]] and is in hiding; England's new king, [[William III of England|William III]], has sent Willoughby to offer Blood and his men full pardons and commissions in the [[Royal Navy]]. This startling news quickly changes the pirates' minds, and they prepare for battle with the French.

After having had Arabella ferried ashore, Blood and his men approach Port Royal flying [[French ensigns|French colors]], but soon that ensign is replaced with the British [[Union Jack]]. A pitched ship-to-ship battle ensues, leading to frenzied hand-to-hand deck combat. Blood and his men defeat the French frigates, saving the colony, but not before losing their ship in the battle. As a reward for his daring action, Blood is appointed the new governor of Port Royal by Lord Willoughby, after which Arabella confesses that she loves him. Blood also has the pleasure of dealing with his hostile predecessor, having now returned from his pirate hunt and under arrest for [[dereliction of duty|abandoning his post]] in a time of war. As Arabella playfully pleads with the new governor to spare her uncle's life, Blood finally reveals his face to the astonished Bishop, greeting him with the phrase "Good morning, Uncle".