Le Avventure di Mary Read (1961 Italy)

Mary sizes up her victim Swashbuckling adventure film about Mary Read. She was a highway robber in England until she got caught and imprisoned. She later served with a pirate crew, eventually leading them as their captain.

Early in her career, she notices a rich woman passenger when a stage coach stops at an inn for refreshments. She entices a well dressed man into a barn -- as he thinks for a passionate few minutes.


Mary tries to escape after being discovered as the thief In fact she overpowers him and puts on his clothes. Luckily he was wearing a wig -- we briefly see him tied up and wigless. In the picture, a patrol has stopped the coach, and Mary has tried to make a run for it. Quite a transformation, I think.

There is no other cross-dressing; when she is a pirate she is 100% female.

The film was released in English as Hell Below Deck (not "decks") and Queen of the Seas.

HF February 2006


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