Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy musical

The Pirates of Penzance (1983): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

The Pirates of Penzance (1983) movie poster

The Pirates of Penzance is a 1983 comedy musical directed by Wilford Leach, starring Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt. It runs 1 hour 52 minutes and earned $694,497 worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes 1984. Critics gave it 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.

IMDb rating
7.1/10
worldwide gross
$694.5K
award nomination
1
Metascore
66
Loading streaming availability…
The Pirates of Penzance (1983) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 52m (112 min)
Director
Wilford Leach
Genres
Comedy , Romance , Musical
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Pirates of Penzance About?

The premise of The Pirates of Penzance without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A young pirate, Frederic, is bound by a peculiar upbringing tied to his birthday, which unexpectedly keeps him in a state of perpetual adolescence. He yearns to leave his pirate life and pursue his love for Mabel. However, his plans are complicated by the schemes of the Pirate King and the interference of a formidable guardian, leading to humorous situations involving love, loyalty, and the eccentricities of pirate society.

The Pirates of Penzance Themes & Keywords

· 28 tags
  • camp
  • bare chested male
  • indenture
  • pirate ship
  • apprenticeship
  • ships cook
  • hairy chested male
  • leap year
  • castle
  • dog
  • police
  • theater
+16 more
  • orchestra conductor
  • reference to queen victoria
  • reference to marriage
  • begins with an overture
  • scene during opening credits
  • operetta musical
  • daughter
  • young
  • band
  • man
  • pirate
  • gilbert and sullivan
  • filmed opera
  • family relationships
  • orphan
  • based on play
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

The Pirates of Penzance Cast

Angela Lansbury leads the cast, with Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt. Directed by Wilford Leach; 10 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

The Pirates of Penzance Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Pirates of Penzance 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.

Plot

The Pirates of Penzance Plot Summary

What happens in The Pirates of Penzance from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a delightful twist of fate, the youthful Frederic was supposed to be trained by a pilot but ended up under the care of Ruth, a well-intentioned nursemaid whose hearing difficulties led her to mistakenly assign him to the care of the Pirate King. Now on the brink of adulthood, Frederic faces a significant dilemma: his period of service is over, and he must choose whether to leave his life of piracy behind or embrace a future filled with thrilling swashbuckling adventures. Meanwhile, Ruth’s heartfelt pleas for companionship seem to fall upon deaf ears as Frederic finds himself captivated by the enchanting Mabel, one of Major-General Stanley’s lovely daughters.

Full summary

The whole story of The Pirates of Penzance, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Pirates of Penzance Box Office

The Pirates of Penzance grossed $694,497 worldwide.

1983 box office

Worldwide gross

$694.5K

US & Canada
$694.5K
Awards

The Pirates of Penzance Awards & Nominations

The Pirates of Penzance earned 1 award nomination, including Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes 1984.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

The Pirates of Penzance Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Pirates of Penzance.

The Pirates of Penzance (1983) Official Trailer - Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury Musical HD
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Pirates of Penzance?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who was responsible for Frederic's upbringing?

Cars

Cars in The Pirates of Penzance

8 cars on screen, including the Honda CX 650 Turbo and the unknown.

All 8 cars
  • Honda CX 650 Turbo in The Pirates of Penzance Honda CX 650 Turbo Important role
  • unknown in The Pirates of Penzance unknown Important role
  • unknown in The Pirates of Penzance unknown Important role
  • unknown in The Pirates of Penzance unknown Important role
Details

The Pirates of Penzance Also Known As

6 alternative titles, including “The Slave of Duty” and “I pirati di Penzance”.

Also known as
  • The Slave of Duty
  • I pirati di Penzance
  • Пираты Пензенса
  • 펜잔스의 해적
  • 彭赞斯的海盗
  • Os Piratas de Penzance

Seen The Pirates of Penzance?

FAQ

The Pirates of Penzance FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Pirates of Penzance, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Pirates of Penzance?

The Pirates of Penzance runs 1 hour 52 minutes (112 minutes).

When was The Pirates of Penzance released?

The Pirates of Penzance was released on February 18, 1983.

Who directed The Pirates of Penzance?

The Pirates of Penzance was directed by Wilford Leach.

Who is in the cast of The Pirates of Penzance?

The Pirates of Penzance stars Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline and Linda Ronstadt, among 10 credited actors.

How much did The Pirates of Penzance make at the box office?

The Pirates of Penzance grossed $694,497 worldwide.

How is The Pirates of Penzance rated?

The Pirates of Penzance has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 66 on Metacritic and 57% on TMDB.

Was The Pirates of Penzance nominated for any awards?

The Pirates of Penzance received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does The Pirates of Penzance have a post-credit scene?

No. The Pirates of Penzance has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app