The Caribbean sea is a bustling trade route for ships flying all flags - including those who fly the Jolly Roger! Such is the case with the dreaded ship the Sheba Queen, commanded by the mysterious Captain Providence, and is the scourge of the seas. One day as yet another ship is conquered by the Sheba Queen, a prisoner is discovered aboard the beaten ship. He is Pierre LaRochelle (Louis Jourdan) who claims he's a captive and enemy of the British, and so he meets with Captain Providence (Jean Peters) and is shocked to discover the dreaded pirate is a woman! Providence takes a liking to LaRochelle and allows him to join her crew, against the better judgment of her mates. Even Blackbeard, who is Providence's fatherly friend, warns her he doesn't believe LaRochelle's story. Providence soon falls in love with the smooth-talking LaRochelle and he promises a future together in Paris to be funded by a fabulous treasure for which he has a map. However, when Providence allows LaRochelle to go ashore, he is secretly followed by some of her crew who do not trust him. They learn that LaRochelle is a spy, and he aims to deliver the Sheba Queen to the British, and even worse, he is married (to the beautiful Debra Paget)! Accepting the crushing realization she's fallen into a trap, Providence quickly escapes and is hellbent on revenge. She kidnaps LaRochelle's wife and sets out to sell Mrs LaRochelle on the slave-market! Pierre, desperate to save his wife, accepts a letter of marque as a British privateer and sets sail to after the Sheba Queen...

What could have easily turned into a silly and forgettable film is expertly crafted into a very strong character study helmed by talented filmmaker Jacques Tourneur. Jean Peters does a phenomenal job as the tough-as-nails lady pirate who secretly does have a woman's heart buried very deep down inside. Central to this film is the impossibility for Anne to form her own identity as a woman - she has been sculpted by Blackbeard in the male-dominated world of pirates and forced to make her existence there. When Anne falls in love for the first time, she is totally unable to comprehend or express the feelings she's experiencing. A lifetime of tough living among cutthroats has made vulnerability completely alien to her. She almost ridicules herself for her love, a new experience, and her own humiliation is exceptionally well acted by Jean Peters as she has to admit to herself she has been betrayed. This betrayal completely destroys her still under-construction feminine identity, and she is forced to confront her own weakness which she has always tried to hide behind her sword. Peters is ably assisted by a superlative cast, including Herbert Marshall playing the only really sympathetic character. James Robertson Justice shines as the right-hand man. Thomas Gomez, always good in anything, is suitably menacing as Blackbeard, and Louis Jourdan is so cool and collected, so at home in this role, he almost blended into the background - which might be a sign of his great talent