When Jack saves Elizabeth from drowning, why is the Governor's first reaction to have Jack shot before he even discovers he's a pirate? He didn't know Jack was a pirate because he's shocked a moment later when Norrington reveals Jack is a pirate. [Jack's just stripped Elizabeth down to her underdress and, while Swann may not know that he's a pirate, it's pretty easy to tell that Jack's not exactly the sort of person who should be stripping governor's daughters. Swann's over-protectiveness and sense of social outrage might be a bit extreme, but given that he's just seen his daughter fall from a high cliff, nearly drown, then be dragged from the sea by a ruffian, a degree of over-reaction isn't entirely unreasonable.] Answered by TailkinkerPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - 58 questions
Directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Jack Davenport, Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Crook, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Jonathan Pryce
The "questions" section is for any random questions that occurred to you while watching this film, or anything you didn't entirely understand, and which Google or the IMDb can't help with. Submit them as a question, and hopefully someone will answer (the bold comments in brackets) - check back regularly. If the answer is wrong, or missing information, please use the "clarify answer" option. Don't feel limited - want to know what music played in a certain scene? Whether this was the first film to use a certain effect? Here's the place to ask!
When Jack saves Elizabeth from drowning, why is the Governor's first reaction to have Jack shot before he even discovers he's a pirate? He didn't know Jack was a pirate because he's shocked a moment later when Norrington reveals Jack is a pirate. [Jack's just stripped Elizabeth down to her underdress and, while Swann may not know that he's a pirate, it's pretty easy to tell that Jack's not exactly the sort of person who should be stripping governor's daughters. Swann's over-protectiveness and sense of social outrage might be a bit extreme, but given that he's just seen his daughter fall from a high cliff, nearly drown, then be dragged from the sea by a ruffian, a degree of over-reaction isn't entirely unreasonable.] Answered by Tailkinker In the scene in the forge where Will and Jack are fighting, Jack asks "Do you think this wise, boy? Crossing blades with a pirate?" Then Will says "You threatened Miss Swann" I never got this, Jack says something after this, I have watched that three second bit over and over and I still don't know what he says, can anyone straighten this out for me? [He says "Only a little".] Answered by Tailkinker In the scene where Jack is getting shot at by British soldiers, there's a shot of him running and waving his hands around in front of him. I keep thinking that he's "deflecting" the bullets with his hands, but I know that's not possible. So, what exactly was jack doing? [He's not doing anything except running. Jack Sparrow (as Johnny Depp has created him) has rather exaggerated and somewhat effeminate physical movements, including staggering when walking and flailing his hands about, especially when running. He does the same thing while being chased by cannibals in "Dead Man's Chest."] Answered by raywest What is the "3rd" or "Lost" disc that I've seen mentioned? I have the 2-disc edition. How do you get the 3rd disc? [It was released as part of a three-disc edition. As far as I know, there's no way to get it without simply buying the three-disc version, which is probably not worth doing if you already own the two-disc edition.] Answered by Tailkinker I'm curious to know: Jack was the captain of the Pearl when they found the island with the Aztecs gold. In another post it was stated that Jack, as the Captain, would recieve 2/3 of the loot. So why didn't Jack take a piece of the gold along with the other pirates? [Because they threw a mutiny and marooned Jack on an island so he was not there to take a piece of gold.] Am I just imagining or does Jack exclaim 'Ouch' when he and Elizabeth are singing and dancing around the fire while they are marooned on the island? [Yes, he does. He probably stepped on some sea-shells.] Answered by Nelleke Rietvink What music is played in the scene of Norrington's promotion ceremony, where he receives the sword from governor Swann? [It's an instrumental version of the song Rule Britannia.] Answered by Tailkinker Why was the original composer Alan Silvestri fired? [On 1/21/05 in "Battling Monsters with Alan Silvestri" an interview by Ron Goldwasser, Mr. Silvestri explains that he was hired by Gore Verbinski for the Jerry Bruckheimer film and in the end, "I think Jerry was much more comfortable working in a way that he had worked historically, with people he had worked with historically, and it seemed the best idea for us to part our ways." He further stated it was just not the right chemistry but the parting was not acrimonious. Full interview can be found at: http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=137.] Answered by OneHappyHusky How long has Jack Sparrow been under the curse? That's the one thing I don't understand. [For about two minutes. In the last showdown in the cave he sneaks a coin out of the chest when nobody is looking, because he knows he will have to fight Barbossa, and the only way he can stand a chance is to be as invulnerable as him. It is therefore necessary for Jack to be cursed and an undead while the fight is going on.] Answered by Twotall I have read all the trivia for this movie and everyone is talking about "that's from the Disney ride" can someone please explain this to me? I don't understand at all. [There is a Disney ride in FL, and I believe CA as well, that is called Pirates of the Caribbean. There are some scenes from the movie that are modelled after parts of the ride.] Where in the film does Jack give the blood sacrifice that the cursed pirates have to give? [Immediately after we see Will running for the chest, Jack slashes his sword across the palm of the hand that's holding the 'coin', then throws the blood-smeared 'coin' up to Will.] Answered by Tailkinker Does anyone know what the music is called that is used in the blooper reel on the second disc of the DVD? [The makers did not give it a name.] My question is related to the end of the movie after Jack has escaped. Governor Swann says "Perhaps on the rare occasion that the right course demands an act of piracy; piracy itself can be the right course." What does he mean? Is he referring to something else in the movie? [He is saying that sometimes you have to break the law to do good things. By this he acknowledges that pirates can be decent people as well, and that this can earn them a second chance. What he is specifically referencing is the crimes Jack and Will committed to rescue Elizabeth and destroy Barbossa.] Answered by Twotall What species of monkey is Jack, the monkey Barbossa owns? [Jack the monkey is a Cabochon monkey, and is played by a female named Tara and a male named Levy.] Answered by Rikki When the pirates have Will in the cave and are just about to lift the curse, why does Jack stop them and make them go out and fight when they can't die? Isn't he on the 'good' team? [Jack sends them out into combat so that, when Will lifts the curse, they'll be unprepared for it and almost totally at the mercy of Norrington's men. Had he let them continue lifting the curse on their terms, they'd be aware of their new mortality and would be more prepared for a possible battle on leaving the caves. Plus, of course, Will would be dead, which Jack would prefer to avoid.] Answered by Tailkinker
There's something I don't understand: To lift the curse, the pirates need the blood of every person who took the gold. In the end they had the blood of every pirate and of Jack. But what about Will who had to make the blood sacrifice instead of his father? He never cut himself. [Yes he did - the cut is visible on the palm of his hand as he drops the last medallions into the chest.] Answered by Tailkinker In the cave when Barbossa is about to kill Will and Jack stops it, Will says: "You've been planning this from the beginning" Has he? Or is this all an elaborate ruse to double cross the pirates? Are they working together both in the scheme or not? [It seems reasonably clear from the look that Jack gives Will as he says "Wait to lift the curse... until the opportune moment" that he's planning the double-cross at that point, with the aim of getting the majority of the pirates out of the cave and into a place where they'll be left at a massive disadvantage once the curse lifts. Will's not really in on the plan, but he seems to get what Jack's up to and plays along, hence the "you've been planning this from the beginning" stuff.] Answered by Tailkinker There are numerous mentions of the fact that Depp based his performance as Jack Sparrow on Keith Richards. But I'm sure I saw an interview/making-of programme where he said that Jack Sparrow was a combination of two real-life 'characters'; one was Keith Richards, and try as I might, I can't remember the other one. Did anyone else see this? Who was the other inspiration for Jack Sparrow? (It may have been another actor e.g. Orlando Bloom talking *about* Johnny Depp's influences etc.). [On Disc 3, Johnny explains, "Take something as solid as Keith Richards and combine it with Pepé Le Pew... I felt... he would resemble a modern day Rastafarian..." Pepé Le Pew is a Looney Tunes cartoon character, based on Charles Boyer's romantic character, Pepé Le Moko. Pepé Le Pew, however, is a romantic amorous cartoon skunk and he has a huge flaw - his 'odor', which he emits in a grand way.] Answered by Rikki What is the music in the trailer for the film called? [It was taken from various sources, most notably the films Backdraft and Drop Zone (music by Hans Zimmer) and Danny Elfman's score for Planet of the Apes. There's also a piece of music used called "Voices of War" by X-Ray Dog.] Answered by Tailkinker Does anyone know where I can get the plans for the Black Pearl? If not, maybe the HMS Dauntless? And what is the status of those ships? (i.e. blown up, put away, etc.). [Neither ship existed - they were both shells, built over large barges. The only real ship was the Interceptor, in reality named the Lady Washington, and even that was modified for the film.] Answered by Tailkinker