Sail the high seas at Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center

PLYMOUTH — Travel back to the time of sailing ships and piracy on the high seas as shown in a classic movie released almost a century ago with a screening at Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center on Thursday, July 17, at 7 p.m.

Live music for the sea-going tale will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

“The Sea Hawk” (1924) is an American silent adventure film about an English nobleman sold into slavery who escapes and turns himself into a pirate king. Directed by Frank Lloyd, the screen adaptation was written by J. G. Hawks based upon a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini.

“The Sea Hawk” boasts an all-star silent era cast that includes Milton Sills, Enid Bennett, Wallace Beery, Lloyd Hughes, and George Bancroft.

The swashbuckler was a big-budget extravaganza produced by First National Studios, a predecessor of Warner Bros.

Director Lloyd recognized that moviegoers of 1924 wouldn’t accept miniature models, and so instructed that full-sized ships be created for use in the film at the then-enormous cost of $200,000. This was done by outfitting the wooden exteriors of existing craft to the design of Fred Gabourie, known for his work in constructing props used in Buster Keaton films.

For more about the music, visit jeffrapsis.com. For more information, visit flyingmonkeynh.com.