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According to screenwriters [[Ted Elliott]] and [[Terry Rossio]], Sparrow is a [[trickster]] who uses wit and deceit to achieve his goals.<ref name="iconic">{{cite news | title = Pirates Dead Man's Chest: Depp's Iconic Role | publisher = Emanuel Levy | date = 2006 | url = http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=2688 | accessdate=2007-05-31}}</ref> He walks in a slightly [[drunk]]en swagger, accompanied by [[relaxed pronunciation|slurred]] speech and flailing hand gestures.<ref name="writers curse"/> [[Will Turner]] initially believes Sparrow suffers from [[heatstroke]], but notes later that Sparrow often preplans his actions.<ref name="curse"/> Such tactics earned an admiring comment by Lieutenant Groves ([[Greg Ellis (actor)|Greg Ellis]]), who asks [[Cutler Beckett]], "Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"<ref name="world"/>
According to screenwriters [[Ted Elliott]] and [[Terry Rossio]], Sparrow is a [[trickster]] who uses wit and deceit to achieve his goals.<ref name="iconic">{{cite news | title = Pirates Dead Man's Chest: Depp's Iconic Role | publisher = Emanuel Levy | date = 2006 | url = http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=2688 | accessdate=2007-05-31}}</ref> He walks in a slightly [[drunk]]en swagger, accompanied by [[relaxed pronunciation|slurred]] speech and flailing hand gestures.<ref name="writers curse"/> [[Will Turner]] initially believes Sparrow suffers from [[heatstroke]], but notes later that Sparrow often preplans his actions.<ref name="curse"/> Such tactics earned an admiring comment by Lieutenant Groves ([[Greg Ellis (actor)|Greg Ellis]]), who asks [[Cutler Beckett]], "Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"<ref name="world"/>
Sparrow usually prefers non-violent [[negotiation|negotiations]] and turning his enemies against each other.<ref name="chest"/> He will invoke [[parley]] and tempts his enemies away from their murderous mindsets to see the bigger picture, as he does when he persuades [[Hector Barbossa]] to delay returning to mortal form to battle the British [[Royal Navy]].<ref name="curse"/> He often uses a confusing vocabulary to confound his enemies,<ref name="curse"/><ref name="chest"/> and it is suggested that his [[pacifist|pacifisim]] may be one reason Barbossa and the ''Black Pearl'' crew mutineed.<ref name="curse"/> Despite him generally prefering non-violence, he is a magnificient [[sword]]sman and has held his own with the likes of [[Hector Barbossa]], [[James Norrington]], [[Will Turner]], and [[Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)]].
Sparrow usually prefers non-violent [[negotiation|negotiations]] and turning his enemies against each other.<ref name="chest"/> He will invoke [[parley]] and tempts his enemies away from their murderous mindsets to see the bigger picture, as he does when he persuades [[Hector Barbossa]] to delay returning to mortal form to battle the British [[Royal Navy]].<ref name="curse"/> He often uses a confusing vocabulary to confound his enemies,<ref name="curse"/><ref name="chest"/> and it is suggested that his [[pacifist|pacifisim]] may be one reason Barbossa and the ''Black Pearl'' crew mutineed.<ref name="curse"/>


Sparrow seems to have created, or at least contributes to, his own mythic legend. When Gibbs tells Will that Sparrow escaped from a desert island by strapping two [[sea turtles]] together, the captain embellishes the story by claiming the rope was made from hair off his back.<ref name="curse"/> In a script draft of ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'' Will's guide says that he heard Sparrow escaped execution in [[Port Royal]] by grabbing two [[parrots]] and flying away.<ref name="writers chest">{{cite video | people = [[Ted Elliott]], [[Terry Rossio]] | title = Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Audio Commentary | format = [[DVD]] | publisher = [[Buena Vista]] | year = 2006}}</ref> Actor [[Johnny Depp]] compared pirates to rock stars in that their legendary status preceded them, which may help fuel Sparrow's enormous ego.<ref name="iconic"/> When Barbossa accuses Sparrow of being a coward in front of the [[Brethren Court]], he vigorously defends his reputation.<ref name="world"/> Sparrow also insists on being addressed as "Captain" Jack Sparrow<ref name="curse"/> and often gives the farewell, "You will remember this as the day you ''almost'' caught Captain Jack Sparrow," which is sometimes humourously cut off.<ref name="curse"/><ref name="chest"/> When Norrington calls him, "the worst pirate I have ever heard of," Sparrow replies, "But you have heard of me."<ref name="curse"/> In a deleted scene from ''The Curse of the Black Pearl'' Sparrow ponders being "the immortal Captain Jack Sparrow",<ref>{{cite video | title = The Immortal Captain Jack | format = [[DVD]] | publisher = [[Buena Vista]] | year = 2003}}</ref> and during the third film he continues his attempt to achieve immortality, although his father, Captain Teague, warns it can be a terrible curse. Sparrow also ponders being "Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate," as the East India Trading Company purges piracy.<ref name="world"/>
Sparrow seems to have created, or at least contributes to, his own mythic legend. When Gibbs tells Will that Sparrow escaped from a desert island by strapping two [[sea turtles]] together, the captain embellishes the story by claiming the rope was made from hair off his back.<ref name="curse"/> In a script draft of ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'' Will's guide says that he heard Sparrow escaped execution in [[Port Royal]] by grabbing two [[parrots]] and flying away.<ref name="writers chest">{{cite video | people = [[Ted Elliott]], [[Terry Rossio]] | title = Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Audio Commentary | format = [[DVD]] | publisher = [[Buena Vista]] | year = 2006}}</ref> Actor [[Johnny Depp]] compared pirates to rock stars in that their legendary status preceded them, which may help fuel Sparrow's enormous ego.<ref name="iconic"/> When Barbossa accuses Sparrow of being a coward in front of the [[Brethren Court]], he vigorously defends his reputation.<ref name="world"/> Sparrow also insists on being addressed as "Captain" Jack Sparrow<ref name="curse"/> and often gives the farewell, "You will remember this as the day you ''almost'' caught Captain Jack Sparrow," which is sometimes humourously cut off.<ref name="curse"/><ref name="chest"/> When Norrington calls him, "the worst pirate I have ever heard of," Sparrow replies, "But you have heard of me."<ref name="curse"/> In a deleted scene from ''The Curse of the Black Pearl'' Sparrow ponders being "the immortal Captain Jack Sparrow",<ref>{{cite video | title = The Immortal Captain Jack | format = [[DVD]] | publisher = [[Buena Vista]] | year = 2003}}</ref> and during the third film he continues his attempt to achieve immortality, although his father, Captain Teague, warns it can be a terrible curse. Sparrow also ponders being "Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate," as the East India Trading Company purges piracy.<ref name="world"/>

Revision as of 03:26, 24 June 2007

Template:Pirates of the Caribbean character

Jack Sparrow is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe. He was introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and the back-to-back sequels, Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007), where he was played by Johnny Depp. He is the subject of a self-titled children's book series chronicling his adolescent years and was also introduced into the revamped version of theme park ride that inspired the films, both of which began in 2006. He has also appeared in numerous video games.

Sparrow is the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea, and enjoys the freedom of his occupation, drinking rum and seducing women while looking for supernatural treasures. He engages in much dealing and treachery, preferring to use negotiation and wits over weapons to survive. Sparrow is introduced as seeking to regain his ship the Black Pearl from his treacherous first mate Hector Barbossa, and spends much of the sequels trying to escape his blood debt to Davy Jones and battling the East India Trading Company. Despite his rude or cowardly behaviour, he is nonetheless an honorable and likeable character.

Initially Sparrow was conceived in the first film as a trickster who guides the hero Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), but Johnny Depp's performance completely changed that. His eccentric performance, inspired by Pepe LePew and Keith Richards, turned Sparrow into the breakout character and earned Depp's first Academy Award nomination. Sparrow became an iconic anti-hero, and in a case of life-imitates-art, Richards signed on to play the character's father in the third film.

Appearances

Film trilogy

Jack Sparrow first appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), where he arrives in Port Royal in a sinking boat, looking to commandeer a ship. Despite rescuing Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), the daughter of Governor Weatherby (Jonathan Pryce) from drowning, he is jailed for piracy. That night, the ghost ship, the Black Pearl attacks Port Royal and kidnaps Elizabeth, who Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) believes can break an ancient Aztec curse they are under. The pirates are immortal skeletons. Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), a blacksmith who loves Elizabeth, frees Sparrow to help him rescue her. They hijack the HMS Interceptor and acquire a crew in Tortuga before heading to Isla de Muerta, where Elizabeth is being held. They are quickly captured, and Barbossa maroons Sparrow and Elizabeth on a tiny island, the same island Sparrow, the Black Pearl's former captain, was marooned on when Barbossa and the crew mutinied, leaving him a pistol and only one shot. The island was used by rum-runners, which allowed Sparrow to bargain his passage off, although, over the years, a tall tale evolves that he escaped on two sea turtles.[1]

File:Jack Sparrow -5.JPG
Sparrow steps back into the moonlight, revealing his cursed form

Jack and Elizabeth are rescued by the British Royal Navy, and Sparrow makes a deal to deliver them the Black Pearl. During the final battle at Isla de Muerta, Sparrow swipes a cursed coin, making himself immortal, so he can fight Barbossa. He shoots him with the same shot he has carried for ten years just as Will breaks the curse, killing Barbossa. The Royal Navy capture the surviving pirates, including Sparrow, who is later sentenced to death. At his execution in Port Royal, Will saves him, but they are quickly caught. Governor Swann and Commodore Norrington are reluctant to resume the hanging, however. Will is pardoned, while Sparrow escapes by falling off the sea wall. He is rescued by the Black Pearl crew, and he is captain once more. Apparently impressed by the clever pirate, Commodore James Norrington (Jack Davenport) allows him one day's head start before giving chase.[1]

In the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), Sparrow searches for the Dead Man's Chest. Thirteen years prior, Sparrow bartered his soul to the ghostly Captain Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) to raise the sunken Black Pearl and making him captain. Now Sparrow must either serve for 100 years aboard the Flying Dutchman, or be taken by the Kraken to Davy Jones' Locker. Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the East India Trading Company wants to settle his own debt with Sparrow. He forces Will Turner to search for him while Elizabeth Swann is imprisoned. Sparrow wants to find the Dead Man's Chest containing Jones' heart to kill Jones and free himself from his blood debt. Sparrow and his crew hide from the Kraken on Pelegosto where the local cannibals believe he is a god in human form, and must be eaten to release his spirit. Will finds him, and they escape the island. Sparrow soon betrays Will to Davy Jones as part of a new deal to deliver 100 souls in exchange for his own. Sparrow recruits sailors in Tortuga where he unexpectedly encounters an escaped Elizabeth and the disgraced James Norrington. Convincing Elizabeth she can free Will by finding the Chest, they head for Isla Cruces after she uses the compass to pinpoint its location. Will also arrives, having escaped Jones' ship after stealing the key to the Chest. Will wants to stab the heart and free his father from Jones' service, while Norrington hopes to regain his career. Sparrow fears if Jones is dead, the Kraken will continue hunting him. Jones' crew arrives, and during the ensuing battle, Norrington steals the heart and the Letters of Marque that Beckett intended to recruit Jack Sparrow with. Jones summons the Kraken to attack the Black Pearl. Realizing that the Kraken only wants Sparrow, Elizabeth tricks him and chains him to the mast to save herself and the crew; Sparrow and the ship are dragged to Davy Jones' Locker.[2]

File:Jack VS.. The Kraken.JPG
Sparrow faces off against the Kraken just as he is dragged to Davy Jones' Locker

In Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), with Davy Jones' heart now in Beckett's possession, the nine pirate lords of the Brethren Court are summoned to convene at Shipwreck Cove to combat the combined threat of Beckett and Jones. Sparrow, who is the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, must attend, as he never bequeathed his "piece of eight", a pirate lord's identification marker, to an heir. The "pieces" can summon the sea goddess Calypso. A resurrected Barbossa leads Sparrow's crew to Davy Jones' Locker using Chinese pirate Sao Feng's navigational charts. There Sparrow has been hallucinating an entire crew comprised of himself, each representing a different facet of his personality. After the crew finds him, Sparrow deduces from a clue on the charts that they must capsize the Black Pearl to escape the Locker; at sunset, the ship upturns back into the living world. Sparrow and Barbossa arrive at the Brethren Court. Elizabeth, who was traded to Sao Feng, is made a pirate lord by him just before he dies. At the Brethren Court, she is elected "Pirate King" after Sparrow breaks a stalemate (the other lords always voted for themselves). During parley, he is traded for Will, who was captured by Jones and Beckett. The Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman face off in battle during a maelstrom created by Calypso, Sparrow steals Davy Jones' heart to become immortal, but when Jones mortally wounds Will, Sparrow instead helps him stab the heart, killing Jones and making Will the Flying Dutchman's new captain. Together, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman destroy Beckett's ship. Afterwards, Barbossa again commandeers the Black Pearl and strands Sparrow in Tortuga. Fortunately, Sparrow has already removed the middle of Feng's chart, and he sets sail in a small boat, using his compass and the chart to guide him to the Fountain of Youth.[3]

Tie-ins

Jack Sparrow first appeared as a playable character in the 2005 video game Kingdom Hearts II, where he was voiced by James Arnold Taylor in the English version and Hiroaki Hirata in the Japanese version. His role in the game is presumably non-canonical with the rest of Pirates fiction. Sparrow has since appeared in other video games, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow where he was voiced by Johnny Depp, the adaptation of Dead Man's Chest and various game versions of At World's End, where he was voiced by Jared Butler. The character is also set to appear in Pirates of the Caribbean Online, which takes place before the films.

Sparrow's backstory is given in the The Complete Visual Guide that he was born on a ship during a typhoon, and he was trained to fence by an Italian.[4] Rob Kidd wrote an ongoing series of books entitled Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow, following a teenage Sparrow and his crew on the Barnacle as they battle sirens, mermaids and adult pirates while looking for various treasures. The first book, The Coming Storm, was published on June 1 2006. On the website for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, it is explained that Sparrow used to work for the East India Trading Company and captained the Wicked Wench. When he refused to transport slaves, he was branded a pirate and his ship was sunk. Sparrow then commissions Davy Jones to raise his ship, which he rechristened the Black Pearl.[5]

Characterization

"Me? I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly stupid."
— The unpredictable Sparrow betrays Barbossa[1]

According to screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, Sparrow is a trickster who uses wit and deceit to achieve his goals.[6] He walks in a slightly drunken swagger, accompanied by slurred speech and flailing hand gestures.[7] Will Turner initially believes Sparrow suffers from heatstroke, but notes later that Sparrow often preplans his actions.[1] Such tactics earned an admiring comment by Lieutenant Groves (Greg Ellis), who asks Cutler Beckett, "Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"[3] Sparrow usually prefers non-violent negotiations and turning his enemies against each other.[2] He will invoke parley and tempts his enemies away from their murderous mindsets to see the bigger picture, as he does when he persuades Hector Barbossa to delay returning to mortal form to battle the British Royal Navy.[1] He often uses a confusing vocabulary to confound his enemies,[1][2] and it is suggested that his pacifisim may be one reason Barbossa and the Black Pearl crew mutineed.[1]

Sparrow seems to have created, or at least contributes to, his own mythic legend. When Gibbs tells Will that Sparrow escaped from a desert island by strapping two sea turtles together, the captain embellishes the story by claiming the rope was made from hair off his back.[1] In a script draft of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Will's guide says that he heard Sparrow escaped execution in Port Royal by grabbing two parrots and flying away.[8] Actor Johnny Depp compared pirates to rock stars in that their legendary status preceded them, which may help fuel Sparrow's enormous ego.[6] When Barbossa accuses Sparrow of being a coward in front of the Brethren Court, he vigorously defends his reputation.[3] Sparrow also insists on being addressed as "Captain" Jack Sparrow[1] and often gives the farewell, "You will remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow," which is sometimes humourously cut off.[1][2] When Norrington calls him, "the worst pirate I have ever heard of," Sparrow replies, "But you have heard of me."[1] In a deleted scene from The Curse of the Black Pearl Sparrow ponders being "the immortal Captain Jack Sparrow",[9] and during the third film he continues his attempt to achieve immortality, although his father, Captain Teague, warns it can be a terrible curse. Sparrow also ponders being "Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate," as the East India Trading Company purges piracy.[3]

Despite his many heroics, Sparrow is a pirate and a morally ambiguous character.[10] When agreeing to trade 100 souls, including Will, to Davy Jones in exchange for his freedom, Jones asks Sparrow whether he can, "condemn an innocent man — a friend — to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free?" Sparrow merely replies, "Yep! I'm good with it!"[2] He carelessly runs up debts with Anamaria,[1] Davy Jones, and the other pirate lords,[3] and Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat), pirate lord of Singapore, has particularily hateful memories of him.[3] In a moment of cowardice, Sparrow abandons his crew during the Kraken's attack, but underlying loyalty and morality compels him to return and save them.[11] Sparrow claims to be a man of his word,[1] and expresses surprise that people doubt his truthfulness.[2] His morality is revealed in his official backstory in which he refused to transport slaves,[5] nor is there murder or rape on his criminal record.[1][12]

Depp partly based the character on Pepe Le Pew, a womanising skunk from Looney Tunes.[13] Sparrow claims to have a "tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature",[2] although his conquests are often left with a sour memory of him. Former flames, Scarlett and Giselle, usually slap him or anyone looking for him. His witty charm attracts women, and even has Elizabeth Swann questioning her feelings.[2] However, Sparrows says his "first and only love is the sea,"[2], and the Black Pearl represents freedom.[1] Director Gore Verbinski noted phallic connotations in Sparrow's relationship with his vessel,[14] which is described as "the only ship which can outrun the Flying Dutchman".[3] Because he loves the sea, Davy Jones' Locker is a desert to be Sparrow's personal hell.[8] Sparrow also has bad personal hygiene, another Pepe Le Pew trait. Verbinski described Sparrow's breath as "like a donkey's ass",[14] which Sparrow even uses to get Will off his ship by huffing at him.[3] Lastly, Sparrow has an insatiable thirst for rum, which can confuse his magic compass as to what he wants most.[2][3] According to his criminal record on the At World's End website, he even sacked a shipment of rum to quench his thirst.[12]

Concept and creation

Character creation

When writing the screenplay for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio envisioned Jack Sparrow as a supporting character, citing Bugs Bunny and Groucho Marx as influences.[7] The producers also envisioned him as like a young Burt Lancaster.[13] Director Gore Verbinski admitted, "The first film was a movie, and then Jack was put into it almost. He doesn't have the obligations of the plot in the same ways that the other characters have. He meanders his way through and he kind of affects everybody else."[15] Sparrow represents a good pirate, with Captain Barbossa as his foil.[7] Sparrow is a mysterious character, with the question being whether he is a good or bad character, and how it depends on the audience's perspective.[16] This acts as part of Will Turner's (Orlando Bloom) arc, in which he learns a pirate can be a good man, like his father.[7]

Following the success of The Curse of the Black Pearl, the challenge of the sequel was, according to Verbinski, "You don't want just the Jack Sparrow movie. It's like having a garlic milkshake. He's the spice and you need a lot of straight men... Let's not give them too much Jack. It's like too much dessert or too much of a good thing."[15] Although the purpose of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was to keep the plot moving,[17] Sparrow's state of mind being chased by Davy Jones is increasingly edgy, and the writers concocted the cannibal sequence to show Sparrow was safe on neither land nor sea. Sparrow is also perplexed over his attraction to Elizabeth Swann, and is trying to find a justification for it throughout the film.[8]

The purpose of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was to return it tonally to a character piece. Sparrow in particular is tinged with madness after spending extended solitary confinement in Davy Jones' Locker,[17] and he begins to desire immortality.[18] As with all characters in the film, Sparrow struggles with what it takes to be a good person,[10] after his honest streak caused his doom in the second film.[19] By the end of At World's End Sparrow is boating to the Fountain of Youth, an early concept for the second film.[20] Rossio has said they may write the screenplay for a fourth film,[21] and producer Jerry Bruckheimer has expressed interest in a spin-off.[22]

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp was looking to do a family film in 2001, and was visiting Walt Disney Studios when he heard of plans to adapt the Pirates of the Caribbean ride into a film. Depp was excited by the possibility of reviving an old Hollywood genre,[13] and was further delighted that the script met his quirky sensibilities: the crew of the Black Pearl were not trying to find treasure, but were instead trying to return it and lift their curse. In addition, the mutiny had already taken place.[14] Depp was cast on June 10 2002.[23] Producer Jerry Bruckheimer felt Depp was, "an edgy actor who will kind of counter the Disney Country Bears soft quality and tell an audience that an adult and teenager can go see this and have a good time with it."[24]

At the first read-through, Depp surprised the rest of the cast and crew by portraying the character in an off-kilter manner.[25] After researching 18th century pirates, Depp compared them to modern rock stars and decided to base his performance on Keith Richards.[24] Verbinski and Bruckheimer had confidence in Depp, partly because Orlando Bloom would be playing the traditional Errol Flynn-type.[14] Depp also improvised the final line of the film, "Bring me that horizon!", which is the writer's favourite line.[25] Disney executives were confused, asking Depp whether the character was drunk or gay, and Michael Eisner even proclaimed while watching rushes, "He's ruining the film!"[25] Depp answered back, "Look, these are the choices I made. You know my work. So either trust me or give me the boot."[24] Many industry insiders also questioned Depp's casting, as he was an unconventional actor not known for working within the studio system.[26]

Depp's performance was highly acclaimed. Alan Morrison found it, "Gloriously over-the-top... In terms of physical precision and verbal delivery, it's a masterclass in comedy acting."[27] Roger Ebert also found his performance "original in its every atom. There has never been a pirate, or for that matter a human being, like this in any other movie... his behavior shows a lifetime of rehearsal." Ebert praised Depp for also drawing away from the way the character was written.[28] Although he disliked the film, Kenneth Turan enjoyed Depp's performance,[29] but Mark Kermode felt it was some of Depp's "worst work to date... under [director Gore Verbinski]'s slack direction Depp defaults to an untrammelled showiness not seen since the sub-Buster Keaton antics of Benny & Joon."[30] Depp won a Screen Actor's Guild award for his performance, and was also nominated for a Golden Globe[31] and an Academy Award, the first in his career.[32] Ultimately, the film made Depp a movie star as well as a character actor.[33]

An initial costume concept for Jack Sparrow before Depp's ideas took hold

Johnny Depp returned as Jack Sparrow in 2006's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the first time the actor ever made a sequel.[25] Drew McWeeny noted, "Remember how cool Han Solo was in Star Wars the first time you saw it? And then remember how much cooler he seemed when Empire came out? This is that big a jump."[34] Yet, Eric Vespe felt that, "In the first movie he was playing a fool that was hiding a great pirate on the inside and in this one he's a great pirate hiding a cowardly fool."[35] By At World's End Peter Travers felt it proved "there can indeed be too much of a good thing."[36] Nonetheless, Depp received an MTV Movie Award[37] and a Teen Choice Award for Dead Man's Chest, and was also nominated for a Golden Globe.[38] Depp has expressed further interest in portraying Sparrow for a fourth and fifth film, believing he has yet to explore the full potential of the character.[39]

Make-up and costumes

Johnny Depp wore a wig to portray Sparrow's dreadlocks, an aesthetic influenced by Depp's rock n' roll approach to pirates, and also wore a red bandana over it.[40] Sparrow wears numerous objects in his hair, which was influenced by Keith Richards' manner of keeping souvenirs from his travels,[41] which includes Sparrow's "piece of eight".[3] Sparrow wears kohl around his eyes, which was inspired by Depp's study of nomads who he compared to pirates,[42] and Depp also wore contacts that acted as sunglasses.[43] Sparrow has gold teeth, two of which belong to Depp,[44] although they were applied during filming. Depp forgot to have them removed after shooting The Curse of the Black Pearl,[45] and decided to keep them throughout shooting of the sequels.[13] Like all of Depp's performance, Disney initially expressed great concern over Depp's teeth.[8] Sparrow wears his goatee in two braids, and initially wire was used in them, but they were abandoned when they stuck up when Depp laid down.[46] Sparrow also has numerous tattoos,[3] and has been branded a pirate on his right arm by Cutler Beckett,[2] underneath a tattoo of a sparrow.[1]

Depp heavily collaborated with costume designer Penny Rose on the look of the character, handpicking the tricorne as Sparrow's signature leather hat: the other characters in the series could not wear leather hats, to make Sparrow's unique. For the scene when it floats on water in Dead Man's Chest, a rubber version was used.[47] Depp liked to stick to one costume, wearing one lightweight silk tweed coat throughout the series,[48] and he had to be coaxed out of wearing his boots for a version without a sole or heel in beach scenes.[49] None of the costumes from The Curse of the Black Pearl survived: this allowed an opportunity to use tougher linen shirts for stunts,[50] though it was a nightmare for Rose to track down the same makers of Sparrow's sash in Turkey. Rose did not want to silkscreen it, as the homemade piece had the correct worn feel.[51] Sparrow wears an additional belt in the sequels, because Depp liked a new buckle which did not fit with the original piece.[52]

The weapons used by Sparrow are genuine 18th century pieces: his sword dates back to the 1740s, while his pistol dates back from the 1760s. Both were made in London.[53][43] Depp used two pistols on set, one of which was rubber. Both props survived after production of the first film.[54] Sparrow's magic compass also survived into the sequels, though director Gore Verbinski had a red arrow added to the dial as it became a more prominent prop. As it does not act like a normal compass, a magnet was put in for it to spin.[55] Sparrow wears four rings, two of which belong to Depp. Depp bought the green ring in 1989, and the gold ring is a replica of a 2400-year old ring Depp gave to the crew, though the original was later stolen. The other two are props which Depp gave backstories to: the gold-and-black ring is stolen from a Spanish widow Sparrow seduced, and the green dragon ring recalls his adventures in the Far East.[56] Among Depp's additional ideas was the necklace made of human toes that Sparrow wears as the Pelegosto prepare to eat him,[57] and the scepter was based on one a friend of Depp's owned.[58]

During the course of the trilogy, Sparrow undergoes physical transformations. In The Curse of the Black Pearl Sparrow curses himself to battle the undead Barbossa. Like all the actors playing the Black Pearl crew, Depp had to shoot scenes in costume as a reference for the animators, and his shots as a skeleton were shot again without him. Depp reprised the scene again on a motion capture stage.[43] In At World's End, Sparrow hallucinates a version of himself as a member of Davy Jones' crew, adhered to a wall and encrusted with barnacles. Director Gore Verbinski led the design in order to not lose Sparrow's iconic look.[59] Initial designs of Sparrow in this form portrayed him as over 100 years old, before being drawn closer to Depp's appearance.[60]

When Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest grossed over $1 billion worldwide, Ian Nathan attributed this to Sparrow's popularity: "Pirates, the franchise, only had to turn up. There was a powerful holdover from the cheeky delights of its debut, something we hadn't felt since the Clone Wars called it a day."[61] Empire declared Johnny Depp's performance to be the seventy-fourth "thing that rocked our world" in 2006 when celebrating 200 issues.[62] A survey of more than 3,000 people showed Jack Sparrow was the most popular Halloween costume of 2006,[63] and a 2007 poll held by the Internet Movie Database showed Sparrow to be the second most popular live action hero, after Indiana Jones.[64] In a 2007 Pearl & Dean poll, Jack Sparrow is Depp's most popular performance.[65]

Emanuel Levy feels the character is the only iconic film character of the 2000s,[6] while Todd Gilchrist feels Sparrow is the only element of the films that will remain timeless.[66] According to Sharon Eberson, the character's popularity can be attributed to being "scoundrel whose occasional bouts of conscience allow viewers to go with the flaws because, as played to the larger-than-life hilt by Depp, he owns every scene he is in."[67] Film history professor at UCLA Jonathan Kuntz also attributed his popularity to the increased questioning of masculinity in the 21st century, and Sparrow's personality contrasts to previous action-adventure heroes in cinema. Leonard Maltin concurs that Sparrow has a carefree attitude and does not take himself seriously.[68] Mark Fox also noted Sparrow is an escapist fantasy figure for women, free of much of the responsibility from most heroes.[69]

In addition to his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Sparrow was parodied as "Jack Swallows" in Epic Movie (2007), where he was played by Darrell Hammond.[70] Sparrow also cameos in the DC Comics series 52 with a group of time-displaced pirates and robots.[71] In the video game Fable, a tombstone in Lychfield Graveyard reads "Cpt. J. Sparrow. A wind at your back forever, sir".

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Gore Verbinski (director) (2003). Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Walt Disney Pictures. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gore Verbinski (director) (2006). Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Walt Disney Pictures. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gore Verbinski (director) (2007). Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Walt Disney Pictures. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  4. ^ Richard Platt (2007). Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide. Dorling Kindersley. pp. 12–15. ISBN 0756626765. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b "Black Pearl 101". Walt Disney Pictures. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  6. ^ a b c "Pirates Dead Man's Chest: Depp's Iconic Role". Emanuel Levy. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  7. ^ a b c d Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, Jay Wolpert (2003). Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: Audio Commentary. Buena Vista. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio (2006). Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Audio Commentary. Buena Vista. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  9. ^ The Immortal Captain Jack. Buena Vista. 2003. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ a b "Success Can Be a Tough Taskmaster". Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest comic book adaptation, Disney Adventures, 2006
  12. ^ a b ""Port Royal"". Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Official Website. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  13. ^ a b c d Sean Smith (2006-06-26). "A Pirate's Life". Newsweek. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp (2003). Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Audio Commentary. Buena Vista. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  15. ^ a b Jeff Otto (2006-06-28). "IGN Interviews Gore Verbinski". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Shipload of Characters Both New and Familiar". Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ a b Ian Nathan (2007-04-27). "Pirates 3". Empire. pp. 88–92. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "Characters (video)". Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Official site. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  19. ^ "Chapter 3 - Revealing the True Nature of all the Characters". Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Charting the Return. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  21. ^ "Exclusive interview: Terry Rossio". Moviehole. 2007-02-12. Retrieved 2007-02-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Might Be a Spin-Off". USA Today. 2007-05-10. Retrieved 2007-05-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Greg Dean Schmitz. "Greg's Previews - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  24. ^ a b c Stax (2003-06-25). "Depp & Bruckheimer Talk Pirates". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ a b c d Ian Nathan (2006-07-01). "Pirates of the Caribbean 2". Empire. pp. 66–69. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Chris Nashawaty. "Box Office Buccaneer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  27. ^ Alan Morrison. "Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl". Empire. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  28. ^ Roger Ebert (2003-07-09). "Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ Kenneth Turan. "'Pirates of the Caribbean'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  30. ^ Mark Kermode (2006-07-09). "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest". The Observer. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Awards". All Movie Guide. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  32. ^ "Pirates World's End: Johnny Depp's Farewell?". Emanuel Levy. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  33. ^ Neil Miller (2007-05-29). "The Ten Most Powerful Movie Franchises in History". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ Drew McWeeny (2006-06-25). "Moriarty Reviews PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2: DEAD MAN'S CHEST!!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2007-05-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ Eric Vespe (2006-07-03). "Quint, The Crusty Seaman, scrapes the barnacles off of the DEAD MAN'S CHEST!!!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Peter Travers (2007-05-22). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-05-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ MTV (2007-06-04). "The MTV Movie Awards Winners!". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-06-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "Awards for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
  39. ^ John Hiscock (2007-05-21). "'I'm not finished with Jack Sparrow'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-06-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ Jack's Scarf And Wig. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  41. ^ Jack's Dingles. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  42. ^ Jack's Eye Make-Up. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  43. ^ a b c An Epic At Sea: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Buena Vista. 2003. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  44. ^ Jack's Teeth/Johnny's Teeth. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  45. ^ "Depp's Golden Teeth". Internet Movie Database. 2003-06-23. Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  46. ^ Jack's Beard. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  47. ^ Jack's Hat. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  48. ^ Jack's Pirate Coat. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  49. ^ Jack's Boots. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  50. ^ Jack's Shirt. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  51. ^ Jack's Sash. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  52. ^ Jack's Belt. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  53. ^ Jack's Sword. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  54. ^ Jack's Pistol. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  55. ^ Jack's Compass. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  56. ^ Jack's Rings. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  57. ^ Jack's Cannibal Toe Necklace. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  58. ^ Jack's Cannibal Scepter. Buena Vista. 2006. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  59. ^ Scott Collura, Eric Moro (2007-05-29). "Designing At World's End". IGN. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  60. ^ Drew McWeeny (2007-04-27). "AICN EXCLUSIVE! PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3 New Crew Member Designs!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  61. ^ Ian Nathan (2006-10-27). "How Pirates' feckless hero won over the fans before he even showed up". Empire. p. 176. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  62. ^ "200 things that rocked our world". Empire. 2006-01-02. p. 118. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  63. ^ "Captain Jack Sparrow top pick for 2006 Most Popular Halloween Costume". Extreme Halloween Network. 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  64. ^ "From this list of live-action heroes, who is your favorite?". Internet Movie Database. 2007-06-03. Retrieved 2007-06-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  65. ^ "Johnny Depp's great Captain role". People. 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2007-06-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  66. ^ Todd Gilchrist (2007-05-24). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  67. ^ Sharon Eberson (2007-05-24). "Jack Sparrow joins a unique line of iconic characters". Post Gazette. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  68. ^ Sandy Cohen (2007-05-24). "Depp's Sparrow smashes cinematic pirate mold". Pantagraph. Retrieved 2007-06-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  69. ^ Mark Fox (2007-05-24). "Besting Jack Sparrow". Crave Online. Retrieved 2007-06-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  70. ^ Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer (directors) (2007). Epic Movie. Regency Enterprises. {{cite AV media}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  71. ^ Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid (w). 52, no. 24 (2006-10-18). DC Comics.
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