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Moonfleet was directed by the estimable Fritz Lang, and almost any Lang film is worth watching. Moonfleet is no exception, although it definitely ranks as one of the director's middling works, more than satisfactory but less than stellar. There are several reasons that it falls a little short, one of them being that it was Lang's first foray into the land of Cinemascope, a process about which he famously said was fit only "for snakes and funerals." Lang clearly is not enamored of the widescreen, although he deserves credit for finding effective ways to fill the vastness of the screen. In addition, budgetary restrictions caused the film to be shot in Eastmancolor rather than Technicolor, and the results are less vivid and somewhat muddier than could be desired. Finally, there are problems with the screenplay, which is neither as sharp nor as plausible as it should be and which can't escape comparisons to Treasure Island. But even with these hurdles, Lang creates a film that is fairly lively and mostly enjoyable, a ripping schoolboy yarn that adults can enjoy as well. He also gets a very impressive performance out of Stewart Granger, who did not always allow his swash to buckle as realistically as it does here. Jon Whiteley is a perfect delight, and George Sanders and Joan Greenwood are deliciously decadent. There's also an unforgettable Liliane Montevecchi, whose gypsy dance is sensational. Moonfleet may fall a little short, but it's still good rainy-day fun.