▁previously ▁had . ▁ ▁" I ▁wanted ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁do ▁a ▁different ▁kind ▁of ▁dan cing ," ▁said ▁Kelly , ▁" a ▁popular ▁style ▁with ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁classic ▁form , ▁ac ro bat ics ▁and ▁athlet ics ." ▁ ▁An ▁asp iring ▁film ▁director , ▁Kelly ▁also ▁worked ▁closely ▁with ▁Minn elli ▁to ▁learn ▁the ▁technical ▁end ▁of ▁film making ▁behind ▁the ▁camera . ▁ ▁Every one ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁film ' s ▁production ▁possessed ▁exempl ary ▁credentials : ▁ ▁Walter ▁S lez ak ▁and ▁Glad ys ▁Cooper ▁were ▁cast , ▁respectively , ▁as ▁Don ▁Pedro ▁and ▁Man uela ' s ▁A unt ▁I nez ; ▁supporting ▁roles ▁were ▁filled ▁with ▁veter an ▁players ▁Regin ald ▁O wen , ▁George ▁Zu cco , ▁Ben ▁Less y , ▁and ▁the ▁ast ounding ▁Nicholas ▁Brothers . ▁ ▁Be hind ▁the ▁scenes ▁were ▁cam er aman ▁Harry ▁Str ad ling ▁and ▁art ▁director ▁Jack ▁Martin ▁Smith . ▁ ▁Princi pal ▁phot ography ▁on ▁The ▁Pir ate ▁began ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁Al most ▁immediately , ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁bes et ▁by ▁problems . ▁ ▁Un h appy ▁with ▁Kay ▁Thompson ' s ▁arrangement ▁of ▁the ▁opening ▁number , ▁" M ack ▁The ▁Black ", ▁Fre ed ▁ordered ▁the ▁song ▁re - record ed ▁and ▁re - shot . ▁ ▁Gar land ▁term ed ▁Thompson ' s ▁treatment ▁of ▁the ▁song , ▁" ins an ity ", ▁and ▁Cole ▁Por ter ▁diplom atically ▁offered ▁that ▁the