▁star red ▁Alfred ▁L unt ▁and ▁Lyn n ▁Font anne . ▁Open ing ▁at ▁the ▁Martin ▁Beck ▁Theatre ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁The ▁Pir ate ▁played ▁for ▁ 1 7 6 ▁performances ▁before ▁the ▁screen ▁rights ▁were ▁purchased ▁by ▁Metro - G old w yn - M ayer ▁for ▁$ 2 2 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁L un ts ▁themselves ▁expressed ▁interest ▁in ▁bringing ▁the ▁story ▁to ▁the ▁screen , ▁M GM ▁en vision ed ▁the ▁property ▁as ▁a ▁comedy ▁for ▁William ▁Pow ell ▁and ▁either ▁My r na ▁Lo y ▁or ▁H edy ▁Lam arr . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years , ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁half - do zen ▁scen ar ists , ▁produ cers , ▁and ▁direct ors ▁worked ▁on ▁ideas ▁for ▁developing ▁the ▁property . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁play ' s ▁original ▁scen ic ▁designer , ▁Lem uel ▁Ay ers , ▁who ▁suggested ▁to ▁M GM ' s ▁pre em inent ▁musical ▁producer ▁Arthur ▁Fre ed ▁that ▁The ▁Pir ate ▁would ▁make ▁an ▁effective ▁musical . ▁ ▁Fre ed ▁presented ▁the ▁idea ▁to ▁Jud y ▁Gar land , ▁his ▁top ▁musical ▁star , ▁and ▁her ▁husband , ▁director ▁Vincent e ▁Minn elli . ▁ ▁Gar land ▁was ▁then ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁her ▁box - office ▁stat ure ▁in ▁Hollywood , ▁and ▁Minn elli ▁was ▁the ▁logical ▁choice ▁as ▁director , ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁successfully ▁hel med ▁most ▁of ▁her ▁recent ▁mov ies ▁( Me