The Pirate Movie is an imaginative blend of the world of Gilbert and Sullivan and today's world of popular music. The timeless operetta, The Pirates of Penzance is neatly updated to explore the wishes and hopes of a very modern young lady. Mabel (Kirsty McNichol), an akward and shy teenager, fantasizes romance and adventure after meeting Frederic (Christopher Atkins), a debonair young man dressed as a pirate at an exhibit in the amusement park. The movie retains six songs from the original operetta, while a host of new numbers, despite their rock 'n' roll beat, manage to stay very much with the spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan.