Exhibiting his trademark bravado and finesse, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. portrays the titular buccaneer, the lone survivor of a pirate attack that killed his father. Naturally, the valorous swashbuckler vows vengeance. Sword in hand, he infiltrates the lair of the villainous high-seas marauders, single-handedly captures one of their merchant vessels and scores the hat trick with the requisite rescue of a damsel in distress (Billie Dove).