WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!

At the end of the War of 1812, pirate Jean Lafitte (Paul Henreid) argues

with the American authorities. In exchange for his help during the war,

Lafitte has been granted a pardon for piracy, but Governor Clayborn

refuses to honor their agreement to return Lafitte’s ships which he wants

in order to start a legitimate shipping business. Lafitte suspects that the

Spanish authorities, represented by George Mareval (Edgar Barrier), are

pressuring the Americans to keep his ships in order to stifle competition.

So instead, Lafitte makes an agreement with the Venezuelan Consul to

attack the ships of their enemy Spain and share the booty with them. As

he cannot attack Spanish ships and stay in America (which is neutral),

Lafitte plans to establish a community at Galveston Island which is under

Mexican control, from where he can control his operations. As he has no

ships, Lafitte summons members of his crew, and under the cover of a

party in his honor, they sneak away and steal a Spanish ship, the Infanta.

Mareval puts a price of $20,000 on Lafitte’s head. Before he leaves,

Mareval’s niece and Lafitte’s sweetheart Belle Summers (Karin Booth)

promises to join Lafitte at Galveston as soon as he sends word to her.

They agree that Jacques Sauvinet (Jean Del Val) with contact her with a

message.

At Galveston Island, Lafitte and his men defeat the local Indians. They

establish a thriving community with farms to grow food for their needs.

They successfully attack Spanish ships and the community grows rich from

the spoils. Meanwhile, Swallow (Mary Anderson), a farmworker whose

father works with Lafitte, is also in love with Lafitte. Lafitte allows her to

choose a piece of jewelry from “The Tombs,” a cave under the fortress

where they have stashed all the riches from the ships they have captured.

Lafitte shows her the mechanism that will trigger a rockslide to bury all

the treasure in case they are attacked.

Meanwhile, the Spanish are Governor Clayborn to arrest

Lafitte, but he refuses, saying that unless Lafitte attacks American ships,

they must remain neutral. Governor Clayborn approaches Belle saying

that Lafitte has been accused of attacking the American ship, the

Westerly, but Belle defends him. Clayborn suggests that she spy for them

to help establish Lafitte’s innocence, and she agrees.

Belle goes to meet Lafitte at Galveston, where they plan to marry

immediately. She looks for proof of Lafitte’s innocence, but instead finds

evidence that there is American cargo in The Tombs. Swallow is jealous of

Belle, and suspects that she is up to something. She warns Lafitte, but he

will hear nothing against Belle. When Swallow confronts Belle, Belle

explains the situation, and Swallow tells her that Lafitte did not attack

the Westerly, but instead it was attacked by one of the crew who defied

Lafitte’s orders.

Belle finds out that the American Army is planning an attack and warns

Lafitte. The American Army breaches Lafitte’s defences. Mareval finds

Belle, unaware that Lafitte is hiding nearby, and forces her to take him to

The Tombs. Lafitte chases after them and has a duel with Mareval, easily

defeating him. The roof of the Tomb collapses, burying Mareval, although

Lafitte escapes. Lafitte, Belle and the crew retreat from Galveston to

start a new life.