The movie Captain from Castile, released in 1947 and directed by Henry King, is a historical adventure epic set in the early 16th century. The story follows the journey of Pedro De Vargas, a young nobleman from Castile who is forced to flee his homeland after a heated confrontation with the sadistic officer of the Inquisition, De Silva.
Pedro, along with his loyal friend Juan Garcia and servant girl Catana, joins the expedition led by the ambitious and ruthless conquistador Hernan Cortez to explore the uncharted territories of Mexico. Despite encountering several challenges along the way, including encountering hostile tribes, facing betrayal within their own ranks and executing missions to gain strategic advantages, Cortez and his army finally arrive in the powerful Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.
With an army of just 500 men, outnumbered by the overwhelming Aztec forces, Cortez takes a bold decision to switch from exploration to conquest and overthrow the powerful Aztec empire, led by the fierce ruler Montezuma. Pedro soon realizes that his own fate and that of his companions is inexplicably tied to the ambition of Cortez.
As the conquerors lead a series of brutal wars against the Aztecs, Pedro gets caught up in a romantic relationship with the beautiful and spirited Catana, even as he struggles to confront his own demons and deadly enemy De Silva, who is intent on pursuing him to the ends of the earth.
The movie is a sweeping adventure tale that combines historical accuracy, epic battles, romance, and betrayal, and was a critical and commercial success at the time of its release. The lead actors, veteran screen star Tyrone Power and newcomer Jean Peters, were praised for their performances, and the film was nominated for two Academy Awards.