In 1941, James Stewart became the first major actor to enlist in the military for World War II. When he returned after the war, he brought something with him.
Pirate movies first emerged during silent era, and they've been Hollywood mainstays ever since. As these films prove, swashbuckling never goes out of style.
Say what you will about the overall quality of the movie, but at least there are scores of people who spend lots of time trying to get the science right.