Synopsis for
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)

** CONTAINS SPOILERS

In Spain, 1930, beautiful PANDORA REYNOLDS, an American chanteuse, drives every man to distraction. They fall in love with her, yet few can possess her. One such suitor, REGGIE, actually falls over dead in frustration. Pandora is staying with her scholarly uncle, GEOFFREY. Eventually, Pandora agrees to marry race-car driver STEPHEN, whom she asks to prove his love by making him push his beloved race car off a cliff.

But Pandora later spots a mysterious yacht at sea. She tosses off her clothing and swims to it, finding a solitary man on board, HENDRICK van der ZEE, a Dutchman, who's currently painting a portrait of the legendary Pandora. The real Pandora sees that she looks exactly the same. Clearly attracted to the melancholy, handsome Hendrick, Pandora makes a dinner date with him.

Later, Geoffrey asks Hendrick to translate a Dutch legend, which turns out to be the legend of The Flying Dutchman, and we see it acted out, with Hendrick as the classic character. Convinced his wife Pandora has been unfaithful, he stabs her, realizing later that she hadn't been unfaithful at all. He is cursed to sail his ship alone forever, unable to die, the curse unending until he finds a woman whose love is strong enough to die for him. Pandora walks in as Hendrick finishes the translation, and she senses something is wrong with the deeply conflicted Hendrick.

And indeed, we learn that Hendrick is the fabled Flying Dutchman, and he believes that Pandora is the reincarnation of his beloved. Meanwhile, Pandora's other suitor, JUAN MATALVO, a famous matador, returns to town, not happy that Pandora is engaged. Later, he sees Pandora kissing Hendrick, and he burns with jealousy.

Hendrick is now certain he's found his lost love, but when Pandora tells him that she would give up her life for him, Hendrick intentionally angers her, sending her away in tears, realizing that he loves her too much for her to spare her life. Meanwhile, matador Juan Mantalvo wants Pandora to marry him, not racecar driver Stephen.

Juan Mantalvo sneaks up on Hendrick one night, stabbing him, watching him fall to the floor, hoping that with Hendrick out of the way, Pandora will give up Stephen and marry him instead. But Hendrick cannot be killed, given the curse, and he gets up after Mantalvo leaves.

At the big bullfight, Mantalvo performs with his usual skills. When he sees Hendrick taking a seat in the grandstands, however, Mantalvo-believing he has seen a ghost-is distracted long enough for the bull to gore him before the horrified crowd. He later dies, after telling Pandora the truth.

Hendrick returns to his ship, but Pandora, realizing the truth, swims out and joins him. The two realize how fate has intended them for each other, and Pandora frees him from the curse by telling him she would die for him. But a terrible storm comes up, wrecking the ship, and the two lovers-Pandora and the Flying Dutchman-are found dead on the beach in each other's arms.