Rock Hudson stars as Captain Lightfoot, an 19th century adventurer described by everyone who's ever seen this film as an "Irish Robin Hood". Rebelling against British rule, Hudson causes all sorts of trouble up and down the Auld Sod, usually in the form of well-planned robberies, with the spoils divided amongst the Irish peasantry. Barbara Rush plays the daughter of rebel leader Jeff Morrow--a spunky colleen who spars with and embraces the Captain between holdups. As always, director Douglas Sirk brings out the best in Rock Hudson, allowing him to go from masked-highwayman activities to his "civilian" pose as a clergyman with utter conviction--and all this without relying on a stage Irish brogue. Though it wasn't evident at the time (certainly not to the critics), the 1973 Clint Eastwood modern-day crime caper Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was an unofficial remake of Captain Lightfoot, right down to the character names.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide