Captain Blood (1935)

As a preview for "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) and "The Sea Hawk" (1940), this Errol Flynn actioner is a pretty good one. It's the movie that put the celebrated actor on the map so to speak, and he makes the best of it as the leader of a rag-tag bunch of pirates operating in the Caribbean during the late 1680's. Following a period of slavery for defying King James of England, Captain Peter Blood earns his freedom by throwing in with Spanish pirates during a takeover of the Jamaican city of Port Royal, thereby declaring piracy for his own band of brothers - "We, the hunted, will now hunt!" The supporting cast is a good one as well. Olivia Havilland marks her first of many team-ups with co-star Flynn, generally at odds with the British pirate for most of the story, even though you can sense her attraction to the rogue. It's interesting that their eventual hook up doesn't occur until the virtual end of the story, but the wait turns out to be worth it.Poor Basil Rathbone though. As both pirate rival and partner of Captain Blood, his character Levasseur falls victim to Blood's sword in a duel over the purchase of Lady Arabella's (de Havilland) freedom, after she and Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson) are taken hostage off a British ship. The scene is a preview of their next clash in "The Adventures of Robin Hood", when Rathbone's character in that film also dies at the hands of the titled hero. That may be the reason he went with the Sherlock Holmes films, not too many swords in that series of pictures.The only thing that didn't ring true for me in the story was when Blood's crew challenged his authority to return to Port Royal to take on the British governor of the island, still protected by the British navy. All it takes for the crew to change their mind is for Blood to agree with them!, and they turn on a dime and decide that taking it to the Brits would be the best thing to do! I think Blood could have shown more surprise at that reaction; talk about leading from behind!Granted, this was still an early time in the history of talking movies, but this would have been an excellent candidate for the color treatment. I felt the same way about "The Sea Hawk", which came a couple years after 'Robin Hood', which WAS filmed in color. Had the studios had the benefit of foresight, I think they might have changed their options. All those gnarly pirates battling on the open seas with their sword and cannon would have been quite the impressive sight done up in color, because it was stunning as it was in glorious black and white.

This film tells the story of Dr. Peter Blood, who becomes a pirate after an unfounded accusation of treason to the British Crown. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film has a screenplay by Casey Robinson and stars Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.Its probably one of the best known films of Flynn's meteoric career, who owes part of its fame to swashbuckling films where he played heartthrobs and heroes. Good collaboration with Olivia de Havilland, used to be the damsel in distress, ensured the popularity of the film, which remains very popular today. The story is not bad, although the script, very simple and naive, is not trouble-free. Pirates movies were in fashion, with these maritime outlaws being seen in a romantic and imaginative way.The performance of the two main actors lived up to public expectations, which was greeted with a great job. The rest of the cast did not disappoint, keeping the film quite high level. The very theatrical performances and forced poses were in fashion during this period and should be seen that way. That was how the film was made, and this is part of the charm of this movies. The scenarios are good and try to recreate the seventeenth century ships. The special, visual and sound effects are the state of the art.

Thrilling swashbuckling who launched then unknown Errol Flynn to fame at a great role in which he becomes pirate of the Caribbean . This classic story of romantic adventure by Michael Curtiz , filmed in Hollywood , comes to life enriched by brilliant photography and adapted rightly to the screen . It deals with a doctor named Peter Blood (Errol Flynn , as Robert Donat turned down the role , he had been unable to accept the part) who is imprisoned and exiled into slavery in Port Royal , Jamaica ; there he falls in love for a beautiful young (Olivia De Havilland) and is mistreated by a tyrannical governor (Lionel Atwill) . As the enslaved doctor and his colleagues in chains escape but he is detained , though the timely interruption a Spanish ship turned pirate under the protection of the gold and crimson flag of King Philip of Spain . The Port Royal town is taken , then the pirates land , to loot , pillage and celebrate it . Port Royal was a popular homeport in which many of the crews turned pirate and used the city as their main base during the 17th century against the Spanish treasure fleets . Pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal, coming from waters as far away as Madagascar . Blood and his comrades flee and Peter is forced into piracy . And this Captain Blood began his career of piracy with a ship , a handful of men and a brain ; carving a crimson career , until his name became the terror of the Caribbean , until his name became the pride and toast of every buccaneer of the brotherhood of the coast . As Blood and his crew sailing recklessly through dangerous waters , from the Caribbean islands along Atlantic Ocean today he still lives in hundreds of legends . As he leads his followers against the evil governor but finally earns pardon for his swashbuckling ways . The picture in which Tasmanian-born Flynn -who took the part Robert Donat declined for health reasons- , following just a couple of small Hollywood characters , burst upon the world as a new star . It launched 26-years-old Errol and 19-year-old Olivia De Havilland in perhaps the best pirate tale ever . Love interest De Havilland would go to appear with Errol in 7 more features , such as : The Charge of the Light Brigade , Robin Hood , The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex , The died with the boots on , Santa Fe trail , among others . This lusty pirate drama has plenty of punch and pace , as well as amusement . The action and fencing scenes are choreographed with an unity and surge of which all the best Hollywood filmmakers would have been proud . Combination of overwhelming battle ships , sword-play and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . Exciting script by Casey Robinson who also penned a sequel : The son of captain Blood with Sean Flynn , Errol's son . The picture is fast-moving , exciting and thrilling right up to the almost balletic climatic confrontation between Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone .Intelligently budgeted using miniature sets and ship shots from silents when possible . In fact , no full-sized ships were used in the battle scenes . It was created by a combination of process shots, miniatures, and footage from the silent film , Sea Hawk (1924), which was based on another Rafael Sabatini novel . Very good support cast in this historical/pirate/adventure tale of heroism and swordplay , standing out the followers support actors : Lionel Atwill , Henry Stephenson , Donald Meek ,Robert Barrat , Guy Kibbee , J Carrol Naish , Ross Alexander , Vernon Steele as King James II who was overthrown by Guillermo of Orange (1688) and special mention for Basil Rathbone as Levasseur , though he felt miscast as a French pirate. Evocative cinematography in black and white by Hal Mohr , though also available colorized . First original and impressive musical score by Erich Wolfgang Kongold . He had only three weeks for scoring this picture, he used portions of two tone poems by Franz Liszt for some of the action scenes . Well narrated in pirate fashion , being masterfully directed by Michael Curtiz . Michael worked together Errol a total of 12 times, but Errol Flynn and Michael Curtiz disliked each other intensely . Errol Flynn's son Sean Flynn later played Captain Blood's son Robert Blood in The son of captain Blood (1962) . Rating : 7.5/10 , above average pirate movie , entertaining as well as stirring stuff that provides audience amusement . Enjoyable production packs enough thrills , breathtaking sea battles , tempestuous romance and exciting situations for a good time . It will appeal to Flynn/Havilland fans and pirate movies aficionados .

"Captain Blood" was Flynn's first starring role, and it's also his most exuberant and energetic performance. Despite whatever anxiety he might have suffered offstage -- apparently requiring several scenes to be re- shot -- the end result is one of the most spirited swashbucklers ever made, unsurpassed in almost eighty years.Flynn plays an Irish doctor with a Tasmanian accent who, in 1685, gets caught up in the Glorious Rebellion against James II of England, and carted off to Jamaica as a slave. There he's bought by the lovely Olivia deHavilland, the cruel governor's young niece. Eventually he escapes, with the rest of the slaves -- but not before he and Olivia fall in love.Flynn's life of piracy comes to us mostly via montage, cutting out most of the middle third of Rafael Sabatini's novel. A doomed partnership with Basil Rathbone (sporting a magnificently fake French accent) climaxes with a terrific duel on the beach, and reunites the starcrossed lovers in time for a thunderous sea-battle. A handful of shots of the great sailing ships were lifted from older silent films -- I'd love to see the movies that produced that sort of spectacle!Michael Curtiz began his partnership with Flynn with this movie, and I think the animosity between the two was responsible for much of Flynn's rowdy, passionate screen persona. He preferred working with Raoul Walsh, but their collaborations never came up with anything quite as memorable. Curtiz, as usual, creates a beautiful picture, with terrific sets, expressive shadows, and fluid camera-work -- the style is so perfect that you might not even notice how brilliant it is, because every shot and every scene is so intuitively correct. The music, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, set the high standard for classic Hollywood adventure films that every subsequent composer has tried to live up to.In short, this movie has everything you'd ever want from an old- fashioned action film: romance, heroics, sword fights, pitched battles, humor and villainy.