Let's watch.. ..Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn did about 12 films with director Michael Curtiz – of whom he was no big fan. Nevertheless it’s great to watch the films they did together

- and one of them I am about to present:

THE SEA HAWK (1940)

1586. The king of Spain (Montagu Love – again in a royal part..) dreams of conquering the world (Does any other person like that living in 1940 come to your mind?? Yeah.. You got it!) and sends his attaché Don José Alvarez de Cordoba (Claude Rains – magnificent – do I have to tell you that?) to the court of Queen Elizabeth I. (the marvellous Flora Robson – also not her first time in a royal part..) where Lord Wolfingham (Henry Daniell) is more than avid to join any intrigue. With Don José travel his niece Maria (Brenda Marshall – one of the most beautiful women Errol Flynn ever worked with..) and her maid Miss Latham (also a classic cast: Una O’Connor).

In the English Channel their ship is captured by Captain Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn –honestly, who did you expect??) and his crew (incl. the wonderful Alan Hale) who are in service to Queen Elizabeth. Of course Maria and Captain Thorpe don’t get along too well – in the beginning..

"They say that Elizabeth surrounds herself with beauty in the hope that it may be contagious."

Please watch out for Donald Crisp as Sir John Burleson – how could I write about this film without mentioning him?

For this is a Michael Curtiz film you’ll see some really beautiful "shadow shots"

– which inter alia make the scene in which Captain Thorpe returns with his men to an apparently left ship to one of the creepiest scenes I ever saw in a swashbuckler.. If you listen with open ears you will clearly notice that this film is also political – actually I think it’s hard to not notice it..

Speaking of listening: again the score is delivered by the great Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Though the film was actually a black and white movie it later was digitally colorized - I only know the b/w version - so I can't tell you anything about the "new look"..

What I always find hard to believe is that Errol Flynn’s character is supposed to be shy towards women.. … yeah.. sure...

Just for fun:

This picture was taken during the filming of THE SEA HAWK at Errol Flynn’s ranch – the puppy is one of the first litter of Rhodesian Lion Hounds ever to be born in the USA.

I hope you're enjoying the show!

Yours

Irene