So - you are interested in history? And you don't care that Hollywood sometimes isn't "that" true to history? Fine! (otherwise Hollywood films about actual historical events will drive you mad..)
So how about:
SANTA FE TRAIL (1940)
1854 - shortly before the American Civil War. J.E.B. Stuart (Errol Flynn) and his friends (among them Ronald Reagan as George Custer) have to fight against fanatic abolitionist John Brown (Raymond Massey) and their ex-comrade Rader (Van Heflin) - oh, and of course for the love of Kit Carson Holliday (Olivia de Havilland)...
This film takes actual persons and events and puts them in kind of a fictive story - it's a mixture - and please: If you're going to write a dissertation about American History: Don't take this film for all your background information! ... trust me - this would end quite embarrassing for you..
This was the 7th film Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn did together - and of course the premiere was set in Santa Fe.. Miss de Havilland looks unbelievable cute in this film.. and though her part isn't really a challenge for her - she is great.
Again a film directed by Michael Curtiz - much to Errol Flynn's discomfort. Curtiz' aim was to film as realistic as possible - which meant that the safety of the actors wasn't always given. A fact that should finally drive the professional partnership of them both to an end - after 12 films they did together. In Flynn's own words:
"Nothing delighted him [Michael Curtiz] more than real bloodshed."
Again Alan Hale and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams team up for kind of a comic sidekick duo - what I really love.
Van Heflin does quite a good job in this - and in my opinion Raymond Massey gives one of the best performances in this film - if not the best. (well.. yes.. he is one of my favourite actors.. I wonder how you guessed that..) He
reprised his performance of John Brown in SEVEN ANGRY MEN (1955).
So - even if this film is not very adequate when it comes to historical exactness - it's good entertainment. And that's what films should be, shouldn't they? I for one believe that.
I hope you're enjoying the show!
Yours
Irene
