I'm probably going about this in reverse direction, this is the first sword wielding epic of Errol Flynn I've been able to watch. As such, I can't make the comparison against the athleticism and youthful enthusiasm of his earlier films as others on this forum have competently done. For me, the adventure played out decently enough, as Flynn's character Jamie Durie needed a cat's nine lives worth of luck to make it through the picture. He always appeared to bounce back after being shot, stabbed, or sworded, and rebounded just as mightily from the travails of his lost loves in the picture. Would that his personal life had gone as smoothly.
Roger Livesey's Colonel Burke was the surprise of the movie with his scene stealing manner and discourse. Without the accent he would have made a great sidekick in Flynn's Western films. Following an introduction that might have come to blows, Burke proves to be a loyal accomplice to Durie's schemes, whether escaping from the British or hijacking a pirate ship.
Warner Brothers' Technicolor format holds up quite well today and has that vivid look and feel of early color films, even though some of the renditions look a bit out of place. It reminded me of theater experiences back in the Fifties and early Sixties when most TV shows were still being done in black and white.
On the strength of this film, I'm encouraged to seek out Errol Flynn's earlier swashbuckling efforts, most notably "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "Captain Blood". Approaching fifty years since the actor's death, Flynn's personal legacy remains one of the most mysterious and convoluted histories that Hollywood has to offer.
Roger Livesey's Colonel Burke was the surprise of the movie with his scene stealing manner and discourse. Without the accent he would have made a great sidekick in Flynn's Western films. Following an introduction that might have come to blows, Burke proves to be a loyal accomplice to Durie's schemes, whether escaping from the British or hijacking a pirate ship.
Warner Brothers' Technicolor format holds up quite well today and has that vivid look and feel of early color films, even though some of the renditions look a bit out of place. It reminded me of theater experiences back in the Fifties and early Sixties when most TV shows were still being done in black and white.
On the strength of this film, I'm encouraged to seek out Errol Flynn's earlier swashbuckling efforts, most notably "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "Captain Blood". Approaching fifty years since the actor's death, Flynn's personal legacy remains one of the most mysterious and convoluted histories that Hollywood has to offer.