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Captain Blood | Year: 1935 Actors/Actresses: - Errol Flynn - Olivia de Havilland - Lionel Atwill Great Saturday Afternoon Fare Captain Blood is the kind of movie that I like to pop in the VCR on a Saturday afternoon when I need a couple of hours of down time. Errol Flynn stars as Peter Blood, a doctor wrongly imprisoned who turns to piracy in the seventeenth century. Flynn was the perfect actor for a role like this, because he had the athleticism and charisma to make this character come alive, and he manages to deliver some "goofy" dialogue without making it sound "goofy". Olivia deHavilland plays his love interest (as she often did), and she's well cast as the proper, yet spunky young lady. It's hard to imagine a couple of actors more suited for each other. Physically, they look incredible together, and the chemistry between them is obvious. Their youth and energy keep the film moving, as do the well-directed action sequences, the rousing musical score, and the playful humour. There are a lot of familiar character actors in the cast, including the always great Basil Rathbone. Captain Blood is the kind of movie you don't get tired of watching, because it entertains every time. The quintessential swashbuckler movie This film marked the beginning of Errol Flynn becoming Warner Brothers' cash cow numero uno and it is easy to see why. This handsome devil from Tasmania burst onto the movie scene like a supernova in his first leading film role with devastating good looks, brash confidence, and youthful vitality which was showcased to utmost effect in one of his best performances. With sheer personality and charisma, Flynn epitomizes Peter Blood, the wronged doctor who is sold into slavery and escapes to become a pirate, with many an adventure along the way. Olivia de Havilland is perfectly cast as Flynn's leading lady, a pairing which displayed such magnificent chemistry between the two that they were later to be cast together many times. Thus it is fitting that their first film should be the memorable "Captain Blood." In it the lightly experienced, teenage de Havilland gives a remarkable performance and displays startling maturity mixed with ladylike spunk in her portrayal of the ravishing Arabella Bishop, the young woman who goes from owning Peter Blood to being owned by him! Just think but for fate this magical screen duo almost never happened--Robert Donat and Jean Muir were slated as the leads, but Donat dropped out at the last minute (due to illness, a financial dispute with Warner's, not wanting to leave England/a lover--the story varies). The role was offered next to Clark Gable then Leslie Howard but thankfully they both turned it down. George Brent was tested but he looked too much like a girl in the pageboy hairdo of Peter Blood's character. Then Flynn was tested and the rest, as they say, is history. As for Jean Juir, during testing she and Flynn did not get along so Warner's decided to dump her and find a new leading lady who would sizzle with Flynn and enter Olivia de Havilland. Michael Curtiz did a masterful job in directing what was truly a breakthrough film for him. Although he had directed dozens of movies before, none had reached this level of success. The rest of the cast, most notably Lionel Atwill as Arabella's cruel uncle and Basil Rathbone as the amorous pirate Levasseur, are flawless. So if you want to watch a perfectly crafted though seemingly effortless adventure romp with lots of derring-do, this romantic swashbuckler should be at the top of your list! Simon Davis Now that I have read Simon Davis' review, I dont have to watch the film? Actually , I have seen the film a few times..and I can only add that Lionel Atwill pouts as well as any actor I have seen and Mr Rathbone begins his legacy as one of the great screen villians CP Buy Captain Blood at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Captain Blood Search with the Priority Search Engine on Captain Blood This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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