Captain Blood

Plot synopsis:
In 17th-century England, Irish doctor Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) is summoned to aid Lord Gildoy, a wounded patron who participated in the Monmouth Rebellion. Arrested while performing his duties as a physician, he is convicted of treason against the King and sentenced to death by the infamous Judge Jeffreys. By the whim of King James II, who sees an opportunity for profit, Blood and the surviving rebels are transported to the West Indies to be sold into slavery.
In Port Royal, Blood is purchased by Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland), the beautiful niece of local military commander Colonel Bishop (Lionel Atwill). Attracted by Blood's rebellious nature, Arabella does her best to improve his situation by recommending him as the personal physician of the colony's governor, who suffers from painful gout. Outwardly resentful towards Arabella, yet silently appreciative for her efforts on his behalf, Blood develops an escape plan for himself and his fellow slaves. The plan is almost uncovered by the suspicious Colonel Bishop, who has one of Blood's men flogged and interrogated. Blood is spared a similar fate when a Spanish man-o-war attacks Port Royal. During the raid, Blood and his fellow slaves seize the Spanish ship from its drunken night watch, and sail away to begin lives of piracy.
Blood and his men quickly achieve great fame among the brotherhood of buccaneers. When the old governor is unable to contain the pirate menace, Colonel Bishop is appointed governor. He sends Arabella to England on an extended holiday, but three years later she returns to the Caribbean. Her ship, also carrying royal emissary Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson), is captured by Blood's treacherous partner, Captain Levasseur (Basil Rathbone), who plans to hold them for ransom, but Blood forces Levasseur to sell them to him, relishing the opportunity to turn the tables on Arabella. When Levasseur vehemently objects, Blood is forced to kill him in a duel.
Blood offers Arabella valuable jewelry from his conquests as a sign of his love for her. Ungrateful for her "rescue", Arabella is indignant at having been purchased by Blood, and calls him thief and pirate. Angered by her rejection, he orders his men to set sail for Port Royal where he will deliver Arabella and Lord Willoughby, despite the danger to himself and his crew.
As they approach Port Royal, they sight two French warships attacking the city; Bishop has left it undefended in his single-minded pursuit of Blood. With England now at war with France, Lord Willoughby pleads with Blood to save the colony, but the captain and his crew refuse to fight for the corrupt king. Willoughby reveals that James II has been deposed in the Glorious Revolution; England's new king, William of Orange, has sent Willoughby to offer Blood and his men full pardons and commissions in the Royal Navy. This startling news quickly changes the pirates' minds, and they prepare for battle with the French.
After ferrying Arabella ashore, Blood and his men approach Port Royal flying French colors, but soon that ensign is replaced with the British Union Jack. A pitched ship-to-ship battle ensues, leading to frenzied hand-to-hand deck combat. Blood and his men defeat the French frigates, saving the colony, but not before losing their ship in the battle. As a reward, Blood is appointed the new governor of Port Royal by Lord Willoughby and has the pleasure of dealing with his hostile predecessor, now returned from his pirate hunt and under arrest for dereliction of duty in a time of war. As Arabella playfully pleads with the new governor to spare her Uncle's life, Peter Blood reveals his face to the astonished Colonel. With a sly smile of triumph, he greets Bishop with, "Good morning, Uncle", having won the hand and heart of Arabella.

Tags: cult, action, romantic

Review:
CAPTAIN BLOOD, Warners' 1935 remake of a popular 1924 silent film, is best remembered today as Errol Flynn's springboard to stardom, and the first of a series of classic swashbucklers from the studio.
Yet the film was nearly shelved, and it's story is as entertaining as the film.Intended to attract the same audience that had made MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY and TREASURE ISLAND box office hits, the film boasted great production values, a talented director (Michael Curtiz), a musical score from Hollywood's greatest composer (Erich Wolfgang Korngold, although time limitations forced him to borrow heavily from Franz Liszt), the captivating beauty of young Olivia de Havilland (in only her fourth film), and, originally, the respected British actor (and future Oscar winner) Robert Donat as physician-turned-pirate Peter Blood.
Donat, however, had chronic health problems (which would, sadly, eventually curtail his film career), and Warners faced a major production starting date with no leading man.Legend has it that Jack Warner's wife recommended young Errol Flynn (just 26 at the time) for the role; she had described him as the most "gorgeous" man she'd ever seen, and helped convince the studio to bring him from England, where he was doing repertory theater, after several years of hell-raising around the world.
Errol Flynn had inherited Douglas Fairbanks' title of premier swashbuckler, and had done it with only one film!CAPTAIN BLOOD may lack the opulence of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, and the pure adventure value of THE SEA HAWK, but without this pirate saga, and the dynamic star it introduced, the 'Golden Age' of Hollywood may never have seen these subsequent classics reach the screen.
He had a nice career in Australian movies (one a film about Fletcher Christian and the Bounty), but CAPTAIN BLOOD was his first Hollywood film as a star, and it was a brilliantly colorful opening role.Flynn plays Dr. Peter Blood, a physician who is the 1685 version of Dr. Samuel Mudd in the Assassination of Lincoln.
The only regret Flynn has in leaving is he and Arabella have fallen in love.We watch the rise of Peter Blood as a leading pirate, his temporary partnership with the French pirate Captain Lavasseur (Basil Rathbone) - which ends in a duel over De Haviland (and the first time Rathbone had to die at Flynn's hand in a duel in their films), and his gradual emergence as a friend of a reformed England represented by Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson) after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 overthrows James II.
(In real-life Caribbean colonies, privateers and pirates were often ignored by the authorities..if not,in fact,quietly encouraged behind the scenes.)The ships in Captain Blood also move like real ships (slowly, and by wind power only), and the final battle sequence between Blood's galleon and a French Frigate is extraordinarily vivid, especially considering the special effects used when the original film was made (1935).As with many pictures from the 1930s, the film is chock-filled with corny characters who provide "color", but in so doing, still leave a more lasting impression than modern-day characters who do nothing but grunt, sweat, and bleed.This is a stunning and very likable action film--and head and shoulders above all other Hollywood pirate movies.
'Captain Blood' made stars of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland when it was released, both winning their roles by default when other casting attempts failed.
since the ingredients proved a smash hit, most notably in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'.Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) is a physician wrongly accused of being a traitor and sent to the West Indies into a life of slavery.
The climactic duel between Flynn and Rathbone is on par with their other famous duel in 'Robin Hood'.Fans of either Errol Flynn or Olivia de Havilland cannot fail to enjoy this romantic adventure done in the grand style by a studio that knew it had two future stars in the making..
Basil Rathbone as Levasseur, Flynn's pirate rival, crew members Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, and Frank McGlyn, Sr., Henry Stephenson as the sympathetic Lord Willoughby, but most of all Lionel Atwill.Atwill played many a screen villain, but I'm not sure he was ever better as the pompous blundering oaf Colonel Bishop.
This is good stuff and I wonder if a more realistic pirate movie has ever been made.This was Errol Flynn's first starring role and it sure got him off to a flying start.
How thankful we should be that Robert Donat turned this role down, as it allowed the introduction of one of the most romantic screen teams in movie history - Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.
This is the film that introduced Errol Flynn to the adventure genre.He plays Peter Blood,the most feared pirate of the caribbean,who at one point was a slave after being wrongfully accused of treason while aiding a rebel,enemy to the corrupt King James II.
Olivia de Havilland made a startling debut as the young and proper Annabelle who helps Peter Blood escape from the cruelty and opression of her uncle's(Lionel Atwill)plantation in the West Indies.Not only was this the first screen pairing of Flynn and de Havilland(it would not be their last)but also one of the very first of the great films directed by Michael Curtiz.
It was the first of twelve films that Errol Flynn made with Michael Curtiz and Warner Brothers, and maximized many of the now familiar staples of the genre: a totally likeable hero, beautiful locales, rousing fights, remarkably detailed sets, and lighthearted romance.
Flynn is remembered today almost exclusively as an action star, but many of the scenes in "Captain Blood," particularly the ones developing his relationship with Olivia de Havilland's character, show that he had much more range.
It's even more amazing to note that this was his first lead role, after only a few minor parts in earlier films; he shows remarkable confidence and ease in every scene.Critics and audiences often overlook Curtiz when composing lists of the all-time great directors, perhaps because he was treated like a hired hand at Warners, basically doing whatever the studio assigned him.
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) .
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.
It did a great job in promoting the careers of Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Michael Curtiz and Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Perhaps Flynn was living a part of his own life as he had earlier in his native Tasmania been an accomplished sailor and a rebel and had sailed the Pacific solo in a light sail boat before reaching Hollywood.Olivia de Havilland stands up well in her portrayal as Arabella spiting her uncle to free his slaves.The battle scenes are terrific as one would expect from director Curtiz but with a difference - this was his first.
He set himself high standards after Capt Blood and make no mistake his later films were also great actioners.Basil Rathbone that great actor is a trifle under-shadowed by a slight case of miscasting but delivers as the French pirate Levasseur.
Errol Flynn (as Peter Blood) is a doctor who quite rightly helps Rebels against Royalty and is condemned to slavery for his offense; he is bought by Olivia de Havilland (as Arabella), to serve her ruthless Uncle Lionel Atwell (as Colonel Bishop).
Soon, "Doctor Blood" escapes to become swashbuckling pirate "Captain Blood"...Mr. Flynn is remarkably new and good in this film; though he is made-up, he is not made-over - so, his naturalness is stunning.
I don't mind most flaws, but supposedly dead bodies opening their eyes is one that bothers me; watch for a certain character to open his eyes after death; specifically, when the second ocean waves over his body (WHY didn't they just cut out the second wave?) ******** Captain Blood (12/19/35) Michael Curtiz ~ Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ross Alexander, Lionel Atwell.
In the role which ignited his career before the smash success of The Adventures of Robin Hood, the iconic Errol Flynn is perfectly cast as the respectable doctor turned slave turned renegade swashbuckler, giving as charismatic and endearing a performance as has ever graced the screen.
And while Flynn is unquestionably the highlight of the show, excellent support is given from his frequent collaborator Olivia de Havilland , who gives a strong performance as a wealthy aristocrat who keeps crossing paths with Blood, and Basil Rathbone of Sherlock Holmes fame making an excellent antagonist as a vicious french pirate.
For a film designed simply to entertain and amaze (though one has to wonder about the potential political allegory of having a man betrayed and deserted by his country...) the film is surprisingly airtight, and while certain parts may come across as slower than audiences may be used to given the fast paced modern incarnations of such films, Captain Blood still comes across as an entertaining and intelligent adventure epic, easily worth seeing, if nothing else for the iconic Flynn, even more than 70 years after its time.-8/10.
"Captain Blood" is not the best pirate movie of its time, nor is it the best Errol Flynn film .
If nothing else, it's a great example of a breed of movies that are no longer made -- but maybe they should be."Captain Blood" is basically a Robin Hood revenge-type story -- Errol Flynn plays Dr. Peter Blood, an English physician unjustly convicted of treason and sentenced to slavery in the West Indies.
In a roundabout way, "Captain Blood" is definitely a tribute to Flynn's undeniable talents; he elevates this film from something that would've been mildly fun into some quite memorable.Equally impressive -- and, again, transcending all story and production weaknesses -- is the magnificent on-screen chemistry between Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.
Known now as Captain Blood, he is the most feared pirate on the high seas.Next to Robin Hood, this is my favorite Errol Flynn movie.
Even though it was seen of something of a gamble for Warner Brothers at the time, the film actually isn't that big in budgetary terms, all the remarkable then, that Curtiz and his team have fashioned such an entertaining picture.Although Flynn gleefully dominates proceedings, and in the process gives the film its only real flaw by rendering much of the other characters to being like awe-struck observers, much of the credit for Captain Blood's success is down to Robinson's screenplay.
Olivia DE Havilland, (Arabella Bishop) falls in love with Captain Blood but is separated from him because he was her slave and he ran away from her to become an adventurer and also a very famous Pirate against the English.
It was also the first major heroic action movie of the 1930s, and was a key part in the process of cinema getting back on its feet again after the setbacks of the depression era and the coming of sound.Errol Flynn was basically filling up a void left by Rudolph Valentino and Douglas Fairbanks, and Captain Blood picks up where the silent swashbucklers left off.
While a captive he falls for the governor's daughter, the beautiful Arabella Bishop, played to perfection by the effervescent Olivia de Havilland, before she became too perfect and too chivalrous in "Gone With The Wind." Captain Blood (Errol Flynn) is the quintessential leader.
The same cast--Erroll Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, the same composer--Erich Wolfgang Korngold--and the same director helped to make "The Adventures of Robin Hood" a classic fictionalized biography.
This film features well-developed costumes, sets and models of ships and towns and an excellent score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.Errol Flynn plays the role of Peter Blood and plays the role of a dashing adventurer of conviction to perfection.
Captain Blood is a triumph.Pirates Of The Caribbean comes close to this 1935 swashbuckling adventure, but I'm still comfortable in saying that this is an essential, grand, old Hollywood, all-time classic movie of the kind they don't make anymore.Flynn and the lovely DeHavilland (only 19 at the time and utterly charming) have great chemistry - everything with them together on screen is perfect.The sets are stunning, which is to be expected from a Curtiz picture.
I feel Captain Blood and the Sea Hawk are up there with movies like Pirates of the Caribbean etc, etc.
And, it's an earlier teaming of Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and director Michael Curtiz than The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) too.
From the moment Blood learns that England has changed kings, from the bad King James to the good King William, and announces that he and his crew will fight the French to save Jamaica to the conclusion of the sea battle when the English flag is raised in triumph, this is as exciting as any movie scenes ever shot.Everything contributes: Michael Curtiz' brilliant direction, Erich Korngold's exciting music, the individual character creations by several of the actors.We will see a fair amount of this again, done even better, in the Curtiz-Flynn-Korngold collaborations The Sea Hawk and The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Whether it calls for leadership, courage, wit or seduction Flynn smoothly succeeds with the same charm and skill that would carry him through a couple of dozen films over the next decade making him as popular as any screen idol of that period.In Blood as in Flynn's other Warner's successes work horse director Michael Curtiz keeps the action lively and moving along with some brutal scenes of torture and deck battles with some time out for romance between the delicately beautiful Olivia De Havilland and equally beautiful Flynn.
Not only does Captain Blood have some of the best looking sets, and sea battles ever put on film, it has two young leads (Flynn and De Havilland) who were "just perfect" for the roles.
In addition, Korngold's score is not in any way comparable to those of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "The Sea Hawk."  Watch "Captain Blood" as the film that launched a great and ill-fated star, but see Flynn at his best in his later swashbucklers..
Errol Flynn became a leading man in this, his first swashbuckler, and I might be forgiven in seeing this less on its own and more as a dry run for "The Adventures Of Robin Hood," his most beloved classic that followed two years later.Olivia de Havilland is the love interest, a high-born maiden who learns to look upon Flynn as an equal and a lover; Basil Rathbone is a sneering sword-wielding adversary; director Michael Curtiz uses torchlight and shadows to even greater effect than he would in "Robin Hood"; and finally there's jaunty but lyrical music work by "Robin Hood" composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold.Flynn is Peter Blood, a physician who finds himself branded a criminal by the court of King James when he helps vanquished wounded soldiers during the English Civil War. Sent to Jamaica (ironically an island Flynn chose to spend much of his later life, though here it's a Hollywood backlot) to sweat off his debt to the crown, Blood becomes a pirate instead and leads his hearty crew of Merry Men, er, salty dogs to glory, treasure and maybe some well-deserved revenge.To start with what "Captain Blood" gets right, there's a marvelous sense of atmosphere here every bit as rich as you get with "Robin Hood," though very different in tone and setting.
This pirate's story of guts and glory is, pretty much, a "Robin Hood" tale of the high seas.If you don't take 1935's "Captain Blood" too seriously - Then - Yes. It can actually be quite an enjoyable 2-hour romp of pre-CGI swashbuckling action.Directed by Michael Curtiz (of "Casablanca" fame) - "Captain Blood" stars movie-idol and heartthrob, Errol Flynn (26 at the time) in his first major movie role (as the title character).Set in the 17th century - This $1.5 million production first takes its story to England and then it's onto a high seas adventure to Port Royal, Jamaica where (guess what?) romance is, indeed, waiting for Captain Blood with arms opened wide.
It certainly seemed realistic and featured "white slavery," something you don't see often.Peter Blood (Flynn) is a doctor who is sent off as a slave after tending to a wounded rebel who was fighting against King James I.Fortune allowed him to capture a Spanish pirate ship and escape to the high seas.Arabella (de Havilland) saved him in Jamaica, and he later returns the favor.
Captain Blood (1935) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Michael Curtiz directs this fast paced, if a bit too long, tale of a slave (Errol Flynn) turned pirate.
Captain Blood isn't the best film by far for Michael Curtiz or Errol Flynn- the latter made his big Hollywood debut here- but it's a surefire Saturday matinée program all the same, a good one considering that it's from the early days of Warner Brothers' 'on-contract' pictures, where a stock company of actors and crew would go from movie to movie to movie.
Adapted from Raffael Sabbatini's homonymous novel, "Captain Blood" introduced 26 years old Australian-born actor Errol Flynn, in Hollywood as a great star and it was the first of a movie-series that granted him the title of "swashbucklers's king".The film also created Flynn's image (solidified in the next years) as the dashing young romantic adventurer hero who always saves the day.