CAPTAIN BLOOD
US, 1935, 119 Minutes, Black and white.
Errol Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Captain Blood was an important action adventure of its day. It came comparatively early in the era of sound films and was one of Warner Bros. most spectacular productions of its time. It set a style for action thrillers that this company made over the next ten years. The film also made a star out of Errol Flynn. He had appeared originally in his native Australia as Fletcher Christian in the Chauvel film In the Wake of the Bounty. His performance is by no means memorable in this film. He does make quite an impression as Captain Blood. For the next ten years he was to be one of Warner Brothers' biggest stars appearing in all kinds of adventures, including The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Charge of the Light Brigade. He made many westerns and in the early 40s a great number of war
movies. Frequently he was directed by Michael Curtiz and Raoul Walsh. Olivia de Havilland was his leading lady in this film and in seven consequent films.
The action is rousing, the pace is good, studio work and camera work excellent. The film is also enhanced, as were so many of the succeeding adventures, by the rousing score of Eric Korngold. one might say that Captain Blood is the archetypal Hollywood swashbuckling adventure.
1. Was this an entertaining film? Why? What were the main entertainment ingredients? How did it use conventions of adventure and pirate films? Heroes?
2. Comment on the production values of the earlier 30s: acting, sets and costumes, Korngold's music? How did they contribute to the atmosphere and the pace of the adventure?
3. Was this a good film about history? Or was history merely the occasion for the adventure? How lighthearted was the adventure? Did this add to the film and the quality of the adventure?
4. Comment on Errol Flynn as a swashbuckling hero. Why was he so popular?
5. What presuppositions about heroisms and heroes did the film have? About gallantry? About patriotism and loyalty? About good nature to one's fellowmen? About good behaviour and manners? of the need for violence in the face of tyranny? How did these values stand up by today's standards?
6. What did the film have to say about the theme of justice, Judge Jeffries, the king banishing prisoners to the West Indies, Bishop in the West Indies, the governor and his moods and his gout? Was this a serious comment on justice? Is this what the popular mentality holds about injustice?
7. What comment did the film make about slaves? Its comment on the value of human dignity and person's buying each other? The contrast between Arabella's buying Peter Blood and the reverse situation later? How was this illustrated during the encounters between Arabella and Peter Blood?
8. Was the picture of Port Royal interesting? The cruelty to the slaves? Society?
9. How realistic was the escape? Did this matter? What feeling of exhilaration did the escape give?
10. Why did Peter Blood turn to piracy? Did he have any alternative? Why were his men so loyal to him? Did they do any injustice to anyone as pirates? why did they have the alliance with the Frenchmen? was this quickly broken? The importance of the sword fight between Peter Blood and the French pirate? Especially in the context of the capture of the English lord and Arabella?
11. How well filmed were the battle sequences? Especially the siege of Port Royal? The irony of Peter Blood's being commissioned by King William? Questions of loyalty to England, etc.?
12. What is the value of this kind of film? Is it merely comic-book adventure? Or is it cliche and convention? Or do these films have a vitality despite their impossibilities at times which makes them worthwhile films with some comment on human behaviour to make? What would you say were the main qualities of the 30s adventures after seeing this film?
