THE BLACK SWAN
US, 1942, 85 minutes, Colour.
Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Laird Cregar, Thomas Mitchell, George Sanders. Anthony Quinn, George Zucco, Edward Ashley.
Directed by Henry King.
The Black Swan is Rafael Sabatini (Captain Blood, Scaramouche) pirate story, filmed in lavish colour in the early '40s. It was one of 20th. century Fox's answers to the Warner Bros. action adventures with Errol Flynn. Tyrone Power had been in Rouben Mamoulian's Blood and Sand and The Mark of Zorro and is dashing (not quite as dashing as Errol Flynn) as Jamie Waring. Power was to work often with director Henry King (In Old Chicago, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Captain from Castille, Prince of Foxes, Untamed). Maureen O'Hara, in the early years of her Hollywood career, is, as often, a fiery heroine. Laird Cregar as the pirate Sir Henry Morgan and Thomas Mitchell as Billy Blue enjoy them selves in the supporting cast. Almost unrecognisable, except for his voice, is a red-headed and red-bearded George Sanders as the pirate Captain Leach. There is a rousing Alfred Newman score. Writing is by Ben Hecht and Seton I. Miller (who wrote The Sea Hawk). A tongue-in-cheek action adventure.
1. The popularity of the pirate films of the golden years of Hollywood? Matinee action material? The comic book action entertainment of the period? How enjoyable in later decades - despite the artificial Hollywood styles?
2. The lavish colour photography? The atmosphere of the Caribbean? The 17th. century and the English Restoration style, costumes? Action adventure? The sailing ships, the battles? The rousing musical score?
3. The tongue-in-cheek dialogue? The artificial 'historical' type language? The humour, the action - with the touch of spoof? The battles and the final swordfights? The attitude taken by the cast to their roles?
4. The basic adventure - the pirates of the Caribbean? The clashes with the Spaniards? The treaty between the English and the Spaniards? The atmosphere of the reign of Charles II? Attitudes of Empire and the ships in the Caribbean? Pirate action? English traitors? Governors and governors' daughters? The popular staple of pirate films?
5. Tyrone Power as a matinee hero? His early adventures with Henry Morgan and Captain Leach? His being captured and tortured? His becoming civilised with Sir Henry? His attraction towards Lady Margaret and their fiery interchanges? His loyalty to Sir Henry, the search for Leach? His courting and then kidnapping Lady Margaret? The deal with Captain Leach and his being found out -and the spoof of the marriage bed sequence? The final heroism and fight? Henry Morgan's final comments about the end of the Spanish Main with such romance?
6. Sir Henry Morgan as pirate, changing attitude. becoming Governor, the hostility of the previous Governor and the nobility? His pledge to clear the Caribbean? Action adventure, the final confrontation? Laird Cregar playing him as larger than life? The comparison with the Governor,. Roger Ingram and his treachery?
7. Maureen O'Hara as the fiery Lady Margaret? Glamour, romance. attitude towards Roger Ingram. hostility towards Jamie - her room. the gift, the fall from the horse. hitting him with the stone? The bedroom scene in Captain Leach's ship? Her finally calling him Jamie boy?
8. George Sanders as Captain Leach, Anthony Quinn as his assistant? The conventional picture of pirates?
9. The old traditional values of right and wrong? Heroes and heroines? Villains? The perennial popularity of this kind of film?
