Captain Blood and other great Pirate films?

[moviegeek]

What an exceptional film. This weekend I watched Captain Blood again and it was just as riveting as the first time I saw it. The birth of a true legend in Errol Flynn and the birth of an exceptional duet of actors in Flynn and De Havilland.

 

And with PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST coming out this summer, an all day long pirate movie marathon sure would be great.

 

This particular theme of film-pirates-is a truly under-appreciated type of adventure film. Perhaps it's due to Hollywood not ever filming on the seas, but let's take a minute to reflect on some of the great swashbuckling films of all-time.

 

CAPTAIN BLOOD is at the top. SEA WOLF with Edgar G. Robinson is terrific. TREASURE ISLAND is anothe rone of my favorites from this brand.

 

Any others?

[tracey65k]

The first "Pirates of the Caribbean" was fun, too. Lots of funny lines and sight gags. Johnny Depp was too funny as the dissipated Jack Sparrow...and the soundtrack was amazing.

I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Tracey

[3s2ges]

"The Sea Wolf" is one of my favorite movie, and my favorite actor is in this movie, Edward G. Robinson, not Edgar, sorry about this, but i just had to mention it, but I'm glad you enjoyed the movie.

[moviegeek]

I can't believe I mis-spelled one of the greatest actors of all-time names! Little Caesar for pete's sake!

 

Anyway. I've been wanting to see THE SEA HAWK as well. Believe that comes on this month.

[3s2ges]

No problem, he's too good of an actor, nobody comes close to him, thats my opinion, please dont lynch me.

[moviegeek]

I was very pleased with THE SEA HAWK. That one ranks right up there with the other classic pirate films.

[Geniebeanie]

I bought the Erroll Flynn DVD Collection just to get Captin Blood and The Sea Hawk. Very disapointed that they did not include his best film Adventures of Robin Hood. Does anyone know if the Charge of the light brigade is on DVD?

I would love to have it if it is.

[TheQuietMan]

I finally bought the "CAPTAIN BLOOD" film on DVD, and I've had "THE SEA HAWK" on VHS for quite sometime.

[filmgeezer]

Other classic pirate-theme films I like are: The Black Swan (1942) with Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, and Anthony Quinn; Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) with Robert Newton and Linda Darnell; and The Spanish Main (1945) with Paul Henreid and Maureen O'Hara.

 

I guess my memory is failing me, but I would swear I once saw a swashbuckler from the period (the 50s) called Port Royale (or Port Royal). However, I have been unable to find a reference to it in any film database.

[FredCDobbs]

Port Royal was a famous old town in the Caribbean back in the 1600s, and it was said to be a hideout for a lot of old pirates. But it is more famous because it was completely destroyed by a big earthquake in 1692.

 

http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/pirates/portroyal.html

 

I think I?ve seen it mentioned in a few old pirate movies, and one movie mentions it a lot.

[pktrekgirl]

I have heard that "The Charge of the Light Brigade" will most likely be part of the second Errol Flynn boxed set.

 

I hope that rumor is true.

 

"Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk" are both at the top of my list, for pirate films. I love "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex", "Dodge City"...and even the dramas I've seen Errol Flynn in ("Another Dawn", "Escape Me Never").

 

But there is no doubt about it - he's at his best in "Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk"

[Mark_Thorson]

Against All Flags is another good one with Errol Flynn, Maureen O'Hara and Anthony Quinn.

[Jane03]

For me Errol Flynn is the best Pirate of all time. He just got voted number one Pirate in some poll. Captian Blood and The SeaHawk are just great movies. :-)

 

And Robin Hood was not in the boxset because there is a special two disk aniversiry edition of it out. I have it. The restored movie is just sunning. I've seen it at Best Buy and Amazon.com as it as well.

[CharlieT]

Although he's no Errol Flynn, Burt Lancaster did an excellent job swashing his buckle in The Crimson Pirate. It was one of those films I always had to watch as a kid whenever it came on TV.

 

CharlieT

[ken123]

"The Black Swan" was recently released on DVD by Fox>The two best things about the DVD are Maureen O' Hara in Technicolor,and her providing the audio commetary.

[JackBurley]

'The Black Swan' was recently released on DVD by Fox>The two best things about the DVD are Maureen O' Hara in Technicolor,and her providing the audio commetary.

 

Thank you for mentioning this! I hadn't planned on attaining this DVD, but with Miss O'Hara's audio commentary -- now I'd say it's must.

[mrsl]

Nobody mentioned poor, little Alan Ladd in 'Two Years Before the Mast', I don't think people associate him with swashbucklers.

 

anne lindley

[miyagawafan]

i think it deserves a space somewhere....

 

"sinbad the sailor"...fairbanks jr, o'hara, quinn, and a great performance by slezak.

[dfordoom]

I found the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie rather boring. It's so long! And so boring! Without Depp it would have been unbearable. It may be perverse of me, but I actually preferred Cut-Throat Island (Yes, I know it was a monumental flop, but it's actually rather fun)..

[dfordoom]

The Douglas Fairbanks silent swashbuckler The Black Pirate is fantastic. Personally I prefer Fairbanks over Flynn as a swashbuckler (which isn't very patriotic of me).

[MikeBSG]

I saw an interesting movie on DVD a few weeks ago. It was "High Wind in Jamaica" directed by Alexander Mackendrick.

 

It is about a group of four English children who are captured by pirates when their parents send them from Jamaica to England to be educated properly. Anthony Quinn and James Coburn are the leading pirates.

 

This takes place late in the pirate era, I would guess around 1830s, and the film isn't a conventional swashbuckler. However, it is very interesting and extremely well done. Something like a more realistic "Swiss Family Robinson." Hard to believe it was by the guy who directed "Man in the White Suit" and "Sweet Smell of Success."

[Cinemascope]

I should like to check that out!

[PFriedman]

I recently bought and just received "The Errol Flynn Collection" on

E-Bay. "Captain Blood" is awesome. Not only was Errol Flynn exciting and handsome and in his prime, Olivia DeHaviland was radiantly beaurtiful. Ross Alexander is also quite impressive as well in his role.

[Cinemascope]

Ahhhhh.... Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland... what a romantic adventure couple! :x

[audreyforever]

I like the Crimson Pirate...