Sunday, October 20, 2013

Flick Pick: The Sea Hawk

The Sea Hawk
(Warner Bros., 1940)

Errol Flynn, directed by Michael Curtiz for the 10th time, in one of the most lavish swashbuckling movies ever, back when $1.7M was a lot of real money. No expense was spared, including the construction of two actual full-sized sailing ships, with the entire production swathed in one of the most rousing and epic scores of all time. And to top it off, released when Australian-born Flynn's Commonwealth (of which he was then still a subject) was engaged in the midst of the Battle Of Britain, which gave quite a subtext to the patriotic speeches against tyranny. Ably supported by the usual Warner's/First National contract players, including veteran Flynn sidekick Alan Hale, the father of the future Skipper of Gilligan's Island.
Errol Flynn with a sword, a sailing ship, and an Erich Korngold musical score is reason enough to watch any movie, especially one of the best ever made.

No comments: