Review of Captain Blood (1935) by Doug H — 19 Apr 2006

This is the kind of movie-goer's movie that started bringing people to film in the first place. You've gotta love Errol Flynn. In Captain Blood he hasn't yet become the dynamo that would power later swashbuckler epics like Curtiz's The Adventures of Robin Hood, but his presence here is still so potent that it almost threatens to capsize the film at times.

Look at the way that his dialogue frequently borders on exercises in Brechtianism...and then look at Olivia de Havilland, who is absolutely radiant. For my money, I would have to put de Havilland and Flynn right up there with Bogart and Bacall among the greatest screen couples of all time.

Oh, and this movie also has pirates in it, and pirates are pretty neat.