Captain Blood: A Swashbuckler is Born (2005) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

'Captain Blood: A Swashbuckler is Born' is a 2005 documentary retrospective featurette on the film 'Captain Blood' (1935).

The featurette features appearances from:

• film historian Rudy Behlmer
• Professor of Film Lincoln D. Hurst
• film historian Robert Osbourne
• author Bob Thomas
• sword master/choreographer Tim Weske
• conductor John Mauceri

The featurette begins with a social context to the film, with the introduction of the Hays Code, which lead to the rise of the swashbuckler. It then goes onto discuss some of the actors considered for the role of Captain Blood including Robert Donat, Clark Gable, Ronald Coleman, George Brent and Leslie Howard. 

Warner Bros. took a gamble by putting unknown Errol Flynn into the leading role, with fellow newcomer Olivia de Havilland. This follows with a brief snapshot of the supporting cast: Basil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill & Ross Alexander.

There is a segment of the direction by Michael Curtiz, and we are given a glimpse into the making of the set construction, the sword master and musical composition by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

The featurette concludes with a brief discussion on how Warner Bros. made a star of two actors using one film.

Captain Blood (1935)

Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

Errol Flynn as Captain Blood

Captain Blood is a 1936 swashbuckler directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone. The supporting cast features Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Donald Meek, J. Carrol Naish and Mary Forbes.

Based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini, Warner Bros. took a gamble on this film by casting two unknown stars, Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, making overnight stars of both of them. This was also the first of eight films de Havilland and Flynn co-starred in. 


Watch the trailer:

Olivia de Havilland with Errol Flynn

Irish physician Peter Blood (played by Flynn) is mistaken as a slave, and in an attempt to escape is forced to become a pirate, Captain Blood. Along the way he meets the beautiful Arabella Bishop (played by de Havilland) and battles the evil Captain Levasseur (played by Rathbone).

Did you know...

• This film is sometimes shown on TV in a computer coloured version
• Robert Donat turned the role of Captain Blood - other actors considered include Clark Gable, Ronald Coleman and George Brent
• Actor Ross Alexander committed suicide shortly after the film was released
• Some of the sea-battle footage was taken from the film 'The Sea Hawk' (1924)

Award nominations

• Academy Award nomination for Best Picture
• Academy Award nomination for Best Music (Scoring)
• Academy Award nomination for Best Sound Recording
• Academy Award nomination for Best Writing (Screenplay)

Closing remarks

Errol Flynn shot to stardom in this film, his first swashbuckler, presenting exciting battles on the high seas and action-packed fencing duels with a dash of romance. The romantic leads are complimented with Basil Rathbone, the ultimate villain of the 1930s whom moviegoers loved to hate. The musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold is effective in expressing the emotions of the films. Overall a good film, though it can be a little slow at times.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is Warner Bros. 1935 version of Shakespeare's play, directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle, the film features a cast of thousands with 15 Warner Bros. stars.

Dick Powell and Olivia de Havilland
as Lysander and Hermia

The film is based on Reinhardt's very successful 1927 Broadway revival of the play, and was made into a film after Dieterle saw a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in 1934 and convinced Warner Bros. to finance a big budget filming. With the recent introduction of the film production code, Warner Bros. were keen to lose their image of immoral gangster films, and produce something fun for the whole family.

This film is notable for being Olivia de Havilland's film debut, who had played Hermia, in Reinhardt's production at the Hollywood Bowl.

The music Felix Mendelssohn wrote in 1843 for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was re-orchestrated by Eric Wolfgang Korngold.




Watch the trailer here:

An all-star cast

The film's impressive all-star cast includes:

James Cagney as Bottom

• Olivia de Havilland as Hermia
• James Cagney as Bottom
• Dick Powell as Lysander
• Joe E. Brown as Flute
• Anita Louise as Titania
• Ian Hunter as Theseus
• Ross Alexander as Demetrius
• Grant Mitchell as Egeus
• Frank McHugh as Quince
• Victor Jory as Oberon 
• and an 11 year Mickey Rooney as Puck

Did you know...

• This was Olivia de Havilland's film debut
• Joe E. Brown remains one of the only vaudeville stars to play a Shakespearean role
• Although most of the actors were contract Warner Bros stars, both Olivia de Havilland and Mickey Rooney were selected to reprise their stage roles
• This was the first film director Max Reinhardt made in the US
• The film was originally banned in Nazi Germany due to director Reinhardt and composer Mendelssohn being Jewish

Closing remarks

I was initially a little apprehensive about watching this, as it looked a little boring, but being such a big fan of James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland I felt I had to see it. After watching it, I found it wasn't too bad. I really like the way it shows James Cagney's versatility as an actor in his only Shakespearean role. 

An 11 year old Mickey Rooney as Puck

Although Dick Powell comes across a little awkward as Lysander, and he even felt he was not right for the part.

Another highlight are the elegant ballet sequences choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska.

The film although successful when first released, received mixed reviews due it's Americanisation of Shakespeare. That said, the film is still often shown on TV and considered to be a great classic.