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.

July 2012 Star of the Month - Olivia de Havilland

Today Olivia de Havilland celebrates her 96th birthday. Yes, she is one of very few Hollywood stars from the 1930s still alive. For this reason, I thought I would pay special tribute to Olivia de Havilland by blogging her films throughout July.

Olivia de Havilland was born on 1 July 1916, in Tokyo, Japan to British parents, and is the older sister of actress Joan Fontaine. When Olivia was two years old, her mother immigrated to America, settling in Satatoga, California. After appearing as Hermia in a stage production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at the Hollywood Bowl, she was offered the role in a movie version Warner Bros. was making. This became her screen debut.

Olivia has won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, for her roles in 'To Each His Own' (1946) and the 'The Heiress' (1949). Her most memorable role is of Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in 'Gone With the Wind' (1939). She is also known for starrring alongside Errol Flynn in eight films including 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938) and 'Captain Blood' (1936).

Throughout July, I'll attempt to watch and blog as many of the following films as I can:

Early Films (1935-1939)

• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
• The Irish In Us (1935)
• Anthony Adverse (1936)
• It's Love I'm After (1937)
• Raffles (1939)



Olivia de Havilland in 2008

• Gone With the Wind (1939)

The 1940s

• My Love Came Back (1940)
• The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
• The Male Animal (1942)
• Princess O'Rourke (1943)
• Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)
• To Each His Own (1946)
• Devotion (1946)

Olivia de Havilland & Errol Flynn

• Captain Blood (1936)
• The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
• Dodge City (1939)
• The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex (1939)
• They Died With Their Boots On (1941)

Late career

• Libel (1959)
• Light in the Piazza (1962)
• Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
• Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986)

Short films

• A Dream Comes True: The Making of an Unusual Film (1939)
• Hollywood Goes to War