User reviews

I have always wanted to see this film and so I recently purchased the Errol Flynn Signature Collection from Warner Bros. and promptly watched this title. This could easily be considered the greatest pirate movie ever made and by far the most realistic. Being a film student I watched it with a critical eye but at the same time found myself engaged in the excitement and all of the swashbuckling spectacle that WAS the film. Errol Flynn's breakout performance could easily rival his appearance as Robin Hood 3 years later, and Basil Rathbone is his typically evil self. The swordplay is spectacular, the Korngold's score is breathtaking, and the film is not only well made but (after 70 years) easily as entertaining (if not more) as the recent Pirates of the Caribbean. Highly recommended viewing for viewers of all ages.

Nearly 80 years old and `Captain Blood' still is one of the greatest sea-adventures ever made. It initially served as an appropriate answer to `Mutiny on the Bounty', also released in 1935 and starring Clark Gable. This film launched the terrific career of Errol Flynn, who only appeared uncredited in other film until then. Captain Blood is a compelling and versatile story about a young Irish doctor, named Peter Blood. After giving medical attention to rebellions, he's sold as a slave to the wondrously beautiful Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland)…niece of the rancorous Colonel Bishop (Lionel Atwill). Blood escapes slavery and, together with his faithful crew, he starts a successful and diverse career as a pirate in the Caribbean sea. Yet, the unanswered love he feels for Arabella never really allows him to be fully free. Naturally, this film doesn't feature as many outrageous swordfights as in later pirate movies, but the decors and scenery are breath-taking and very inspired. Some neutral sequences (mainly in the beginning of the film) can be considered tedious, but long and delightful patriot speeches and exiting battles make up for those. Errol Flynn does a great job as the rebellious captain, even though his handsome looks don't really match the image of a feared pirate. Special mention goes out to Basil Rathbone, flawlessly cast as a French corsair. Highly recommended if you're a fan of classic and nostalgic cinema.

I'm not that big on pirate movies and I thought this might be overrated.....but I was wrong. This is good stuff and I wonder if a more realistic pirate movie has ever been made.

This was Errol Flynn's first starring role and it sure got him off to a flying start. Few actors have ever played the "dashing hero" as well as Flynn. Despite being almost "worship idol" status by women, he is still comes across as a "man's man," and that all started with this film.

What I liked best about this was that the story stood out more than the action or the romance. Many times classic films overdid the latter, producing lulls in what was considered an adventure story. That's not the case here. It also isn't the typical clichéd pirate film in which the captain is seen with an eye patch and a parrot on his shoulder.

This is nothing fancy, just a just solid story.....period, which is probably why it holds up so well over 70 years later!

CAPTAIN BLOOD, Warners' 1935 remake of a popular 1924 silent film, is best remembered today as Errol Flynn's springboard to stardom, and the first of a series of classic swashbucklers from the studio. Yet the film was nearly shelved, and it's story is as entertaining as the film.

Intended to attract the same audience that had made MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY and TREASURE ISLAND box office hits, the film boasted great production values, a talented director (Michael Curtiz), a musical score from Hollywood's greatest composer (Erich Wolfgang Korngold, although time limitations forced him to borrow heavily from Franz Liszt), the captivating beauty of young Olivia de Havilland (in only her fourth film), and, originally, the respected British actor (and future Oscar winner) Robert Donat as physician-turned-pirate Peter Blood. Donat, however, had chronic health problems (which would, sadly, eventually curtail his film career), and Warners faced a major production starting date with no leading man.

Legend has it that Jack Warner's wife recommended young Errol Flynn (just 26 at the time) for the role; she had described him as the most "gorgeous" man she'd ever seen, and helped convince the studio to bring him from England, where he was doing repertory theater, after several years of hell-raising around the world. His largest American role, to date, had been as a corpse in a Perry Mason B-movie, but his sexual conquests and social life were already becoming legendary, and he and new wife, actress Lili Damita, were constantly promoting the young actor around town. The studio finally decided to take a chance on the untested actor in the lead (budget-wise, picking a low-paid contract player was a smart financial move)...but it initially appeared to be a MAJOR blunder, as Flynn looked tense and amateurish in the dailies. Director Curtiz was unfazed, however, and worked with him, and gradually the actor developed confidence. Word spread around the studio that a charismatic new star was emerging, and the first few days' scenes were scrapped and re-shot. By the end of the hugely favorable test screenings, Warners knew it had finally had a bona-fide sex symbol of their own, who could compete for female audiences against Gable, Cooper, and Cary Grant. Errol Flynn had inherited Douglas Fairbanks' title of premier swashbuckler, and had done it with only one film!

CAPTAIN BLOOD may lack the opulence of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, and the pure adventure value of THE SEA HAWK, but without this pirate saga, and the dynamic star it introduced, the 'Golden Age' of Hollywood may never have seen these subsequent classics reach the screen. CAPTAIN BLOOD has earned a place in film history that cannot be underrated.

This is remembered as Errol Flynn's great opening movie role - which is partly true. He had a nice career in Australian movies (one a film about Fletcher Christian and the Bounty), but CAPTAIN BLOOD was his first Hollywood film as a star, and it was a brilliantly colorful opening role.

Flynn plays Dr. Peter Blood, a physician who is the 1685 version of Dr. Samuel Mudd in the Assassination of Lincoln. Mudd, if you recall, treated John Wilkes Booth's broken leg, and was sentenced to life imprisonment as a result. Flynn treats some injured men not realizing they are soldiers in a revolt. When they are arrested so is he, and he ends up being transported as an indentured servant (little better than a slave) to Jamaica in the West Indies.

The revolt, by the way, is that of James, Duke of Monmouth. The son of one Lucy Walters, his father was supposed to be King Charles II, one of several lovers Walters had when James was born. King Charles had ennobled Monmouth, and treated him well at court, but refused to legitimize him as the Whigs hoped (they wanted the Protestant Monmouth on the throne, rather than the Catholic brother of Charles, James, Duke of York. In the end Monmouth led this ill-fated revolt, which was defeated at the battle of Sedgewick Moor. Monmouth was beheaded at the Tower of London. King James II (the former Duke of York) sent his most belligerent jurist, Judge George Jeffreys to the west country where hundreds were hanged at fast trials (known forever after as "The Bloody Assizes". Jeffreys appears in the film as the judge that orders Blood's transporting to the New World. However in the film Blood (desperate to prove he is just a doctor) says the judge is suffering from tuberculosis. Jeffeys actually suffered from kidney stones, and was a heavy drinker and curser as a result. King James II made him Lord Chancellor for his work.

Flynn's real adventures begin in Jamaica, where he is working at the estate of Colonel Bishop (Lionel Atwill) and his niece Arabella (Olivia De Haviland). It was the first film Flynn and De Haviland co-starred in. Atwill is a bully to these traitorous indentured servants, but Flynn's medical abilities raises him above the others. With the aid of two local doctors he plans an escape, and he and the other indentured servants (Guy Kibbee, Ross Alexander, etc.) escape after defeating a pirate attack on the island. They also have the pleasure of plundering and discomforting Atwill, who vows to hunt them down and destroy them. The only regret Flynn has in leaving is he and Arabella have fallen in love.

We watch the rise of Peter Blood as a leading pirate, his temporary partnership with the French pirate Captain Lavasseur (Basil Rathbone) - which ends in a duel over De Haviland (and the first time Rathbone had to die at Flynn's hand in a duel in their films), and his gradual emergence as a friend of a reformed England represented by Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson) after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 overthrows James II. Although not exactly the same, Blood's rise from Pirate king to Governor of Jamaica (as the film ends) is a mirror of the story (a decade earlier) of the rise of Pirate, Henry Morgan, to being Sir Henry Morgan, Lt. Governor/Governor of Jamaica. A closer acting job regarding Morgan was done by Laird Cregar in THE BLACK SWAN, where he played that Governor - and with a welsh accent. But Flynn does very nicely, with his charm, humor, good looks, and athletic grace. It was a good introduction to a Hollywood legend.

In 1685, in England, the Irish Dr. Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) is unfairly accused of treachery of King James just because he treated a wounded rebel. He is sent to prison and six months later sentenced to hanging. In the very last moment, he is sent to Port Royal, a British colony in Jamaica, to work as a slave. Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland), the niece of the powerful landlord Col. Bishop (Lionel Atwill), saves him from dying in the labor work in the mines, and when he heels the foot of the governor of Port Royal, he achieves a partial freedom in the island. With his intelligence and leadership, he escapes with his British slave comrades and becomes Captain Blood, a famous pirate in the Caribbean Seas.

"Captain Blood" is a delightful adventure, certainly one of the best pirate movies I have ever seen. The direction of Michael Curtiz is perfect as usual. The screenplay has excellent lines, many plot points, and action, funny scenes and romance in right doses. The elegant Errol Flynn with the gorgeous Olivia de Havilland have a great chemistry in their charismatic roles. "Captain Blood" is a highly recommended movie for fans of adventure films. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Capitão Blood" ("Captain Blood")

It's Flynn's first big picture and it brings him together with Olivia DeHavilland, Michael Curtiz, and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. It's not their best movie together but it's a terrific introduction to the parts these personalities were to play in swashbucklers.

Flynn is brash and cocky. (He didn't change much until he began to physically deteriorate later in life.) He projects his emotions the way a traffic light projects directions, with utter simplicity. There's never a moment when we doubt we know what he's thinking. He looks extremely handsome too (he was 26) without being in the least effete.

Olivia De Havilland is his perfect counterpart. She was never a raving beauty, but she's extremely feminine. She has a wide face with huge eyes, a dazzling smile, and a tinkling laugh. Where Flynn is adventurous she is cautious, thoughtful, often puzzled about her loyalties, and she holds things back, while Flynn shouts things out.

The rest of the cast is filled with familiar faces from the 30s -- J. Carol Naish, Guy Kibbee, Lionel Atwill -- and they do their jobs well.

It's a sound-stage bound movie with a lot of model work, some of it clumsy but still effective. A neatly done set is a tribute to the production designer. The banana plants grow neatly in picturesque places and the papier-mache palms beat the real thing. Natural locations are often cluttered with vegetation, but these jungles and beaches are flawless. They don't look like real locations. They look like what you wish real locations looked like.

This is Erich Wolfgang Korngold's first score for a movie. (He'd previously adapted Mendelsohn for an earlier one.) It's often claimed that Hollywood composers were child prodigies but in Korngold's case it's not an exaggeration. He was studying piano and music theory at five, conducted his own cantata (for Gustav Mahler) at nine, and had his first work published at thirteen. He was a prolific composer too -- violin concertos, two operas -- by the time he was in his mid-thirties. Max Reinhardt sent him to Hollywood to write a few scores, of which this was one. It was thrown into his lap and he had to write it almost overnight. There was simply not enough time to do it all, so he stole a little from Liszt, the scene in which the Spanish pirates are looting the town. He returned to Europe to continue his career but, well, the continent by that time was no place for a guy named Korngold, genius or not. So he returned to Hollywood until after the war when he was able to go back to Europe and renew his composing.

I don't mean to take up too much space dealing with Korngold, but the fact is that Flynn's early movies would just not be the same with anyone else. Korngold wrote music the way Flynn acted -- full of dash and bombast -- and some of it was stunningly lyrical. (The simple love song in "The Sea Hawk" has a melodic progression that defies prediction.) It's hardly worth noting that the name of this talented musician has been parodied elsewhere as "Wolfgang von Korngold" by another reviewer, Howydymax, whose penetrating insights into film fare I have usually admired and sometimes stolen from. Curtiz's direction had the same slam-bang quality as the composer's. Absolutely nothing artsy about it, a straightforward story.

There are some weaknesses in the script. When I first saw it, finally, on TV, I'd been waiting for a chance for years and was frustrated because there didn't seem to be enough action. One longish scene of sailing ships pounding each other to pieces, and one fencing match between Basil Rathbone and Flynn -- too brief for my taste. Actually, at the time Flynn wasn't comfortable with swordplay and it shows. Rathbone, on the other hand, took up the sport seriously and was evidently a pretty accomplished fencer. I've seen it again recently and enjoyed it much more, a cartoon of a movie, full of intrigue, romance, and action.

Well worth watching.

'Captain Blood' is not easily understood by a lot of viewers. Although far from a "love or hate" film, it is frequently characterized as "boring" and "unconvincing" by people who do not understand its subject matter---buccaneers of the Caribbean.

For a lot of people,"pirate" translates as "gruff bearded man with a wooden leg, a parrot on his shoulder, and a vocabulary consisting mostly of four words--"shiver me timbers" and "Aaaarrrrrrrgh!"

In other words their definition of pirate derives from fictional pirate Long John Silver. Captain Blood is a more romanticized figure, and tends to leave fans of buffoonish pirates flat. Peter Blood, the protagonist, is much more influenced by the dashing exploits of Captain Henry Morgan---with a physician's mantle thrown in, formulaically speaking, to give him added genteel qualities.

'Blood' is, for the most part, however, the most realistic of pirate films made to date. Substantially more so than, say, 'Pirates of the Caribbean'--which dazzles with special effects, but displays little understanding of the historical period.

The Jerry Bruckheimer film appears visually influenced by Barbara Cartland novels, and, like most pirate films, depicts Port Royal unrealistically. I cannot vouch for exactly what Port Royal looked like a few centuries ago--considering that it was destroyed once by an earthquake in 1692, and burned a decade later---but it's doubtful that it resembled a quaint cliff side tourist retreat in the Grenadines. In Captain Blood, Port Royal is seen as flat and sandy, with colonial Spanish buildings. This is more authentic; the real-life city was a captured Spanish colony built on a sandpit.

Similarly, in most respects Captain Blood is carefully constructed, and does not resort to the hackneyed and often silly stunts seen in most pirate films.....such as exploding buildings with gunpowder (for no particular reason), searching for buried treasure, Twentieth Century-style fistfights (and karate-kicks), female pirates in every ship's crew, anorexic women in ruffled skirts who kick ass, etc.

In terms of characterization, Captain Blood is a tour-de-force, depicting the practice of white slavery (quite common in the colonial era) and the escape of Blood's slave band to become a crew of buccaneers. He is pursued by his former slave owner, an insolent, hateful man named Bishop, as a matter of personal grudge. As opposed to the usual cops-and-robbers chase scenes with British soldiers we see in most pirate shows. (In real-life Caribbean colonies, privateers and pirates were often ignored by the authorities..if not,in fact,quietly encouraged behind the scenes.)

The ships in Captain Blood also move like real ships (slowly, and by wind power only), and the final battle sequence between Blood's galleon and a French Frigate is extraordinarily vivid, especially considering the special effects used when the original film was made (1935).

As with many pictures from the 1930s, the film is chock-filled with corny characters who provide "color", but in so doing, still leave a more lasting impression than modern-day characters who do nothing but grunt, sweat, and bleed.

This is a stunning and very likable action film--and head and shoulders above all other Hollywood pirate movies.

Perhaps the next Johnny Depp film will get it right, and surpass Captain Blood..but I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

A prime example of the nearly-forgotten swashbuckling epic, "Captain Blood" is a darn entertaining, fun film that is unfortunately saddled with the production values of 1930s film-making. "Captain Blood" is not the best pirate movie of its time, nor is it the best Errol Flynn film . . . but it's still extremely good, and it contains one of Errol Flynn's best performances. If nothing else, it's a great example of a breed of movies that are no longer made -- but maybe they should be.

"Captain Blood" is basically a Robin Hood revenge-type story -- Errol Flynn plays Dr. Peter Blood, an English physician unjustly convicted of treason and sentenced to slavery in the West Indies. Relying on only courage and brains, he escapes from his captors and becomes the legendary pirate known as Captain Blood, a brilliant swordsman and seaman whose crew is comprised of several of his fellow former slaves. Olivia de Havilland plays Arabella Bishop, the dashing pirate captain's romantic interest (and niece of the evil plantation owner and slaver, Colonel Bishop, who is played by Lionel Atwill). Sparks fly between Captain Blood and Arabella as their tempestuous relationship builds, and the conflict between Blood and builds as well as the pirate captain and his crew start to not only believe that they can fight Colonel Bishop, but they can win . . . .

The story itself is very simplistic, almost to the point where it hurts the film. This is more a product of the time in which "Captain Blood" was made rather than the specific script; most films of this era tend to be a little lean on plot. Still, there's never any back story in "Captain Blood", never any reasons given as to why characters are who they are, or why they do certain things. Every scrap of dialogue in "Captain Blood" is just enough to propel the characters into the next scene . . . and nothing more. The story itself zips along from beginning to end in a crystal clear line -- no detours, no side stories, nothing else of interest but the main story. For the most part, this works -- and because the basic story is very good, it doesn't hurt the film too much -- but fleshing out both story and dialogue, even to a small extent, could've pushed a very good story into the realms of greatness. (However, there are a few inexcusable bad moments; the supposedly 'serious' scene where Blood learns that all his fellow rebels just 'happen' to be former sailors in the Royal Navy is just laughably unbelievable and stupid.)

The direction and production value of "Captain Blood" are also uneven -- again, most of this can be excused by the era in which the film was made . .. but not all of it. Most of the film was shot on sound stages, including the scenes where Blood and his crew are sailing the high seas. Some of it works -- but there's several scenes where it's painfully obvious that the "background" is little more than a painted sheet. The action sequences vary from excellent to fair -- the swordfighting, somewhat surprisingly, is on a par with today's films, and the fights between soldiers and pirates hold up nicely as well. As for the scenes involving Captain Blood's ship . . . well, what can you say? They're clearly models, but ILM wasn't exactly around to pick up the effects budget. I found it slightly disappointing, though, that some of the direction and selected shots during the action was so flat -- director Michael Curtiz (who also directed Casablanca) is one of the more stylish directors of the time, but in "Captain Blood", a few of the scenes that should've been gripping are instead are closer to dull. In fact, without Errol Flynn's flash and flair for the heroic, some of the best moments might've been boring. In a roundabout way, "Captain Blood" is definitely a tribute to Flynn's undeniable talents; he elevates this film from something that would've been mildly fun into some quite memorable.

Equally impressive -- and, again, transcending all story and production weaknesses -- is the magnificent on-screen chemistry between Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. "Captain Blood" is the first of their many films together, and there's a certain screen magic between the two the second they first meet. The playful banter, the genuine affection, the caustic wit and the fiery on/off relationship between the two . . . well, it's nothing short of amazing. I'd be hard-pressed to think of a modern equivalent of their on-screen chemistry; it's truly breathtaking to watch. It's also good enough to make otherwise insipid, boring dialogue sound good, and enough to make good dialogue unforgettably great. Most of the actors in "Captain Blood" are good but basically forgettable; fortunately, Flynn and de Havilland are far from forgettable. Without their phenomenal performances, I don't think "Captain Blood" would be a particularly well-remembered film today.

All in all, "Captain Blood" is still quite an enjoyable, if dated, film. Well worth watching, especially for the scenes between Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Also, if you've never seen an Errol Flynn film before, I'd definitely recommend both "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and this film. "Captain Blood" , while definitely a throwback to an older age of moviemaking, is still a cut above most of the action films being made today. Grade: B+.

Talk about taking one long chance. The original star of Captain Blood was to be Robert Donat. But health reasons as they did often in Donat's career prevented him from doing this film. So Jack Warner gave the lead in this film to a contract player who had done a couple of bit parts in some B films and had done a lead in an Australian production of the Mutiny on the Bounty story.

Jack Warner not only created a star in Errol Flynn, but also created a new screen team in co-starring him with Olivia DeHavilland who hadn't done that much herself at Warner Brothers up to that time. Individually and together they were a vibrant and charismatic screen team and did eight films for the Brothers Warner.

They were so successful that they resented the typecasting. DeHavilland fought against it far more successfully than Flynn did. As legend has come down to us, Errol Flynn had other pursuits.

The story is that Doctor Peter Blood made a house call on a wounded rebel during the Monmouth rebellion in 1685 against James II. That house call got him a one way ticket to slavery on the island of Jamaica along with many other of the rebels. Olivia DeHavilland the niece of Lionel Atwill, the wealthiest man on Jamaica buys Flynn on a whim. An attack by Spanish pirates offers an opportunity for escape and Flynn and the rest of the rebels become pirates themselves.

Jack Warner provided his two unknowns with a good cast of supporting players. Basil Rathbone as Levasseur, Flynn's pirate rival, crew members Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, and Frank McGlyn, Sr., Henry Stephenson as the sympathetic Lord Willoughby, but most of all Lionel Atwill.

Atwill played many a screen villain, but I'm not sure he was ever better as the pompous blundering oaf Colonel Bishop. My favorite scene in Captain Blood has always been when after Flynn routs the Spanish pirate attack on Port Royal by seizing the pirate ship. When Atwill comes on board to thank those who turned the tables on the pirates he gets quite a reception. The dialog in this scene and the final result of this oaf being tossed into the harbor is priceless.

Love and romance, pirate battles, and a dueling scene between Flynn and Rathbone that was only topped by Rathbone and Flynn again in Robin Hood. It's all here and all for your entertainment for generations to come.

A fun swashbuckler starring Errol Flynn. It's not especially great, but Flynn himself elevates it to a level far beyond what it would have been without him. Really, he's in full form here. The only other Flynn vehicle that I've seen is The Adventures of Robin Hood, which is a far better film. Still, I think Flynn is even better here. He's got such verve and personality. It's certainly not hard to see why he was such a monumental success with the opposite sex! As for the rest of the cast, I liked Ross Alexander as Blood's somewhat homoerotic friend, Jeremy Pitt, and Basil Rathbone has a nice small role as a partner and rival pirate. I really disliked Olivia de Havilland, however, whom I have liked elsewhere. I didn't even recognize her in Captain Blood; her character was too dull to deserve any attention. The dialogue is quite good, but the plot and structure of the screenplay are poor. I actually liked the first half, in which Blood has to fight for his freedom from the cruel slavery forced upon him by King James, better than the swashbuckling second half. I found myself yawning a bit at the sword fight and the sea battle finale. Still, it's a film worth watching. 7/10.

How thankful we should be that Robert Donat turned this role down, as it allowed the introduction of one of the most romantic screen teams in movie history - Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Director Michael Curtiz produced a great pirate film that stands up well some 70 years later, and has become the blue-print for others of this genre to follow. The two stars are great, showing an excellent rapport, and the support cast including those two great villains, Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill add so much to the story of piracy on the high seas. While by today's standards one can see the use of models in the sea battles, they were quite remarkable in their time and still provide much excitement and fun. Swashbuckling was Flynn's forte, and Warners did him no favours by casting him in less adventurous roles. Do not miss the opportunity to see this on DVD or Video as it is a couple of hours of great entertainment.

The finale may hurt your teeth, but the movie is a solid adventure. Flynn and de Havilland were probably sore from all the posing and posturing, but it was the 30s.

This movie came highly recommended to me. And though the execution was average, it was the main character, Peter Blood that spoiled the movie for me. Captain Blood starts around 1685, a time very different from ours. A rebellion is happening against the king and one of the rebels is wounded. Peter Blood is a doctor and he goes to help the wounded man. Now unless the person is very naive, he should have known that what he was doing was a punishable offense in that day and age. I would fully agree with some doctor trying to help a wounded man, but he should be aware of the consequences. But apparently he wasn't. Even as the soldiers come to take the wounded man away, they never say a word to him. But Blood has to interfere, he says that patient shouldn't be moved. And when the Captain, tries to warn Blood, he angers the Captain as well.

OK so may be he is an idealist and naive, but no soon after he is sentenced to slavery he becomes cunning and total opposite of his former self. When I am seeing a film from 1935 I am not looking for action sequences. I know they are not going to impress me. I am more used to Pirates of Caribbean. So I am looking for a good story and believable characters, which this movie lacked.

'Captain Blood' made stars of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland when it was released, both winning their roles by default when other casting attempts failed. It's a rousing pirate adventure tale, told as only Rafael Sabatini in his novel could do. Aside from a splendid script, it has Michael Curtiz at the directorial helm and Erich Wolfgang Korngold supplying the stirring background music. The Flynn-de Havilland-Korngold-Curtiz package would be repeated many times by Warner Bros. since the ingredients proved a smash hit, most notably in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'.

Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) is a physician wrongly accused of being a traitor and sent to the West Indies into a life of slavery. He is purchased at the auction block by a spirited beauty (Olivia de Havilland) whose father happens to be the Governor (Lionel Atwil). When he leads other prisoners in an escape plan and succeeds, he becomes a pirate on the high seas. Eventually he is involved in a fight, a duel to the death with another pirate (Basil Rathbone) in order to win the fair heroine. The climactic duel between Flynn and Rathbone is on par with their other famous duel in 'Robin Hood'.

Fans of either Errol Flynn or Olivia de Havilland cannot fail to enjoy this romantic adventure done in the grand style by a studio that knew it had two future stars in the making.

"Captain Blood" represents the best qualities of Hollywood's 1930's swashbucklers. It was the first of twelve films that Errol Flynn made with Michael Curtiz and Warner Brothers, and maximized many of the now familiar staples of the genre: a totally likeable hero, beautiful locales, rousing fights, remarkably detailed sets, and lighthearted romance. But it also outdoes most of today's action flicks with its sharp, witty dialogue, and use of intrigue in the story that keeps the viewer interested in more than just the action.

The script by Casey Robinson (who did uncredited rewriting on Curtiz's "Casablanca") gives Flynn's character a sympathetic edge; he is not simply a muscular hero battling the bad guys, but also an intelligent and caring man who uses his wits to assist the less fortunate. Flynn is remembered today almost exclusively as an action star, but many of the scenes in "Captain Blood," particularly the ones developing his relationship with Olivia de Havilland's character, show that he had much more range. It's even more amazing to note that this was his first lead role, after only a few minor parts in earlier films; he shows remarkable confidence and ease in every scene.

Critics and audiences often overlook Curtiz when composing lists of the all-time great directors, perhaps because he was treated like a hired hand at Warners, basically doing whatever the studio assigned him. But after watching several of his films, it's easy to see that he had a very distinct visual style; he always stayed focused on the characters, even during the action scenes, never letting himself get distracted by the sumptuous settings that frequently appeared in his movies. He also kept his camera up close during the fights so that we see every swish of the sword. `Captain Blood' remains one of the brightest of Hollywood's many spectacles.

Thrilling swashbuckling who launched then unknown Errol Flynn to fame at a great role in which he becomes pirate of the Caribbean . This classic story of romantic adventure by Michael Curtiz , filmed in Hollywood , comes to life enriched by brilliant photography and adapted rightly to the screen . It deals with a doctor named Peter Blood (Errol Flynn , as Robert Donat turned down the role , he had been unable to accept the part) who is imprisoned and exiled into slavery in Port Royal , Jamaica ; there he falls in love for a beautiful young (Olivia De Havilland) and is mistreated by a tyrannical governor (Lionel Atwill) . As the enslaved doctor and his colleagues in chains escape but he is detained , though the timely interruption a Spanish ship turned pirate under the protection of the gold and crimson flag of King Philip of Spain . The Port Royal town is taken , then the pirates land , to loot , pillage and celebrate it . Port Royal was a popular homeport in which many of the crews turned pirate and used the city as their main base during the 17th century against the Spanish treasure fleets . Pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal, coming from waters as far away as Madagascar . Blood and his comrades flee and Peter is forced into piracy . And this Captain Blood began his career of piracy with a ship , a handful of men and a brain ; carving a crimson career , until his name became the terror of the Caribbean , until his name became the pride and toast of every buccaneer of the brotherhood of the coast . As Blood and his crew sailing recklessly through dangerous waters , from the Caribbean islands along Atlantic Ocean today he still lives in hundreds of legends . As he leads his followers against the evil governor but finally earns pardon for his swashbuckling ways .

The picture in which Tasmanian-born Flynn -who took the part Robert Donat declined for health reasons- , following just a couple of small Hollywood characters , burst upon the world as a new star . It launched 26-years-old Errol and 19-year-old Olivia De Havilland in perhaps the best pirate tale ever . Love interest De Havilland would go to appear with Errol in 7 more features , such as : The Charge of the Light Brigade , Robin Hood , The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex , The died with the boots on , Santa Fe trail , among others . This lusty pirate drama has plenty of punch and pace , as well as amusement . The action and fencing scenes are choreographed with an unity and surge of which all the best Hollywood filmmakers would have been proud . Combination of overwhelming battle ships , sword-play and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . Exciting script by Casey Robinson who also penned a sequel : The son of captain Blood with Sean Flynn , Errol's son . The picture is fast-moving , exciting and thrilling right up to the almost balletic climatic confrontation between Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone .Intelligently budgeted using miniature sets and ship shots from silents when possible . In fact , no full-sized ships were used in the battle scenes . It was created by a combination of process shots, miniatures, and footage from the silent film , Sea Hawk (1924), which was based on another Rafael Sabatini novel . Very good support cast in this historical/pirate/adventure tale of heroism and swordplay , standing out the followers support actors : Lionel Atwill , Henry Stephenson , Donald Meek ,Robert Barrat , Guy Kibbee , J Carrol Naish , Ross Alexander , Vernon Steele as King James II who was overthrown by Guillermo of Orange (1688) and special mention for Basil Rathbone as Levasseur , though he felt miscast as a French pirate.

Evocative cinematography in black and white by Hal Mohr , though also available colorized . First original and impressive musical score by Erich Wolfgang Kongold . He had only three weeks for scoring this picture, he used portions of two tone poems by Franz Liszt for some of the action scenes . Well narrated in pirate fashion , being masterfully directed by Michael Curtiz . Michael worked together Errol a total of 12 times, but Errol Flynn and Michael Curtiz disliked each other intensely . Errol Flynn's son Sean Flynn later played Captain Blood's son Robert Blood in The son of captain Blood (1962) . Rating : 7.5/10 , above average pirate movie , entertaining as well as stirring stuff that provides audience amusement . Enjoyable production packs enough thrills , breathtaking sea battles , tempestuous romance and exciting situations for a good time . It will appeal to Flynn/Havilland fans and pirate movies aficionados .

The vogue for "pirate films" and Caribbean and "South Seas" adventures that was maintained from the 1930s through the early 1960s was undoubtedly catalyzed more by "Captain Blood" than by any other film.in Hollywood history. This film was developed from a Rafel Sabbattini novel, by Casey Robinson. The storyline was also a bit unusual I suggest because its educated chief character was a medical man, not a soldier by profession, although he has learned weaponry at some time in his life.  Because he gives aid to a rebel against the king, on medical grounds if no other, he is then sentenced to be sold as a slave to British imperial colonists in the New World.  He is eloquent in his damning of the authorities at his trumped-up trial; but his arguments avail him nothing.  His new owner proves to be young, rich, beautiful and somewhat unenlightened--a female.  Over time, as he grows to admire the person behind the conventional attitudes, he wins the run of the island of Jamaica where he has been sent; and soon he is able to work some good. He also  busies himself winning allies among the others sentenced there and in time escapes and captures a Spanish ship.  It is then Peter Blood becomes "Captain Blood", professional pirate.  He takes his ship and with some difficulty is allowed to join the pirate brotherhood run by notorious Captain Levasseur.  At first he acknowledges the other as his master as a pirate; but gradually the two become bitter rivals.  So when Levasseur captures Arabella, his former owner, with whom Blood is now in love himself, he cannot permit the act.  He faces Levasseur in a prodigious sword fight and emerges victorious. this would be enough of a plot for many pirate films, but not this one.  Because no sooner has he rescued Arabella than he learns elements of the French fleet are going to attack Jamaica.  Rushing to the island's defense, he repels the enemy.  then news arrives; a new king has replaced the old, and all the enemies of his predecessor have been pardoned.  Because of his gallantry, Blood is made Governor of Jamaica; and the rest of the happy ending can be guessed by any viewer.  The film has a luminous B/W cinematography.  It was directed by Michael Curtiz as his first Hollywood major effort; it was also a first for the two young stars, who were later starred together by Warner Brothers, the studio whose heads championed out-laws of all stripes, on more than half a dozen occasions.  The same cast--Erroll Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, the same composer--Erich Wolfgang Korngold--and the same director helped to make "The Adventures of Robin Hood" a classic fictionalized biography.  Cinematography by Ernest Haller and Hal Mohr and art direction by Anton Grot contributed greatly to the stylish quality of this handsome production; it may have been shot in Southern California, but it looks clean, spacious and very Caribbean at at nearly every moment. Milo Anderson did Miss de Havilland's gowns; and the lighting throughout needs to be noted as being exceptional, by any many's standards.  In the cast apart from the three headlined actors, all of whom are adequate or better, the viewer can find Guy Kibbe and many  of Hollywood's British colony, plus Ross Alexander, Donald Meek, J. Carroll Naish, Pedro de Cordoba, Halliwell Hobbes, E.E. Clive, Jessie Ralph and Henry Stephenson. The story-line is clearly developed; the film's segments are each realized in above-average dialogue and actions segments. This is a film that is popular because perhaps of its attractive young leads and high style; it is not a great film, by my lights, but it is great fun.

In his first starring role, Errol Flynn is what we now would call, a "natural". He is backed up by a great cast, a great score and wonderful direction. And the film works because the role Errol Flynn plays is in a way a mirror of himself (please read his autobiography). He portrays only the best sides of the male character: a sense of justice, humour, and treating the ladies with the respect they deserve. Nobody could do it better. And Errol Flynn did it for many years after this film. Often people think of mr Flynn as only a swashbuckler. I think his greatest moments are the electric scenes with the villains, were he in a very understated and believable manner, takes a stand for justice and equality. Go watch all his movies. Go buy them. They are truly timeless classics of our movie heritage.

In the mid-thirties films like "Treasure Island" and "The Prisoner of Zenda", not to mention "The Count of Monte Christo", had revived the swashbuckler genre in Hollywood. A fact that the executives at Warner Bros had noticed. They already owned the rights to "Captain Blood", and now decided to turn the book into a film. The role of Blood was offered to Robert Donat, known as British cinema's one undisputed romantic leading man at the time.

The film begins in 17th-century England. A young doctor is accused of treason and deported to the Caribbean. There he manages to escape, and instead establishes himself as the leader of a band of rough-and-tumble pirates. He also meets love in the form of the beautiful niece of a local military commander.

But the production hit problems right away. Robert Donat, who was offered the lead role, suffered from chronic asthma. After reading the script, he consulted his doctor, and together they assessed that the movie's action sequences would be too strenuous for him. So the British actor was a no-show.

With Robert Donat out of the picture, Warner Bros was desperate to find another lead for their film. On the advice of director Michael Curtiz, a completely unknown Australian actor called Errol Flynn was hired. Granted, the man had never been in a major film before, but at least he looked the part. And the bet paid off. The day "Captain Blood" opened in New York City, Flynn became a superstar.

Errol Flynn was not the only one to have a big breakthrough in "Captain Blood". 19-year-old Olivia de Havilland (sister of Joan Fontaine) also had her first leading role in the movie. Together with her new partner Flynn she would appear in eight more popular adventure films. Most of them directed by Michael Curtiz.

This is the film that introduced Errol Flynn to the adventure genre.He plays Peter Blood,the most feared pirate of the caribbean,who at one point was a slave after being wrongfully accused of treason while aiding a rebel,enemy to the corrupt King James II. Olivia de Havilland made a startling debut as the young and proper Annabelle who helps Peter Blood escape from the cruelty and opression of her uncle's(Lionel Atwill)plantation in the West Indies.Not only was this the first screen pairing of Flynn and de Havilland(it would not be their last)but also one of the very first of the great films directed by Michael Curtiz. It also was the first film that Erich Wolfgang Korngold wrote the score for. Also starring are Henry Stephenson as Lord Willoughby and the great Basil Rathbone as the french pirate Capt.Levasseaur who teams up with Capt.Blood in an ill fated partnership. A superb pirate film with many action highlights and romance to spare thanks to its makers and especially to ERROL FLYNN!

RATING: A+ 10/10

This film tells the story of Dr. Peter Blood, who becomes a pirate after an unfounded accusation of treason to the British Crown. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film has a screenplay by Casey Robinson and stars Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.

Its probably one of the best known films of Flynn's meteoric career, who owes part of its fame to swashbuckling films where he played heartthrobs and heroes. Good collaboration with Olivia de Havilland, used to be the damsel in distress, ensured the popularity of the film, which remains very popular today. The story is not bad, although the script, very simple and naive, is not trouble-free. Pirates movies were in fashion, with these maritime outlaws being seen in a romantic and imaginative way.

The performance of the two main actors lived up to public expectations, which was greeted with a great job. The rest of the cast did not disappoint, keeping the film quite high level. The very theatrical performances and forced poses were in fashion during this period and should be seen that way. That was how the film was made, and this is part of the charm of this movies. The scenarios are good and try to recreate the seventeenth century ships. The special, visual and sound effects are the state of the art.

In 1935 Warner Brother teamed two relative unknown actors for the film " Captain Blood." Although their union would spawn noted sequels in which the two would be linked, this particular film was less fortunate. Real pirates of the 16th, thru 18th centuries established for themselves a well earned, brutal and savage reputation no movie could ever match. Unfortunately when Hollywood decided to create films involving Pirates as the main subject, delicacy became their watchword. True pirates would have laughed themselves silly if they ever saw what Tinsal town had done to their exploits. In this film for instance, we have the story of an English gentleman and Doctor, Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) being sent to prison, enslaved, then morphed into a vengeful privateer. However, even at his worse (For a pirate that is) he remains so civilized, it's hard to imagine the King branding him anything more annoying than a cold. Still, the film is full of ship to ship battle action, boy meets girl romance, but handicapped with silly scenes, like the pirates enacting 'Proper rules of behavior' which are incongruous with the barbaric images of historical villains. Olivia De Havilland plays Arabella Bishop a beautiful Lady of the Court, who despite being captured by the maniacal terrors of the Caribbean, never fears for her life, or her virtue. The only actor who is somewhat plausible in this awkward sea epic is Basil Rathbone who plays Levasseur, a rouge pirate. Thus the sum of the film is interesting, but hardly a fitting tribute to the virulent men who flew the Skull and Cross bones with pride. ****

I saw this movie after I had read the book, and I was very, very disappointed by it. The script is really weak, covering only about 10% of the book. Most of the outdoor sets look quite cheap, and the best outdoor scenes are the fragments of the silent-movie version of the book (most scenes of the ships crossing the sea, and maybe a scene where the lady enters the house of her uncle at the beginning of the movie, since it looked so differently photographed than the rest of the movie), that I would really love to see. Flynn is very unconvincing, since he portrais Blood as some sweetish cutie, and his acting is clearly very limited to a sweet look and a sneering smile. Well, this can't help him during the whole length of the movie. I think one can really compare Flynn with Brad Pitt, since they both have sweetish-sexy looks combined with nearly no acting skills, in my opinion. Not even the great directing of Curtiz with his light and shadow plays and so on can save the movie. The only good thing is Korngold's score, it's really *great*. But, in the version I watched, a german dubbed version where the dubbing was *really* bad, most of Korngold's score was replaced with some unfitting temp music, especially in the first scene in Port Royal, the duel and the romantic scene between Blood and his love interest on the ship after the duel. The great score is also the only thing that somehow saves this really bad fighting scene at the end, where the only good shots are the ones from the silent movie! My advice: read the book, it's great, get the album of the original soundtrack conducted by Korngold released by Tsunami, but otherwise stay away from this one. But one thing more about Flynn: after seeing him in this movie, I just can't believe all that stuff told about him being some kind of sexmaniac. But, apart from that, is it true that he was bisexual? And one thing more: when seeing a movie like this, I just can't understand some people say about a masterpiece like "Plan 9 from Outer Space", with it's wonderful sets reminding one of german expressionism, that it looked bad. This movie here looks really bad!