The Master of Ballantrae (1953) User Reviews

Flynn's Last WB Film an Okay Swashbuckler...

[cariart · 6/10 · 15 September 2003]

In the early 50s, the major Hollywood studios produced many movies in Europe, as it was cheaper to make 'quality' films there, utilizing foreign labor. IVANHOE, QUO VADIS, and ROMAN HOLIDAY were a few memorable titles shot overseas, and when the WB chose to make the last of Errol Flynn's films for the studio, THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE, in England, no one was happier than Flynn, himself. His career grinding to a halt, his finances in disarray, he had left America with creditors at his heels, finding that in Europe, he was still considered bankable, and his name still had marquee value. He hoped that starring in a swashbuckler (only his second since 1948's ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN) might revive his career, and open doors as he began to freelance. Unfortunately, years of self-neglect had taken it's toll on his appearance and energy, and even the most careful of lighting would no longer create a youthful illusion. At 44, Flynn showed all of his years, and lacked the acrobatic grace that had made his earlier swashbucklers so memorable.

Very loosely based on a Robert Lewis Stevenson novel, with elements of CAPTAIN BLOOD thrown in for good measure, Flynn is Jamie Durrisdeer, the hedonistic eldest son of a Scottish lord, who, after a coin toss, leaves to fight alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie, while his younger brother, Henry, 'plays nice' with the British, in order to save their estate. After the Scottish army is defeated, he finds himself a fugitive, allies himself with Irish mercenary Col. Francis Burke (a scene-stealing performance by Roger Livesey), and sneaks home to borrow money to flee to France. After a tearful reunion with his lady love (Beatrice Campbell, who was certainly no threat to Olivia de Havilland as a Flynn leading lady), Jamie awaits brother Henry's arrival, with funds, on the coast...only to be betrayed, barely escaping with his life. Burke takes the wounded Jamie onboard a waiting ship, only to be informed that the destination is the Caribbean, not France. The pair had been shanghaied!

After a series of events very reminiscent of CAPTAIN BLOOD, Jamie becomes a successful buccaneer, defeating a French rival in combat. Single-mindedly on a mission of vengeance, he returns home to Scotland to confront the brother who had 'betrayed' him...

At a brief 90 minutes, the pace never falters, and the cinematography, by Jack Cardiff, is rich and vivid (and so impressed Flynn that he hired Cardiff to film and direct his 'pet' project, an adventure film about William Tell...which was, sadly, never completed, as Flynn went bankrupt).

While THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE was certainly not of a caliber with Flynn's best swashbucklers, it was undeniably the best film that the WB had assigned him to since THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN. Unfortunately, the reviews were lukewarm, at best, and the film was largely ignored.

For all intent and purpose, Errol Flynn was 'washed up' in America. He would not make another American film for four years...a sad state of affairs for a man who, just a few years earlier, had been the toast of Hollywood!

THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE (William Keighley, 1953) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 22 March 2007]

Errol Flynn's 1950s work has always been taken for granted as being inferior to the star's output during his period of glory (1935-45); personally, I've always liked AGAINST ALL FLAGS (1952), which is forthcoming on DVD from Universal: now that I've caught up with this one, I can safely say that it too emerges as a very adequate addition to his string of popular swashbucklers.

The appeal of the film is actually two-fold: apart from being a typical Flynn vehicle, it's based on a classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; incidentally, not having read the original, I was surprised the narrative took the star from the highlands to (the more familiar territory of) the high seas – where he's involved with many a colorful character, at least three women, and even a usurping sibling. Perhaps to account for Flynn's age (he was 44 at the time), his character isn't quite as agile as in earlier adventures – given that he's wounded some three times during the course of the film; that said, as already mentioned, his attraction to females remains undimmed (though, in perhaps another sign of maturity, he never actually strays from his devotion to fiancée Beatrice Campbell) – ditto his wit, especially when it becomes necessary to put-down some gruff and pompous adversary.

This lively costumer is competently helmed by Keighley, a regular throughout Flynn's heyday, and deals with the 18th century struggle by the Scots to break free from British rule and elect Bonnie Prince Charlie as their sovereign. Besides, the film is boosted by an array of British players (including Anthony Steel as Flynn's over-eager brother, Felix Aylmer, Mervyn Johns, Ralph Truman, Francis de Wolff and, especially, Roger Livesey – cast against type as the star's fun-loving Irish sidekick, a role usually filled by Alan Hale); the Warners DVD I watched, then, really does justice to the film's gorgeous color cinematography (courtesy of the great Jack Cardiff).

Ultimately, while no classic, THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE is a pleasant romp and, at this stage, I wouldn't mind checking out the rest of Flynn's ventures in similar vein: actually, I only have three more to go – THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN FABIAN (1951), CROSSED SWORDS (1954) and THE DARK AVENGER (1955) – but their low-profile (and, in the case of the first two, their European backing) doesn't augur well for the films' imminent availability...

Not the Sea Hawk, but not the Big Boodle, either.

[Scott-52 · 7/10 · 22 November 1998]

There are some problems with this version of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, not least of which is the changing of the ending and parts of the story to make it more appealing to the juvenile appetite. Psychological complexities are minimized here, so that what you're getting is an adventure yarn about greed and jealousy. It could have been a lot more.

Yet there are compensations. Jack Cardiff's photography is really eye-catching, and Mr. Livesey carves a nice bit of ham from his role. Flynn himself seems more interested in the proceedings than at any time since before the war. He is out of condition, and lacks physical vigor, but a clarity of eye indicates he may have had some inkling of what this could have been.

Made to utilize Warners Brothers frozen assets in England, the film is not Stevenson, but is but no means a bad way to pass part of a rainy afternoon.

While far from Flynn's earlier successes, one of the few bright moments in the latter half of his career

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 1 September 2007]

During the 1950s, Errol Flynn was a full-fledged alcoholic who was just counting the days until liquor would eventually take his life. As a result, he looked extremely old and puffy in these films and the overall energy level of the films were very low. Sadly, like Alan Ladd, his career was cut very short because of the drinking.

Despite this, MASTER OF BALLANTRAE is one of only a few shining moments in an otherwise drab decade for Flynn. Now this isn't to say the film is great and I am sure that had Flynn made the film ten or twenty years earlier it would have been better (as often he looked a bit drunk and immobile), but it still was enjoyable and held my interest.

The film is based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novel by the same name--a story very similar to another famous work by Stevenson, "Kidnapped". Like this other tale, they are set in the period immediately following the defeat of the forces of Bonny Prince Charlie after the Battle of Culloden. This time, Flynn plays a brother forced to leave his homeland because those loyal to the Prince were being rounded up and executed. I am actually glad the film left Scotland, as the pirate sequences were exciting (even if the Tortugas look nothing like they do in the film--there are no mountains on these barren islands off the Florida Keys).

In addition to a sluggish but acceptable performance by Flynn, he was very ably supported by Roger Livesey--the only actor in the film who really came off as exciting or three-dimensional.

The Master...

[patrick.hunter · 14 August 2003]

(Spoilers for both the book and movie). As to where exactly is Ballantrae, it was supposed to be somewhere in southwestern Scotland, but truthfully it existed in the mind of the sometimes-homesick novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, who, in the book's preface, called himself "an exile." His novel is beautifully written, but is also episodic, dark, and ultimately tragic (the two brothers ultimately kill each other). It has a sense of isolation only an exile could have, and although one of Stevenson's best works, it doesn't lend itself to a Hollywood adaptation, the way "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island" do.

The movie ends with the warring brothers in happy reconciliation; it also ends with a zesty, light-hearted spirit, completely at odds with Stevenson's dour irony, but completely in tune with Errol Flynn. Despite some comparable plotpoints, the film has little in common with the original novel's themes and characters. No matter; this movie is fun.

Yes, Flynn looks a little worn; a decadent life was leaving its mark on a beautiful face. However, he still looks fit and handsome, and his jaded, weary eyes actually suit his role. In my opinion, he never played a lustier character--not even Don Juan. Maybe the location shooting unleashed his impish side, because after the crew left Sicily to finish work in England, Flynn stayed on an extra two weeks, vacationing in the sun to his heart's content while he blithely held up cast and crew!

Flynn, with his happy amorality, may not be Stevenson's Master, but he is the master of Hollywood swashbucklers, and this is his fourth best one. It isn't up to "Adventures of Robin Hood" or even "The Sea Hawk" or "Adventures of Don Juan" but, like another reviewer, I'll take it over "Captain Blood."

"My Lord, if it's possible to disregard treason, I offer my sincere regrets."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 30 August 2006]

I'm probably going about this in reverse direction, this is the first sword wielding epic of Errol Flynn I've been able to watch. As such, I can't make the comparison against the athleticism and youthful enthusiasm of his earlier films as others on this forum have competently done. For me, the adventure played out decently enough, as Flynn's character Jamie Durie needed a cat's nine lives worth of luck to make it through the picture. He always appeared to bounce back after being shot, stabbed, or sworded, and rebounded just as mightily from the travails of his lost loves in the picture. Would that his personal life had gone as smoothly.

Roger Livesey's Colonel Burke was the surprise of the movie with his scene stealing manner and discourse. Without the accent he would have made a great sidekick in Flynn's Western films. Following an introduction that might have come to blows, Burke proves to be a loyal accomplice to Durie's schemes, whether escaping from the British or hijacking a pirate ship.

Warner Brothers' Technicolor format holds up quite well today and has that vivid look and feel of early color films, even though some of the renditions look a bit out of place. It reminded me of theater experiences back in the Fifties and early Sixties when most TV shows were still being done in black and white.

On the strength of this film, I'm encouraged to seek out Errol Flynn's earlier swashbuckling efforts, most notably "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "Captain Blood". Approaching fifty years since the actor's death, Flynn's personal legacy remains one of the most mysterious and convoluted histories that Hollywood has to offer.

Very much a lesser Errol Flynn film, but still has its fun and charms

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 29 July 2015]

The Master of Ballantrae is one of those films that can be enjoyed on its own merits, providing that viewers don't spend the entire duration comparing it to the book by Robert Louis Stevenson.

As an adaptation of The Master of Ballantrae, the film will disappoint as the book's story is almost changed beyond recognition, the characters are reduced to stereotypes (though thankfully still likable ones that are enough to make the story still engaging enough) and the tragic elements of the story are sidelined. However, viewing it on its own terms, while nowhere near one of Errol Flynn's best films, it is decent with its fun and charms.

Starting with the good points, and there are a good many here, what definitely stands out is the vividly colourful cinematography, which captures the elegant costumes and handsomely rendered settings perfectly. William Alwyn's music score is appropriately rousing and bombastic, it's no Korngold but it suits the film very well and adds a lot to it. Smart, witty scripting, some slick action (including the very amusing pirate scenes) and an easy-going chemistry between Errol Flynn and Roger Livesey are further things to like, as are the more than able direction and the generally fun and thrilling second half. In the supporting roles, Roger Livesey really comes to hugely enjoyable life in the type of role associated with Alan Hale, and the rest of the cast do credibly, including lovely leading lady Beatrice Campbell.

For all those good things however, The Master of Ballantrae also has its faults. Despite his gallant charm, twinkling eyes and dashing smile, Flynn is not in his best form here, he looks out of shape from his drinking and fatigued and the action lacks his usual enthusiastic energy. He does handle the more dramatic scenes reasonably well though. Didn't care for the narration either, the news report delivery felt out of place and it wasn't very necessary either and ground the first half to a standstill in places. More show and less tell would have made things better. The first half has a good deal of fun and charm but the second half is noticeably crisper in pace. And while one shouldn't expect another Adventures of Robin Hood or Adventures of Don Juan climax, the climax here was rather anaemically choreographed and lacked excitement.

All in all, decent with a lot of good merits but a little disappointing for Flynn and Stevenson fans. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Two-for-the-price-of-one swashbuckler

[Lejink · 7/10 · 19 March 2009]

I wasn't expecting too much of this later Errol Flynn vehicle, especially as it was taking on one of my favourite authors, my fellow-countryman Robert Louis Stevenson. However, while some of my fears were justified, on the whole I was well satisfied with this irreverent, knockabout swashbuckler.

It probably helps that it's years and years since I read the novel plus the movie also gained big "brownie-points" with me for not calling my countrymen "Scotchmen" and basically by filling up any pauses in the story with big action set-pieces, so that any gripes I may have had about authenticity and truth to source evaporated.

On the down side, there's no question that old Errol was getting on a bit, especially for this type of part. He seems far too old to be his brother's brother, if you follow me, never mind the rakish playboy figure he cuts at the start of the movie. That said, he's still undoubtedly a handsome man, in reasonable shape and still able to leap aboard a pirate ship or engage in a sword-fight to the death with almost the old panache. He's well supported by Roger Livesey who hams it up royally as an Irish adventurer (does anyone in this movie speak in their native dialect?).

On the debit side are devices like the stentorian-voiced announcer who makes "voice of God" interjections it seems every 15 minutes, the complete lack of suspense at Flynn's two supposed early demises (as if...!) and I can't resist saying it after all, the complete lack of even one authentic Scottish accent - Flynn doesn't even try. (I've checked the cast-list and not one is Scots-born!)

But with Jack Cardiff's sparkling photography (every frame seems bathed in an almost Rubens-ian like golden-light), some good if not "Robin Hood" - vintage sword-play and similarly good if not "Captain Blood" - vintage action on the pirate-ship, the movie proceeds with the pace of a page-turning Stevenson novel and before you know it you're at the finish as Flynn, Livesey (and Beatrice Campbell as his lover Lady Alison) evade the English Army's hangman's rope (hurrah!) and make their dramatic escape over the hills and far away.

A bit two for the price of one then, pirate action coupled with a historical-costume swashbuckler. Personally I rather enjoyed it and will consciously now not avoid, as I have been doing, Flynn's post-war work. More "used-to-be" than "has-been" and there is a difference.

Jamie Durie, the Master of Ballantrae, is not a man to let close to your wife, your daughter or your gold

[Terrell-4 · 7/10 · 30 July 2009]

The Master of Ballantrae just might have worked as a sprawling period swashbuckler if...the Master of Ballantrae, the eldest son of the laird of Clan Durie who fights for Bonnie Prince Charlie and loses, hadn't been such a self-centered clod who let his love of gold, wenches and adventure get in the way of honor, wisdom and trust, and if...Errol Flynn had been ten years younger. At 44, he looks 54, and often a puffy and tired 54 at that. If he were younger, he might have convinced us that the selfish and impetuous Jamie Durie would sometime soon in the movie find something honorable to do that would make us root for the romantic and dashing fellow. Looking in his mid-fifties, however, Flynn resembles an aging, petulant rake, and we know it's unlikely that there is any chance of a charming good guy emerging from the husk.

Robert Lewis Stevenson doesn't help. His Master is unredeemably and emotionally selfish, even though a dab hand with a sword, at piracy, with the ladies and with holding a grudge. No man in his right mind would place anyone he loves in the self-centered path of Jamie Durie. Flynn doesn't have much of a chance. It's clear Flynn's rapscallion, romantic, swashbuckling days have long gone by.

The story of the Master of Ballantrae bears some resemblance to Stevenson's novel. A toss of a coin determines that Jamie, the Master, will fight for the Stuart restoration when Charlie Stuart arrives from France to try to wrest the throne away from the Hanoverian King George II. As the elder brother, Jamie will inherit the Durie title and estates. The year is 1745. Jamie's younger brother, Henry (Anthony Steele), will support George. This way, whichever side wins, Clan Durie will have backed the winner. Henry is everything Jamie is not. He's conscientious, honorable and dull. And when Charlie loses, Jamie has to hightail it out of Scotland. Penniless, more or less, he encounters another rogue, Colonel Francis Burke (Roger Livesey, in a rollicking performance, and made up to look more of a drunk than Flynn), and off they go on the adventures of wenching and piracy, fighting and guffawing that make up most of the movie. Jamie never forgets, however, that he has a score to settle with Henry, for by now, thanks to jealousy and treachery, Henry has become the Master of Ballantrae and the heir to Clan Durie. If Jamie can't have the title, then when he sneaks back to Scotland he wants the woman who goes with the title, plus a good deal of money. He's more than willing to kill Henry to get all this.

Much of the movie was photographed in Scotland and looks great. Jack Cardiff gets the credit. The screenplay is often a bawdy, rag tag braggadocio of ripe dialogue credited to Herb Meadow with additional dialogue by Harold Medford. There is a rousing sea attack, some full-bodiced wenches in Tortuga, a fine, mannered dandy of a French pirate captain and a rouser of a Flynn sword fight. Unfortunately, it's obvious to one who looks closely that Flynn's fencing double is getting more screen time that Flynn during the fight. Even so, the story is something of a downer, the tale of a man who could never have enough, who kept close his resentments, who never forgot and who never learned. Well, maybe he learned a little at the end...if he listened to his great, true and only friend, Burke: "Not much time to remember all the girls you've known, all the laughter you've heard, all the gold you've spent, and all the plans you had to spend more. The places we've not seen, Jamie! The things that lie about the world! The fun of it!" Perhaps, but the happy end is about as abrupt and startling as suddenly opening a boiled haggis.

Roger Livesey, a fine British actor, would have overshadowed Flynn, in my opinion, if he hadn't carefully modulated bits and pieces of his performance. Burke is a dangerous rogue, but, unlike Jamie Durie, he's likable. To see Livesey at his very best, watch him in those three classic movies he starred in for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I'm Going and A Matter of Life and Death.

If we want to remember Errol Flynn in his sad decline, let it be in that unremembered Western shot cheaply in 1950 and not promoted by the studio, Rocky Mountain. Flynn's prematurely aged face brings authenticity to a Confederate officer who, with his small group of men, decides to act with honor and to accept the consequences. Flynn could act when it suited him.

Known tale of adventures , love and mystery , being the classic version based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 10 November 2017]

The exciting story of two brothers, Scottish noblemen whose family is torn apart by the Jacobite rising of 1745 , rallying all the nobles and chieftains of all the Scottish clans supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie . Bonnie Prince Charlie raises his royal standard on the 19th of August 1745 and claims the crowns of England , Scotland and Ireland in front of a gathering of Scottish nobles and chieftains . The Jacobite Rebellion has begun . During the succession debacle, the House of Stuart received the support of their Catholic subjects , while King George II of the House of Hanover had the support of the Protestants . Catholic France supported the House of Stuart's claim to the English , Scottish and Irish thrones. And there took place Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culludon . Flynn plays as the forceful Jacobite Jamie Durrister , the heir to Scottish title who sets off wearing the white cockade, the symbol of the cause , and he gets involved in a rebellion with Bonnie Prince Charlie against the English Crown , then the riot fails . Flynn heads for the west Indies where he and his partner and faithful servant (Roger Livesey) undertake several adventures . As Jamie accompanied by his new friend Irishman Francis Burke find themselves on board a smugglers ship . Both of them amass quite a fortune through piracy . As he becomes a pirate and fights against the French Capt. Arnaud (Jacques Berthier). Meanwhile, Jamie winning ways in fair ladies . Jamie eventually returns to Scotland where he finds that his brother has taken over his title as well as his longtime sweetheart . The outrageous Master Jamie is torn between vengeance and brotherhood , versus his brother Henry Durie (Anthony Steel) who has more traditional values and social wiles . The enmity between the fraternal rivals and the love, for both , of the stalwart Lady Alison (Beatrice Campbell) is also a main theme .

This is an amusing rendition based on vintage book , set in 18th century Scotland , during the Jacobite Rebellion ; as the plot revolves around what happens after the brothers toss a coin to see who joins Prince Charlie and who remains to oversee the family estate . The screenplay may not be entirely correct in detail but the portrayal of the Jacobite Rebellion is both very accurate and insightful , surprisingly good for a Hollywood film . Colorful flick developing deeds about battle of Culludon and subsequent events with superb cinematography in Tecnicolor by Jack Cardiff and powerful score by William Alwyn . This classic story of romantic adventure , filmed in location , comes to life enriched by the brilliant photography , as the color of the Scotland's fields is stunning and being freely based on historical facts . A good clean fun with a legendary Scottish adventurer against the British army , the Red Coats . It is a fun adventure movie that certainly hits the mark ; being plenty of action , thrills , brilliant costumes and catching score ; all meld together under William Keighley 's fine direction along with a frankly excellent support cast . Combination of overwhelming battles , and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . Master of swashbuckling , Flynn could happily have found a better vehicle for his faculties than this entertaining rendition . Flynn's sword flashes as often as his smile . Well played by Errol who starred various ¨Sword and Swagger¨ films and was superstar of Warner Brothers swashbucklers . Although Errol isn't nearly at his most agile and deft style . Errol Flynn was 43 when he made this movie , but his wild lifestyle had diminished his health and made him less able to perform his own stunts , as he had in earlier films . Previously , Flynn made his best swashbucklers and played successes as ¨Captain Blood¨ , ¨Adventures of Robin Hood¨, ¨The prince and the pauper¨ , ¨Sea Hawk¨, ¨The private lives of Elizabeth and Essex¨ , ¨Gentleman Jim¨ . Flynn also performed some Westerns as ¨Dodge City¨, ¨Virginia City¨, ¨Santa Fe Trail¨, ¨They died with their boots on¨, ¨San Antonio¨, ¨Silver River¨ , ¨Montana¨. And wartime movies as ¨Objective Burma¨, ¨Norhern pursuit¨, ¨Dive Bomber¨ , ¨Edge of darkness¨ , ¨Desperate journey¨. Errol Flynn's last film for Warner Bros before he was released from his contract in 1952 , he had been with the studio for 18 years . Nevertheless, Flynn's riotous life had put him long past his peak swashbuckling days , as this movie unfortunately demonstrates it , and the 43-year-old Errol was generally felt to look too old to play the dashing young hero .

The Scottish Highlands are a treat for your eyes in glamorous Technicolor similarly to recent TV series ¨Outlander¨ . Being luxuriously shot by Cardiff who also directed some pictures and including a sensitive as well as thrilling musical score . The movie was well made by William Keighley who shot Noir Films : ¨Each dawn I die¨, ¨Ladies they talk about¨,¨ The Street with no name¨, ¨G men¨, ¨Bullets and ballots¨ ; Costumer : ¨The prince and the pauper¨; Drama : ¨Green pastures¨, comedy : ¨The bride came COD¨, ¨the man who came to dinner¨, ¨George Washington slept here¨ and adventure : ¨The Master of Balantry¨ . However , this film would be a failure and panned by critics ; it is , nowadays , best considered . The flick will appeal to adventures buffs .

Other retelling about this popular novel are : TV movie 1984 by Douglas Hickox with Michael York , John Gielgud , Ian Richardson , Timothy Dalton , Nickolas Grace , Finola Hughes , Ed Bishop , Brian Blessed , Nick Brimble ; TV series , 1975 , with Brian Cox , Julian Glover , Brigit Forsyth , Fulton Mackay and TV series , 1962 , with John Breslin ,John Cairney ,Hilary Thomson .

A comeback that falls short...

[yarborough · 5/10 · 27 July 2003]

The Master of Ballantrae is a swashbuckling film that tries to mark Errol Flynn's comeback, but falls short to do such thing. The movie has some wonderful swordplaying, but lacks story and strong acting. Errol though once again does his part, but the filmmakers don't do their's, except the cinematography. The scenes without the action are dull and tiresome, and the whole set-up of the film isn't very exciting. Errol was at the age of 43 and has aged considerably in the past 15 years. He at times in the film look like he's bored and tired of playing these swashbuckling hero's. The way Errol looks in this film, it's hard to tell that he was the same guy to play Robin Hood and Captain Blood. He at times looks totally unrecongizable. Errol's companion in the film Robert Livesay is a welcome addition and the scenes of the film with him and Errol are fun to watch, but the scenes with anyone else are just not that fun. The film's conclusion is a bit disappointing. The film doesn't end with a mammoth swordfight, but a little, weak chase that was in desperate need of a huge action sequence. To sum it all up, not good, not bad, just average. ** out of ****.

The Curse of the Duries

[theowinthrop · 8/10 · 8 August 2006]

It is generally conceded today that Robert Louis Stevenson's two greatest works are the unfinished novel WEIR OF HERMISTON, and the completed THE MASTER OF BALLENTRAE. The latter story (published in 1889) is centered on a filial rivalry and hatred that lasts literally until the death of the two brothers involved.

Ballentrae is an estate in 18th Century Scotland, and the chief heir is James Durie. On the surface he is an easy going, fun loving type. When the 1745 Jacobite revolt under Bonnie Prince Charlie occurs, the Laird of Ballentrae is in a quandary. As a Highland Laird, he has to show he is a supporter of the ancient royal house of Scotland (the Stuarts) that Prince Charles represents. As a man who knows what the Hanovarians are like, he dare not fully come out as a supporter. So he hedges his bets. He has James go off to fight for the Stuart cause, but keeps his younger son Henry at home. Henry is not a fun loving type - he is a quiet, business-like type, who does not make friends easily.

So James goes off, and time passes. He is eventually reported as dead. Henry immediately becomes the heir to the estate. But suddenly James returns, and willingly brings troubles with him. The British government does have a price on his head, and if he is found on the estate the Duries may be imprisoned and their wealth taken away. Yet the old man insists that Henry do what is right for his older brother, and James keeps reminding Henry that by rights he is "Master of Ballentrae".

What happens, of course, is a disaster. To begin with, it slowly comes out that James may have declared for the Stuart cause, but he never showed up to fight for that cause. In short he acted like a loud mouth, attracting the anger of the government but then showed he was a coward. Not a total coward (where his own interest is involved) but one who won't put himself out for others when the chips are down. Secondly it turns out that his fun-loving activities are coming home to roost - he's had an affair, and left an illegitimate child. This, of course, means that the family has to support the bastard child.

Moreover, Henry has married the woman who would have married James under normal circumstances. He is now trying to unofficially regain her attention. This proves too much for Henry, and leads to one of the best passages in Stevenson's writings - the duel between the brothers in a darkened room. It ends with Henry believing he killed James. Would that he had.

James persecutes Henry and his wife for the rest of the novel (the father eventually dies of shame after learning how James was so cowardly at Culloden). The novel eventually goes to New York (then a colony) where both brothers meet up and meet their joint destiny.

This review of the story does not go into Henry's character flaws (he is a money grubber in the end). Stevenson never did make a better completed novel, even though there are elements of the improbable in it.

The story was made into this 1953 film, probably the last good movie Errol Flynn had the lead in that was a swashbuckler. The ambiguities and moral lapses of the two brothers are not used here (Henry is played by Anthony Steel, and he is far too young here for the role). James' opportunistic streak, and his non-appearance at Culloden is not in the film - he shows up at the battle. Indeed, he meets Colonel Francis Burke, an English Jacobite (Roger Livesey) who becomes his one ally and friend in the novel. In the film there will be other allies. Mervyn Johns plays the family servant MacKellar, who narrates the actual novel (but not here), and sees the flaws of both brothers all too clearly (although he ends up sympathizing with Henry). Lord Durrisdeer, the father of the brothers is Finlay Curray. The cast is generally quite good. But the excellence of the story is dropped and replaced into a tale of misunderstanding, and how a universal dislike of the English manages to keep the family together. Stevenson would have been amazed and hurt by what was done here.

I am willing to give the film an "8" for it's good points, mostly the performances (in particular Livesay's chemistry with Flynn). But I miss the tragic element of the novel. To properly appreciate the novel, if one can't read it, try to catch the television version made with Michael York and Richard Thomas and John Guilgud back in the 1980s. It too changed the end, but it stuck closer to the spirit of hopeless competition and hatred that Stevenson concocted in his masterpiece.

Interesting Flynn Movie

[domino1003 · 7/10 · 5 April 2006]

15 years after his signature role in "The Adventures of Robin Hood," Errol Flynn tries to show how much he still had that swashbuckling move in "The Master of Ballantrae," an adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson story.

Jamie Durie (Flynn), defeated in his attempt to fight the British army, is supposedly betrayed by his brother Henry (Anthony Steele) so that the younger brother can inherit the lands and estate (But we know that it is a jealous lover that actually did the deed). Attempting to escape with his friend Burke (Roger Livesey), Jamie ends up on a pirate ship and through a series of adventures ends up back to home to seek revenge on his brother, who also just became engaged to Jamie's fiancée Lady Alison (Beatrice Campbell)and have seemed to have gotten cozy with the British.

This is far from the earlier swashbuckling Flynn movies. The energy is pretty much gone from Flynn, whose wicked ways had clearly aged him and making him a bit laughable during some of the scenes. However, it is still a good attempt to show that he can still do his thing. Livesey is a good sidekick to Flynn as well.

Dreadful travesty of Stevenson masterpiece

[bottleimp · 5/10 · 13 July 2006]

How bad can a movie get? This misguided swashbuckler was evidently intended as a boost for the legendary Errol Flynn's fading career. The cheesy acting (unbearable love scenes and supporting performances), "Brigadoon"-style costumes (what was it with those non-period tartan leggings and sparkling-clean pirate outfits?), and, worst of all, embarrassing script (with scarcely a trace of Robert Louis Stevenson) make one wish that Warner Brothers had junked the screenplay by Herb Meadow and additional dialogue by Harold Medford.

They might have done better instead to have adopted the 1951 Classics Illustrated comic-book adaptation by Kenneth W. Fitch (artwork by Lawrence Dresser) as storyboards and script. Seriously. The comic book had the distinct advantage of at least resembling the novel on which it was based, while the Flynn vehicle merely borrowed the title and a few characters' names while otherwise abandoning the source material.

It's unfortunate, because, as many critics and readers are discovering, "The Master of Ballantrae" is one of Stevenson's finest works of fiction -- a tragic psychological study of human duality and fratricidal hatred. This celluloid travesty strips the novel of every vestige of nuance, gets every relationship wrong, makes each character wooden, and turns even the piratical interlude tedious. Robert Louis Stevenson deserved better. So did Errol Flynn.

Excellent late Flynn

[henrijpherbert · 22 August 2001]

Flynn, though pickled and clearly the worse for wear, gives a fine performance here. In fact, his haggard features compliment his role as a defeated war veteran. You`ll see little of the humour and athletic prowess of Flynn`s early movies, but it`s a grand experience none the less. The supporting cast are fine, especially Livesy. But the leading lady is not up to Flynn`s standard. Olivia should have made a comeback for this one. That said, Flynn does engage in some obviously stunt-doubled sword play. However, he is neither as humorous, mischevious or as boyish as he was before. 8/10

A slower Flynn in his Warners' swansong

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 19 June 2009]

By the time he made this, his last swashbuckler for Warner Bros., Errol Flynn's hedonistic lifestyle had finally begun to catch up with him and he looked a good ten years older than his actual age of 44. The toll of all those boozy nights also meant that Flynn was no longer the agile hero of old - although he could still handle a sword with the best of them.

This is quite an entertaining old-fashioned swashbuckler filmed in lush colour by Jack Cardiff. It's based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novel full of twists and turns and, while some of these twists (and turns) seem occasionally improbable, they all add to the entertainment value. Highlight of the film for me was Jacques Berthier as the foppish pirate captain who looks as though he has strayed onto the set from a completely different film - although Roger Livesey as Flynn's Irish soldier-of-fortune sidekick runs him a close second.

The Master of Ballantrae, more lives than a cat.

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 25 June 2010]

Lower tier Errol Flynn swashbuckler coming at a time when his star was waning. The Master Of Ballantrae is adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel by Herb Meadow and sees Roger Livesey, Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell, Yvonne Furneaux, Felix Aylmer & Mervyn Johns star alongside Flynn. It's directed by William Keighley (his last film and fourth with Flynn) with the music by William Alwyn and photography by Jack Cardiff. The plot sees Flynn as Jacobite Jamie Durie who is forced to flee Scotland from English oppression and winds up with pirates in the West Indies. Here he bides his time until the time comes to return home where he has a score to settle with his brother; and all being well, rekindle a romance with his sweetheart.

Filmed mostly in Scotland, the material is tailor-made for Flynn. For even tho he's far from in the best physical shape, he gets to swish and swash with the customary heroics that made his name. Livesey turns in the best performance of the piece, whilst our ladies are as pretty as Jack Cardiff's Highland photography is. The character complexities in the novel are sadly missing here, so with that the film hasn't much to offer outside of being an 18th century yarn. But a worthwhile yarn it be, in short it's a colourful production with good period value, that is competently acted and deals nicely in romance and adventure. 6/10

The good, the bad, and the (slightly) flabby

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 22 June 2016]

A good story, although a bit too broad to compress into a 90 minute movie; today this would be at least a 2 hour film. A war. An unplanned trip to the South Seas. Meeting up with pirates. Back to Scotland to settle old quarrels. Just too much for 90 minutes.

Production qualities that were erratic. Some scenes seemed well provisioned, others had matte paintings that were none too good. In fact, in the late escape scene, the rock walls of a tunnel shake when one of the actors bumps into it. And the fencing sequence toward the end of the film was poorly choreographed. Disappointing on that score.

If you like swashbuckling stories, this should satisfy you, although that's where the slightly flabby comment comes in. In some of the fencing scenes you can see that this was hard work for Erroll Flynn. He was well past his prime, and his lifestyle had slowed him down considerably. And, he was just a bit too old for the role to begin with. But, he was great at this type of action film, so he pulled it off.

In terms of the acting, Flynn still had it; real presence on screen. Roger Livesey as an Irish colonel -- and sort of the Walter Brennan rule -- was good, although I was not familiar with him. The rest of the cast did their jobs, but none impressed me much.

The film has its limitations, but it's enjoyable enough. And, for all intents and purposes, Flynn's last (sorta) great screen role.

His grace,charm and athleticism have had few if any equals.

[ianlouisiana · 6/10 · 11 February 2012]

Errol Flynn was still a damnably handsome man in 1953.By then he was bringing something extra to his films - a bruised integrity,a face that has had the smooth edges knocked off,eyes that betray a knowledge that he is running out of time.In his close - ups he looks reflective,aware that perhaps his future is all used up as Marlene Dietrich said in "Touch of evil". No longer the superb athlete he once was,his acting is more intense and inner - directed,less extrovert. Teamed with a splendidly silly Roger Livesey in "The Master of Ballantrae",he still cuts a dashing figure nonetheless.He and Mr L carry this rather disappointing production far further than it deserves. Sumptuously photographed by Jack Cardiff with some snappy swordplay,it should be better than it is,but it lacks a strong hand at the helm and becomes a series of unrelated actions totally failing to morph into a satisfying whole. The "pirates ashore" sequence goes on far too long and features a dance by choreographer Miss Gillian Lynne that is possibly unique in cinema history - and I don't mean that in any good way. In 1953 it was still just about enough to have Errol Flynn in a technicolour film with pirates and redcoats - sadly this combination has not improved with age. Within a few years,Mr Flynn will have dissipated himself to death in pursuit of whatever devils haunted him.This was a tragedy not recognised at the time because of the appalling fall - off in, the quality of his final films. 60 years on his career can be viewed much more objectively,and it is possible to acknowledge his grace,charm and athleticism have had few if any equals.

Has Everything Going For It But Flynn

[DennisHinSF · 6/10 · 17 June 2017]

I really wanted to love this; it has so much of what makes a great adventure romp work: Gorgeous Technicolor, A Wonderful music score, and rousing direction. Sadly the fatal element here was the film's star: Errol Flynn. Just 15 years away from Robin Hood (1938), Flynn looks easily 35 years older, as well as bloated, tired, and not a little surly. And what a shame, as he's only in his mid 40's here. But it isn't simply aging; he looks ill and broken. Flynn lived and loved all his life just as he pleased; sadly here his way of life has caught up with him and then some. Think I'll go watch Robin Hood & Elizabeth and Essex so I can remember the great performer as he should be remembered.

How To Slip One By the Production Code...

[stedder-26846 · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

The movie must have put the Production Code censor board to sleep, because toward the end, when the pirates are in port in the West Indies, dancing girl Marianne makes her appearances. Now there's no better way to say this, she's going braless under a green see-through blouse. The still frames are definitely eye-filling, and even played at normal speed you can hardly believe your eyes. This must be absolutely unique for a major studio film in the early 50s, and I suspect it may have been Flynn's idea. The actress was Gillian Lynne, uncredited even though it's a speaking role.

Having pointed that out for admirers of the female form, the movie is an enjoyable costume adventure, which interestingly doesn't have a Hollywood-style happy ending. An extra star for the great Roger Livesey, who carries the film with his florid language and stage Irish accent.

The Durisdeers Hedge Their Bets

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 22 March 2008]

The Master of Ballantrae comes for Errol Flynn just as he is leaving his long term contract with Warner Brothers. Although the part of rakes-hell Jamie Durisdeer would have been a great role for him ten to fifteen years earlier for him, by the time he gets around to filming it at 44 he was just too old for the part.

If you read the novel or merely a synopsis of same you'll realize how very much is left out of the story. It's a bit more complex than what we have and after the film concludes the brothers Durisdeer go on for some considerable time, both meeting with tragic ends. But that's not what you see here.

In fact the novel is told from the point of view of the Mervyn Johns character, the steward at the Durisdeer estate. It's 1745 and Bonnie Prince Charlie has landed in the middle of a war between France and Great Britain to assert the House of Stuart's claim. Even though he's a Catholic, the heart of Scotland is with the Prince. But something tells the Durisdeer clan to hedge their bets. Older brother Errol Flynn sides with the Stuarts while younger brother Anthony Steel goes with the House of Hanover.

After the Battle of Culloden where the flower of highlands was cut down, England did not impose an easy peace on Scotland. The brothers do fight and Flynn is fouled in a duel with Steel. It's exile for him until he can return and denounce the brother.

Flynn is a driven character, driven by thoughts of revenge. It's kind of hard to sympathize with him though. He's engaged to Beatrice Campbell, but has no problem making a little whoopee with Yvonne Furneaux. Now that WAS in keeping with the real Errol Flynn. Still he's supposed to be in his twenties doing this and Jack Cardiff's beautiful color cinematography is not a help in this case.

Two actors really standout in this film though. The first is Roger Livesey as Irish soldier of fortune Francis Burke who gets the role of sidekick to Errol Flynn after they find each other in the wake of Culloden. The second is for French actor Jacques Berthier as a gentleman pirate who Flynn and Livesey fall in with.

Flynn and Jack Cardiff hit it off though. Cardiff got involved in Errol Flynn's ill-fated disaster William Tell. Supposedly in that unfinished epic of which little has been seen is some of the best work Cardiff ever did. He remains to this day as the United Kingdom's number one color cinematographer.

William Keighley who directed Flynn in what some say was his greatest film role in The Adventures of Robin Hood directs The Master of Ballantrae. If he had only done it in 1938 as he did Robin Hood.

Flynn in fine form!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 28 May 2018]

NOTES: Noting that Flynn was back in form, enthusiastic reviews elevated this movie to number 39 at Australian ticket windows for 1954. Despite equally enthusiastic reviews, the movie failed to match anything like these returns elsewhere PRINCIPAL MIRACLE: Flynn back in form.

COMMENT: For all Cardiff's fine cinematography and Keighley's astute direction, The Master of Ballantrae is not quite as visually stylish as you might expect. Nor is it quite as costly as it looks, thanks to the fortunate advantage of stock footage from Bonnie Prince Charlie. Oddly, it has the same fault as the Bonnie Prince of juxtaposing location material with extremely obvious studio-built exteriors.

Luckily, Flynn is in fine form. Older yes, but he can still mix a mean sword. There's action a-plenty, and there's our Errol in the midst of it (any doubling or stunting is performed with skill).

Although it contains little of the horror elements inherent in Stevenson's novel, The Master of Ballantrae is still a fine adventure yarn. Flynn is first-rate. So is Livesey. And Jacques Berthier makes a delicious villain.

This was director William Keighley's last film before he was forced to retire. Hollywood employers told him he was far too meticulous and worked too slowly.

older Errol Flynn

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 22 April 2023]

It's 1745 Scotland. News arrive that Bonnie Prince Charlie is returning to claim the throne of Scotland. Jamie Durie (Errol Flynn), his younger brother Henry and their father Lord Durrisdeer are debating to pick a side. Their adviser MacKellar recommends splitting the brothers to join both sides. Jamie joins the Stuart rebels.

It's Errol Flynn's later years. Aging has actually helped him to regain his leading man appeal. He's not the young dashing cad anymore, but he has the gravitas of experience. He is still swashbuckling, but it's not just for fun. There is more grit in it now. He's dirty and he's older. He's world-weary version of himself. At first, I thought this was going to be a war movie. The war action is actually a bit disappointing and then the middle turns into a pirate movie. Ok Doky! I'm game for a grimier pirate middle in between a Scottish sandwich. It's a 30's swashbuckling movie with some dirt thrown on them.

"You green crawling snake that slipped up from the slime when your thieving mother wasn't looking!"

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 21 June 2014]

Scottish brothers clash over a woman while trying to keep their lands and fortune out of the hands of the English. One of the brothers (Errol Flynn) finds himself at sea where he fights against and with pirates. Errol Flynn in the 1950s was not a pretty sight. Bloated, puffy, and old before his years, alcoholism had destroyed the swashbuckling ladies' man of the '30s and '40s. The Technicolor, while generally pleasant, does him no favors. This is Errol's last movie made for WB, his home for eighteen years. While he still gives it his best shot, it's just a no-go. What should be an exciting adventure movie is a rather ordinary costumer. Location shooting helps. Roger Livesey easily steals the picture.