It was great seeing Errol Flynn play the role as Ned Sherwood who gets himself involved in a counterfeit ring of gangsters in Havana, Cuba during the Pre-Castro Cuba days. This film is entirely filmed in Cuba and there is plenty of running around the famous Morro Castle and the Cuban Lighhouse. Rosanna Rory, (Fina Ferrer) plays a very sexy blonde gal who is fully stacked and simply loves Ned Sherwood. Gangster's beat up Ned quite often and he is hounded by the Cuban police and also has the attention from another gal who is Rory's sister. Rory's father is a banker in Cuba and is getting upset with all the counterfeiting going on, so his two daughter's manage to get the printing plates hidden in different locations and the gangster's are hot after Ned and Rory. This is a great black and white film and does cover up the features of Errol Flynn's face from all the booze and hard living he had done in his past. Entertaining film.
25 Reviews
1950's B-movie features authentic Havana locales
Panamint24 February 2017
For a touch of exotic atmosphere only 90 miles from the shores of the USA in a part of the world that shares a common Spanish Colonial heritage with much of the United States, you can view "The Big Boodle". The movie lacks depth but the atmospherics and locales of 1957 Havana are effective, and filmed with fine black and white cinematography.
Errol Flynn stars and looks every inch the movie star, although he appears thin and tired. Nevertheless he summons enough energy to move at a good pace- in fact the overall action moves at a rather fast pace, especially toward the end. Flynn's star quality was still intact although fading rapidly, and he is able to function well enough to carry the film.
Flynn portrays a croupier with a sketchy past who is thrust into some really heavy criminal goings-on. He is believable in the role and his acting (as always) is good. Gia Scala is OK as a young woman involved. Ms.Scala was one of the most remarkably beautiful women ever on film- its regrettable that her startling eyes cannot be shown here in color. Rosanna Rory is a cast member who is relatively obscure but is basically a capable Euro actress of the era. Pedro Armendariz is perfect as the cagey police chief. He was one of the finest screen actors ever and he is superb in this movie. Leading man type Carlos Rivas who you might recognize from the classic 50's monster film "Giant Scorpion" is also well-cast as a reckless and ambitious young Cuban.
Authentic atmospherics of pre-Castro Cuba, some decent acting, and the brisk pace will probably overcome any reservations you may experience from Flynn's obvious weariness and the B-movie nature of this film. I found it to be an entertaining departure into the long lost era of Errol Flynn and of late-50's Cuba.
Errol Flynn stars and looks every inch the movie star, although he appears thin and tired. Nevertheless he summons enough energy to move at a good pace- in fact the overall action moves at a rather fast pace, especially toward the end. Flynn's star quality was still intact although fading rapidly, and he is able to function well enough to carry the film.
Flynn portrays a croupier with a sketchy past who is thrust into some really heavy criminal goings-on. He is believable in the role and his acting (as always) is good. Gia Scala is OK as a young woman involved. Ms.Scala was one of the most remarkably beautiful women ever on film- its regrettable that her startling eyes cannot be shown here in color. Rosanna Rory is a cast member who is relatively obscure but is basically a capable Euro actress of the era. Pedro Armendariz is perfect as the cagey police chief. He was one of the finest screen actors ever and he is superb in this movie. Leading man type Carlos Rivas who you might recognize from the classic 50's monster film "Giant Scorpion" is also well-cast as a reckless and ambitious young Cuban.
Authentic atmospherics of pre-Castro Cuba, some decent acting, and the brisk pace will probably overcome any reservations you may experience from Flynn's obvious weariness and the B-movie nature of this film. I found it to be an entertaining departure into the long lost era of Errol Flynn and of late-50's Cuba.
One of worst castings I've ever seen, OK plot
giallopudding28 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I just finished The Big Boodle (1957). The plot was pretty good, most of the acting (aside from over-acting fake Latino Chief of Police)...but the film was ruined for me by one glaring problem: the horrible miscasting of the he-man tough guy Errol Flynn as a milquetoast everyman, who ends up getting himself pummeled every 15 minutes until at the end he miraculously develops something like a backbone and tries to save the dame.
This is the Errol Flynn, aka: Captain Blood, who could play have well played Hammett's Sam Spade or Chandler's Philip Marlow. Instead of going on the offensive, we see his face turned to hamburger by featherweight thugs. Sometimes having a strong leading man play an average Joe works (Cary Grant in North by Northwest comes to mind), in this case it never worked for me. Flynn is just too imposing a presence compared to the B-grade villains in The Big Boodle.
SPOILER ALERT:
And one can't help but notice the ridiculous plot point of having the money plates hidden in a tourist trap, an old prison called El Morrow, now a museum attraction, where millions of people pass through. That would be the LAST place on earth anyone would hide valuables. But it made for an entertaining finale location, especially with the gruesome ending of the villain. The shark scene was remarkably well done...Spielberg should have studied this one before shooting his mechanical shark scenes he was so embarrassed by!
Flynn struggles to stay afloat.
LHMovieBuff7 August 2002
A reluctant actor from 1953 on, Flynn roused himself for this unremarkable film. After splitting from Warner Brothers in 1953 he chose William Tell as his first solo effort, eager to star and produce. Flynn's finances never fully recovered from the resulting quagmire. This 1957 film arguably got his attention because as well as giving him a much needed pay cheque, it was also filmed on location in Havana. The location work is it's best feature. The Black and White photography adds to the Havana experience. The film is also helped by a good support cast, plus a plausible turn from Errol Flynn. The story, what there is of it, is about a world weary Croupier Ned Sherwood (Flynn) whose life gets almost fatally complicated "one night" when he finds himself with counterfeit Pesos. Pedro Armendariz is a delight as a crafty Colonel who doesn't believe or disbelieve Sherwood's story. Faced with no help from the Police Sherwood follows the funny money trail and uncovers some dislikable characters plus a larger plot. He also meets up with a mysterious blonde (Rossana Rory.)and Gia Scala (From Guns of Navarone). Sherwood struggles to untangle the web and clear his name. Despite the premise, location and likeable cast, the film is only just watchable. Flynn is worth seeing in one of his later roles, with Black and White allowing Flynn's hardening features a creditable rugged handsomeness.
Flynn shines in noir
ArtVandelayImporterExporter3 May 2022
Errol Flynn - a casino dealer- gets handed fake pesos by a myserious blonde gambler. After he confronts her outside the casino, a trio of thugs jump him. Not only are the police not sympathetic about the mugging, they arrest him for possessing counterfeit money.
And we're on our way. Like Cary Grant in North by Northwest, Flynn is a shmoe stuck in the middle of something. The movie has him trying to unravel that mess.
Everybody is shady on some level. The dames are gorgeous. The location work is top-notch. The photography is beautiful.
Flynn, despite the high mileage, still looks quite dashing. I mean, geezus, if I still looked that good at 48 and had female companionship half as old, I'd be on top of the world.
And, as always, he's convincing in his role. He doesn't get the acclaim Hollywood's famous hambones get - Cagney, Muni, Kirk Douglas, Brando, et al. And compared to limited-range actors like Cooper, Wayne, Gable, Bogart, et al, he's a thespian.
It's really too bad semi-literate Americans had such limited expectations of their movie stars that guys like Flynn were rarely allowed to stretch. And when they did their movies bombed. Historical perspective is a different matter. I enjoy his darker movies and this was no exception.
And we're on our way. Like Cary Grant in North by Northwest, Flynn is a shmoe stuck in the middle of something. The movie has him trying to unravel that mess.
Everybody is shady on some level. The dames are gorgeous. The location work is top-notch. The photography is beautiful.
Flynn, despite the high mileage, still looks quite dashing. I mean, geezus, if I still looked that good at 48 and had female companionship half as old, I'd be on top of the world.
And, as always, he's convincing in his role. He doesn't get the acclaim Hollywood's famous hambones get - Cagney, Muni, Kirk Douglas, Brando, et al. And compared to limited-range actors like Cooper, Wayne, Gable, Bogart, et al, he's a thespian.
It's really too bad semi-literate Americans had such limited expectations of their movie stars that guys like Flynn were rarely allowed to stretch. And when they did their movies bombed. Historical perspective is a different matter. I enjoy his darker movies and this was no exception.
An unexciting story held afloat by a soild Flynn and excellent Garmes with the camera
secondtake1 October 2013
The Big Boodle (1957)
Errol Flynn is most known for his swashbuckling pizazz in the 1930s, of course, but as his career dwindled he became embroiled in all kinds of controversies, including sleeping with underage girls, sympathizing with the Nazis, and becoming drinking buddies with Fidel Castro.
The last of these matters here, for "The Big Boodle" might be the first film made entirely in Cuba by a US film company, and Flynn is clearly at home. Two years later he would make a now famous odd film, "Cuban Rebel Girls," where he befriends the rebels in their uprising. So this is an important precursor, and it's truly interesting in many ways. It's a crime film with shades of a late film noir infecting most of it. Flynn plays an American who gets in trouble, and has to go it alone with a couple of dangerous women around him. Classic noir stuff. But of course it's late in the cycle, just before "Touch of Evil" which is the symbolic end to the classic noir era.
So there are lots of scenes outside in Havana (great architecture and American cars), some cuban music (nothing totally memorable), and a general mood of that amazing pre-Castro era where Americans and Cubans mixed like oil, water, and rum. For that alone it's worth seeing. But it's worth saying the Flynn is actually terrific in his role as a tired but determined American out to clear his name and save his life.
The other key player in this whole enterprise (a low budget movie with big budget looks) is the cinematographer Lee Garmes, a true veteran and the man who shot "Detective Story" and "Caught" which are both cinematically brilliant. Garmes and Flynn make an unlikely collaboration (and I have no idea whether they were friends) but they make this movie actually rather workable. Is it
"When you want something done right, you do it yourself." IN a way that's what these filmmakers did. The story is the biggest hurdle--there isn't much to worry about or get involved in as it goes. Even the final climax at a famous old fort above town is more about the photography and movement of characters than any sense of who might shoot who.
A curiosity and not a waste of time, but nothing remarkable.
Errol Flynn is most known for his swashbuckling pizazz in the 1930s, of course, but as his career dwindled he became embroiled in all kinds of controversies, including sleeping with underage girls, sympathizing with the Nazis, and becoming drinking buddies with Fidel Castro.
The last of these matters here, for "The Big Boodle" might be the first film made entirely in Cuba by a US film company, and Flynn is clearly at home. Two years later he would make a now famous odd film, "Cuban Rebel Girls," where he befriends the rebels in their uprising. So this is an important precursor, and it's truly interesting in many ways. It's a crime film with shades of a late film noir infecting most of it. Flynn plays an American who gets in trouble, and has to go it alone with a couple of dangerous women around him. Classic noir stuff. But of course it's late in the cycle, just before "Touch of Evil" which is the symbolic end to the classic noir era.
So there are lots of scenes outside in Havana (great architecture and American cars), some cuban music (nothing totally memorable), and a general mood of that amazing pre-Castro era where Americans and Cubans mixed like oil, water, and rum. For that alone it's worth seeing. But it's worth saying the Flynn is actually terrific in his role as a tired but determined American out to clear his name and save his life.
The other key player in this whole enterprise (a low budget movie with big budget looks) is the cinematographer Lee Garmes, a true veteran and the man who shot "Detective Story" and "Caught" which are both cinematically brilliant. Garmes and Flynn make an unlikely collaboration (and I have no idea whether they were friends) but they make this movie actually rather workable. Is it
"When you want something done right, you do it yourself." IN a way that's what these filmmakers did. The story is the biggest hurdle--there isn't much to worry about or get involved in as it goes. Even the final climax at a famous old fort above town is more about the photography and movement of characters than any sense of who might shoot who.
A curiosity and not a waste of time, but nothing remarkable.
A very tired film featuring an even more tired Errol Flynn
planktonrules3 June 2008
For fans of Errol Flynn, this is a rather tough film to watch. That's because after a lifetime of wild living and booze, the once handsome actor looks pretty lousy for a 48 year-old. He's puffy, flat and lacks the spark and charm that made him a matinée favorite in previous decades. Here, he's just "phoning it in" in a low-budget and rather dull film and it's only of much interest to fans with morbid curiosity or who want to see every film this star made.
The story has Flynn playing a lowly blackjack dealer in a Cuban casino--quite a comedown compared to other characters he'd played in the past. While it is interesting to see street scenes of pre-Castro Cuba, the rest of the film is a dull affair concerning Errol being tossed, quite innocently, into a bunch of murderous counterfeiters. Because he was no longer the glamorous hero, he spends most of the film being beaten up and hassled. The best fight for him is at the end when he barely manages to beat up a doughboy-like villain. Not exactly CAPTAIN BLOOD or ROBIN HOOD--it's really a shame Flynn's final films are generally of this low quality.
The story has Flynn playing a lowly blackjack dealer in a Cuban casino--quite a comedown compared to other characters he'd played in the past. While it is interesting to see street scenes of pre-Castro Cuba, the rest of the film is a dull affair concerning Errol being tossed, quite innocently, into a bunch of murderous counterfeiters. Because he was no longer the glamorous hero, he spends most of the film being beaten up and hassled. The best fight for him is at the end when he barely manages to beat up a doughboy-like villain. Not exactly CAPTAIN BLOOD or ROBIN HOOD--it's really a shame Flynn's final films are generally of this low quality.
Worth watching!
JohnHowardReid28 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Produced by Lewis F. Blumberg. A Monteflor Production, released through United Artists. New York opening at the Palace: 11 March 1957. U.S. release: January 1957. U.K. release: 20 May 1957. Australian release: 5 September 1957. 7,502 feet. 83 minutes. U.K. and Australian release title: a Night in Havana.
SYNOPSIS: A dealer in a Havana casino (Errol Flynn) has some counterfeit money passed to him by the daughter (Rossana Rory) of a prominent Cuban banker (Sandro Giglio). The chief of police (Pedro Armendariz) suspects the dealer, but it is the banker's other daughter (Gia Scala) who has been involved in the counterfeiting racket. However, the chief of the ring...
NOTES: A smash hit in some sections of Australia, where, even at the tail end of his career, Errol Flynn could do no wrong. Of course, part of his appeal was that of a local boy who made good. It was assumed that he was Australian born and bred. That was half-true anyway. Although he was actually born in Ireland, Flynn was raised in the Australian state of Tasmania
COMMENT: Actually filmed in its entirety on location in Havana (with the co-operation of the Cuban government and its agencies), this is a routinely-plotted whodunit which has considerable value as a curiosity. Besides the interesting line-up of players (Flynn had only four more films to go, but though tired and jaded, he still carries conviction here as the rugged hero; Gia Scala and Rossana Rory make attractive foils while Pedro Armendariz is up to his old tricks as a police official)) there is the background - the streets and plazas of pre-Castro Havana, the seedy nightclubs, the gambling dens and various historical monuments including the climactic chase and shoot-out in the ruins of Morro Castle. This was the first film to be directed by Richard Wilson (a longtime associate of Orson Welles). Wilson is just feeling his way here, but he has a good eye for locations.
SYNOPSIS: A dealer in a Havana casino (Errol Flynn) has some counterfeit money passed to him by the daughter (Rossana Rory) of a prominent Cuban banker (Sandro Giglio). The chief of police (Pedro Armendariz) suspects the dealer, but it is the banker's other daughter (Gia Scala) who has been involved in the counterfeiting racket. However, the chief of the ring...
NOTES: A smash hit in some sections of Australia, where, even at the tail end of his career, Errol Flynn could do no wrong. Of course, part of his appeal was that of a local boy who made good. It was assumed that he was Australian born and bred. That was half-true anyway. Although he was actually born in Ireland, Flynn was raised in the Australian state of Tasmania
COMMENT: Actually filmed in its entirety on location in Havana (with the co-operation of the Cuban government and its agencies), this is a routinely-plotted whodunit which has considerable value as a curiosity. Besides the interesting line-up of players (Flynn had only four more films to go, but though tired and jaded, he still carries conviction here as the rugged hero; Gia Scala and Rossana Rory make attractive foils while Pedro Armendariz is up to his old tricks as a police official)) there is the background - the streets and plazas of pre-Castro Havana, the seedy nightclubs, the gambling dens and various historical monuments including the climactic chase and shoot-out in the ruins of Morro Castle. This was the first film to be directed by Richard Wilson (a longtime associate of Orson Welles). Wilson is just feeling his way here, but he has a good eye for locations.
Errol Goes Noir In Cuba
bkoganbing3 June 2008
The prospect of tropical nights in Havana and some income that he wouldn't have to pay entirely to all Uncle Sam in back taxes must have persuaded Errol Flynn to do The Big Boodle. Shot entirely in Havana, I'm sure Errol enjoyed the night life if nothing else.
Flynn plays a croupier in a Havana casino, another of those American expatriates. One night a woman passes some counterfeit pesos to him at the blackjack table. He confronts her, but she blows him off. Then after leaving work, he gets assaulted by two thugs and when the police find the phony money on him.
The police aren't any help, the police inspector Pedro Armendariz treats Flynn like a criminal and to be fair he does have the phony currency on him. Still he's left to his own devices to pursue the investigation and it leads to a pair of high living sisters in Gia Scala and Rosanna Rory and a number of their acquaintances.
The best thing about The Big Boodle is the location photography. Of course color would have been nice, but it is in fact a noir type film, Errol's only venture into that genre. The final scene is a running gun battle in Havana's famous Morro Castle with Flynn and villain Jacques Aubuchon.
Errol looks at least 15 to 20 years older than his actual age of 48 when The Big Boodle was made. He wanders rather listlessly through the role, maybe he'd have liked to have done some noir features back in his prime. He's clearly too old to be believably buckling any swashes.
Beyond the final scene, The Big Boodle moves at a snail's pace, a really sad project for Errol Flynn to be involved with.
Flynn plays a croupier in a Havana casino, another of those American expatriates. One night a woman passes some counterfeit pesos to him at the blackjack table. He confronts her, but she blows him off. Then after leaving work, he gets assaulted by two thugs and when the police find the phony money on him.
The police aren't any help, the police inspector Pedro Armendariz treats Flynn like a criminal and to be fair he does have the phony currency on him. Still he's left to his own devices to pursue the investigation and it leads to a pair of high living sisters in Gia Scala and Rosanna Rory and a number of their acquaintances.
The best thing about The Big Boodle is the location photography. Of course color would have been nice, but it is in fact a noir type film, Errol's only venture into that genre. The final scene is a running gun battle in Havana's famous Morro Castle with Flynn and villain Jacques Aubuchon.
Errol looks at least 15 to 20 years older than his actual age of 48 when The Big Boodle was made. He wanders rather listlessly through the role, maybe he'd have liked to have done some noir features back in his prime. He's clearly too old to be believably buckling any swashes.
Beyond the final scene, The Big Boodle moves at a snail's pace, a really sad project for Errol Flynn to be involved with.
Good Luck Or Bad, Lets Get It Over Fast
boscofl22 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Filmed in Havana, Cuba before the rise of Castro, The Big Boodle is a fascinating time capsule of a city that would be closed off to the free world for decades. The film revolves around croupier Errol Flynn who becomes embroiled in the search for counterfeit money and missing engraving plates. The ultimate scheme of the villain is pretty ingenious but the script and storyline are weak and undermine the narrative thrust of the film. Still, the picture makes wonderful use of locations particularly Morro Castle at the finale.
Shot in 1957, Flynn looks particularly haggard throughout as his hedonistic lifestyle was catching up and overwhelming him at this point. In his defense he gets roughed up twice, engages in two instances of mortal combat, and his stuntman nearly gets hit by a car. His performance is rather grim although this is due to the script; he convincingly conveys the desperation and world-weariness of his character. As perhaps a sad joke his surname is Sherwood which harkens back to his days of physical perfection and his greatest role.
The supporting performances are a mixed bag. Pedro Armendariz is wonderful as always although he's given little to do but badger the hero. The two female leads, Rossana Rory and Gia Scala, are certainly gorgeous but give pretty poor performances. Jacques Aubuchon does a fine job as the main villain of the piece and falls victim to the common failing of all bad guys: monologuing. No one else really has much of a chance to shine.
The Big Boodle certainly doesn't hold up as one of Errol Flynn's better movies. However, it does have some things to recommend it: fascinating location work, very good photography by Lee Garmes, the stunning beauty of Miss Scala and particularly Miss Rory, and a competent performance by Flynn who, contrary to some opinions, doesn't mail in a performance. It's just sad to know that this great star was very near the end of his life.
Shot in 1957, Flynn looks particularly haggard throughout as his hedonistic lifestyle was catching up and overwhelming him at this point. In his defense he gets roughed up twice, engages in two instances of mortal combat, and his stuntman nearly gets hit by a car. His performance is rather grim although this is due to the script; he convincingly conveys the desperation and world-weariness of his character. As perhaps a sad joke his surname is Sherwood which harkens back to his days of physical perfection and his greatest role.
The supporting performances are a mixed bag. Pedro Armendariz is wonderful as always although he's given little to do but badger the hero. The two female leads, Rossana Rory and Gia Scala, are certainly gorgeous but give pretty poor performances. Jacques Aubuchon does a fine job as the main villain of the piece and falls victim to the common failing of all bad guys: monologuing. No one else really has much of a chance to shine.
The Big Boodle certainly doesn't hold up as one of Errol Flynn's better movies. However, it does have some things to recommend it: fascinating location work, very good photography by Lee Garmes, the stunning beauty of Miss Scala and particularly Miss Rory, and a competent performance by Flynn who, contrary to some opinions, doesn't mail in a performance. It's just sad to know that this great star was very near the end of his life.
Havana Boodle
BILLYBOY-1026 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Boodle? What a silly word to use for a movie. Anyway, Errol is a casino dealer in Havana when someone passes counterfeit dough at his table and then he gets beat up for it and the cops think he's the counterfeiter and then people try to kill him and then enter two femmes and some action and smart Alic dialogue and chases and fight and more wise cracking and some sentimental stuff and red herrings tossed in here and there but all the way Errol has a nice suit and tie and band-aid over his eye but soon all the good guys and bad guys converge on the old fort in old Havana and naturally the final fight has to take place at the railing above the sea where the sharks are circling and Errol wins and walks away into the sunrise with the hot chick. The End. Roll credits. It's not awful, it's just not that good.
An entertaining film
LACUES3 June 2008
I recorded "The Big Boodle" when it played on TCM and expected to see a "train wreck" of a movie based on articles and books I have read. I was most pleasantly surprised to see a very entertaining film. I thought that Errol Flynn and the supporting cast were uniformly good. Errol again showed what a great star and actor he really was. The plot was plausible and the pace of the movie moved right along. I am surprised by the negative reviews. "The Big Boodle" is a more substantial film than many more critically acclaimed films... and,by that,I mean mainstream movies that are supposedly "A" quality. Errol brings a worldly weariness appropriate to his role. I was surprised to see how fit he appeared and how involved he was in his portrayal. I believe that he would have been magnificent as Rhett Butler in "Gone With The Wind" which he lost reportedly, due to Betty Davis' refusal to make that movie with him in the leading role. "The Big Boodle" shows what a serious and outstanding actor he was in even a modestly budgeted film
Gia Scala, Havana Cuba, and Errol Flynn gives a good performance
Strider-10025 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The strongest part of this movie fits in with what a realtor would say, "Location, Location, Location." This was filmed in Havana before Castro came into power. How I wish it would have been filmed in color. It is still beautiful in black and white. The architecture is interesting from the buildings to the streets, the fort, the statues, to the automobiles which now are all classic.
The movie itself is not too bad. Flynn plays an ex-pat who is a dealer in a casino who gets stuck with some counterfeit money. He tries to remedy this issue and he ends up getting beaten up and arrested. He goes to work at proving his innocence and while on that journey ends up meeting up with the beautiful Gia Scala and Rosanna Rory. He also has to deal with the harassment from the Colonel played by Pedro Armendariz and his other nemesis played by Jacques Aubuchon the villain. The climatic finale of the movie takes place at the old Castle/Fortress where Flynn ends up prevailing over Aubuchon. I really liked the movie. I was dismayed by the low rating score. It is such a unique film due to the location. Havana was a place Flynn liked to sail his yacht called the ZACA. Gia Scala stayed on Flynn's yacht during the filming according to the book written about her by her sister. Her sister even suspected an affair between Scala and the much older Flynn. Flynn who really had a poor reputation as a human being did do an act of kindness to Scala by allowing Scala and her mother who was dying of cancer to have the ZACA and its crew sail them to Hawaii and back to California before she passed.
Not His Best
trickyfik773 June 2008
I'm a huge Errol Flynn fan even buying and reading his out of print autobiography "My Wicked, Wicked Ways". I can definitely say that this movie is one of his worse. I think it has to do with it being the end of his career, not much money put toward his projects, and the lack of patience movie companies would have with him. Sorry to say but all that shines thru in this movie, which is a shame. He went from Robin Hood and Captain Blood to a B-rated movie like this. He still has his moments on screen but they are too far and few between. W/ his diminishing good looks and his "off screen" antics, Errol Flynn no longer got his pick of screen plays to read. He had to keep working just to pay the bills w/ his ever growing amount of debt he was in. I think some of his last movies were more for the paycheck than his love of acting.
A good Errol Flynn movie in Cuba
rickrudge16 June 2008
"The Big Boodle" (1957)
I love movies about Cuba; "Godfather II", "Havana", "Our Man in Havana", and "Cuba". That must have been quite a big party place for North Americans to vacation to. Of course, if you were a resident, it must have been a totally different kind of place, and you could understand how Castro could get it's citizens to revolt from the powers-that-be.
"The Big Boodle" takes place in Havana, Cuba before Castro came to power. It's a suspenseful mystery movie that showcases the tropical beauty of Cuba.
Italian actress Rosanna Rory plays Fina Ferrer who passes some counterfeit (Boodle) money at the blackjack table to Ned Sherwood, played by Errol Flynn. Ned is a down-on-his-luck croupier, working at a Cuban casino. Normally a croupier is SOL if he gets bogus bills, and, as Ned says, they can only press it into their scrap book. Ned tries to give the money back to Fina without success.
That night Ned gets mugged by a bunch of thugs outside of his apartment, and when the cops question him, they find the Boodle in his pocket. The police Colonel Mastegui, played by Pedro Armendáriz ("From Russia With Love" and "The Three Godfathers") thinks that he's the counterfeiter, or at least he can help them find the counterfeiters.
Surprisingly, Ned is bailed out of jail by an anonymous benefactor. Now he finds that he's the target of the police, the counterfeiters (who think that he's got the printing plates) and other assorted characters. He feels that he needs to solve the mystery before he gets killed himself.
At 48 years old, Errol Flynn looks kind of burnt out. You can obviously tell when they bring in the stunt double to do his fight scenes, but other than that, he still seems in good enough physical shape to do this movie. He is playing a down-trodden character in a film noir movie, so he's playing it like we see it.
Of course one of the biggest stars of this movie is Havana itself. The beautiful palms, buildings and scenery are wonderfully photographed. The sound wasn't the best on the movie that I watched on Turner Classic Movies, but the music was great. Errol Flynn's character does a little bar-hopping, and you get to hear some of the old Cuban Jazz, Mambo, Conga, ChaChaCha; the salsa/reggaeton of the 50s. That was great!
Over all, it's a nice little film. It wasn't a real fast-paced actioner, but a nice little noir movie that showcases a paradise that we might be able to see again some day. It's well worth you taping, or if it ever comes out on DVD, owning.
I love movies about Cuba; "Godfather II", "Havana", "Our Man in Havana", and "Cuba". That must have been quite a big party place for North Americans to vacation to. Of course, if you were a resident, it must have been a totally different kind of place, and you could understand how Castro could get it's citizens to revolt from the powers-that-be.
"The Big Boodle" takes place in Havana, Cuba before Castro came to power. It's a suspenseful mystery movie that showcases the tropical beauty of Cuba.
Italian actress Rosanna Rory plays Fina Ferrer who passes some counterfeit (Boodle) money at the blackjack table to Ned Sherwood, played by Errol Flynn. Ned is a down-on-his-luck croupier, working at a Cuban casino. Normally a croupier is SOL if he gets bogus bills, and, as Ned says, they can only press it into their scrap book. Ned tries to give the money back to Fina without success.
That night Ned gets mugged by a bunch of thugs outside of his apartment, and when the cops question him, they find the Boodle in his pocket. The police Colonel Mastegui, played by Pedro Armendáriz ("From Russia With Love" and "The Three Godfathers") thinks that he's the counterfeiter, or at least he can help them find the counterfeiters.
Surprisingly, Ned is bailed out of jail by an anonymous benefactor. Now he finds that he's the target of the police, the counterfeiters (who think that he's got the printing plates) and other assorted characters. He feels that he needs to solve the mystery before he gets killed himself.
At 48 years old, Errol Flynn looks kind of burnt out. You can obviously tell when they bring in the stunt double to do his fight scenes, but other than that, he still seems in good enough physical shape to do this movie. He is playing a down-trodden character in a film noir movie, so he's playing it like we see it.
Of course one of the biggest stars of this movie is Havana itself. The beautiful palms, buildings and scenery are wonderfully photographed. The sound wasn't the best on the movie that I watched on Turner Classic Movies, but the music was great. Errol Flynn's character does a little bar-hopping, and you get to hear some of the old Cuban Jazz, Mambo, Conga, ChaChaCha; the salsa/reggaeton of the 50s. That was great!
Over all, it's a nice little film. It wasn't a real fast-paced actioner, but a nice little noir movie that showcases a paradise that we might be able to see again some day. It's well worth you taping, or if it ever comes out on DVD, owning.
Flynn not swashbuckling
andy-8313627 April 2022
But actually acting ... several rungs higher than the last Roger Moore 007s. Get setting... high end Barista Havana.
The women are not high end Hollywood, the character actors are unfamiliar but good... and the plot suitably twisted.
The women are not high end Hollywood, the character actors are unfamiliar but good... and the plot suitably twisted.
A Tasmanian in Havana
richardchatten1 October 2023
Probably the most obscure film of Errol Flynn's twilight years, directed by the unpredictable Richard Wilson, 'The Big Boodle' marks the first of two films Flynn made in Cuba and makes a interesting comparison with 'Cuban Rebel Girls'.
Although generally dismissed as a drab little programmer it's competent enough and seen today the Havana locations offer a valuable record of pre-Castro Cub when all those fifties cars were new,
Unlike 'Cuban Rebel Girls' Flynn is enjoying the largesse of the Batista regime instead of Castro's rebels. He looks a little older and sadder but that fits the role and he certainly doesn't look as drunk as Dean Martin in his later years.
Although generally dismissed as a drab little programmer it's competent enough and seen today the Havana locations offer a valuable record of pre-Castro Cub when all those fifties cars were new,
Unlike 'Cuban Rebel Girls' Flynn is enjoying the largesse of the Batista regime instead of Castro's rebels. He looks a little older and sadder but that fits the role and he certainly doesn't look as drunk as Dean Martin in his later years.
Sad, Sad late Errol Flynn movie
thirdeblue11 April 2011
In his prime, Errol Flynn was one of the most charismatic men to ever grace the silver screen.
This movie was not made in his prime. If you watch this film, having never seen The Adventures of Robin Hood, Captain Blood, or any of his other films pre-1950, you might find something to like here. The shots of pre-Castro Cuba are interesting if for no other reason, historical value.
If, however, you've seen what Flynn was capable of. Watching him bumble through this role is sad to watch. Even in 1957 Flynn was a fit man, a scene with his shirt off shows that, but his face tells another story. His face has the look of a man waiting to die or already with one foot in the grave. He looks ghastly.
The plot of the film is nothing great or even good. Just a simple, cheap film about some money counterfeiters. The plot is immaterial.
Watch this film if you absolutely have to see every Errol Flynn movie, but don't act like I didn't warn you. Viewers interested in Cuba might find something to enjoy. At least it was filmed on location.
This movie was not made in his prime. If you watch this film, having never seen The Adventures of Robin Hood, Captain Blood, or any of his other films pre-1950, you might find something to like here. The shots of pre-Castro Cuba are interesting if for no other reason, historical value.
If, however, you've seen what Flynn was capable of. Watching him bumble through this role is sad to watch. Even in 1957 Flynn was a fit man, a scene with his shirt off shows that, but his face tells another story. His face has the look of a man waiting to die or already with one foot in the grave. He looks ghastly.
The plot of the film is nothing great or even good. Just a simple, cheap film about some money counterfeiters. The plot is immaterial.
Watch this film if you absolutely have to see every Errol Flynn movie, but don't act like I didn't warn you. Viewers interested in Cuba might find something to enjoy. At least it was filmed on location.
Errol Flynn knew that Hitchcock would not film in Havana . . .
oscaralbert10 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
. . . so he jumped at the chance to make THE CROUPIER WHO KNEW TOO MUCH there during the waning days of the Bautista Regime. Not yet fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the Castro Boys as he shot his final flick, CUBAN REBEL GIRLS, a few months later, Flynn plays a patsy or pawn of a bigger game throughout THE BIG BOODLE. As Mr. Flynn settles for a screen lover slightly older than his 14-year-old Real Life preference, he appears oblivious to the fact that shadowy figures were beginning to coalesce around him off-screen, in an eerie parallel to the men constantly tailing his "Ned Sherwood" character from the start to the finish of BOODLE. Frankly, I'm sort of shocked that John Garfield's Ghost did not appear to Errol at 3 AM some sultry Cuban night, warning him that if the McCarthy Boys could get away with snuffing HIM out at Age 39--no questions asked--then Errol himself risked being shuffled off to a similar fate (now that he was pushing the geriatric age of 50) UNLESS HE CHANGED HIS WAYS. But Errol seems to focus on Ned's problems here, clueless to the fact that In-Like-Flynn did not appeal to I-Like-Ike Americans, who'd prefer Out-Like-Flynn.
Sour Face Flynn
angelsunchained28 August 2018
Mr. Flynn is sour looking throughout most of the film. He also looks to be suffering from a daily hangover. Finally, he seems angry as well. Aside from all that, he is entertaining enough where a fan can at least get through watching this nothing special movie. One interesting note is that the viewer can see a pre-Castro Cuba.
In Cuba like Flynn before the government shut the rest of the world out.
mark.waltz8 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Not sure how much of the island is shown, but obviously you'll see a lot of pre-Castro Havana in this independently made Errol Flynn programmer, dealing with counterfeit Cuban currency and Flynn's being implicated in having phony bills. The film is interesting of course for the location footage, but in black and white looks pretty much like every tropical island visited by a film crew. From the credits, it appears that a lot of local talent was used, definitely for the cast, and some behind the scenes as well.
To me, Flynn just looked a bit world weary, not too much older than his last Warner Brothers films of 1953. The aged Flynn is perfectly cast for this film, and if I was in his shoes, being constantly under surveillance or tied up by criminals, I'd look tired too. Pedro Armendáriz is the only other familiar actor in the film as the criminal mastermind, with Rossana Rory and Gia Scala (familiar from a few other films) are sisters here, one of them having given Flynn the phony money in the first place. The action doesn't really start until the second half so the viewer must have a bit of patience. It's too bad that the film has a title that sounds like a cartoon, but as the source book, I guess there's more to the boodle than meets the noodle.
To me, Flynn just looked a bit world weary, not too much older than his last Warner Brothers films of 1953. The aged Flynn is perfectly cast for this film, and if I was in his shoes, being constantly under surveillance or tied up by criminals, I'd look tired too. Pedro Armendáriz is the only other familiar actor in the film as the criminal mastermind, with Rossana Rory and Gia Scala (familiar from a few other films) are sisters here, one of them having given Flynn the phony money in the first place. The action doesn't really start until the second half so the viewer must have a bit of patience. It's too bad that the film has a title that sounds like a cartoon, but as the source book, I guess there's more to the boodle than meets the noodle.
Flynn's last stand after Custer and for another Sherwood adventure...
searchanddestroy-121 August 2020
It is maybe not the actual last movie where Errol Flynn played but certainly the last where he shined. His last stand, and not in a swashbuckler nor adventure movie but somewhat a film noir set in Havana. I won't add more than the other viewers have already said, but I was very pleased to see this movie, where Flynn's characters' name is Sherwood....Doesn't that name talk to you, especially concerning former so famous Robin Hood, bandit of Sherwood forest? That's the first thing that hit me when I read the cast, and no one seems to have noticed that. of course that's not the main thing to remember from this delightful film, but I just wanted to point it out.
Flynn's Film Noir
oscar-356 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
*Spoiler/plot- The Big Boodle, 1957. An American casino card dealer in Cuba gets involved in accidental passing of 'funny money'. He doesn't want to be included and does his best to protect himself.
*Special Stars- Errole Flynn, Rossana Rory, Pedro Armendariz, Jacques Aubuchon.
*Theme- Sometimes life takes you for a ride despite your protests.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Film Noir, B&W. Second to last Flynn film made before his early death at 50 years old. Filmed entirely in pre-Castro Cuba.
*Emotion- Film Noir was all the rage in Hollywood and so was Cuba as a exotic island film location. Mr. Flynn wad his sailing boat and some homes in the local are around Cuba. The script is extremely well written, acted, and casted with Mr. Flynn. This film is a gem despite it's strange title.
*Special Stars- Errole Flynn, Rossana Rory, Pedro Armendariz, Jacques Aubuchon.
*Theme- Sometimes life takes you for a ride despite your protests.
*Trivia/location/goofs- Film Noir, B&W. Second to last Flynn film made before his early death at 50 years old. Filmed entirely in pre-Castro Cuba.
*Emotion- Film Noir was all the rage in Hollywood and so was Cuba as a exotic island film location. Mr. Flynn wad his sailing boat and some homes in the local are around Cuba. The script is extremely well written, acted, and casted with Mr. Flynn. This film is a gem despite it's strange title.
A medium-sized boodle but not a bad film
schappe18 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is another picture often cited as evidence of Errol Flynn's sad decline. It's supposed to be painful to watch. It isn't. Yes, Flynn is middle-aged and two years away from death, but he looks fine here, (except when the bad guys beat him up), and isn't playing a drunk, as he did in most of his later films. His character is the age Flynn is, unlike, for example 'Master of Ballantrae', where the protagonist is obviously supposed to be a younger man. It's another dip into film noir, except the film, being filmed on location in Cuba, where the sun is always shining and everyone wears white. Flynn's acting is good. The pace is good and the action exciting. It's a solid, reasonably entertaining film, about on the level of the many TV detective shows of the time, such as Peter Gunn, Richard Diamond, Mike Hammer, Michael Shayne, etc. That can be seen on You-Tube, except it's longer and gives us a great look at pre-Castro Havana. It has a goofy title but it isn't "Cuban Rebel Girls", not even close.
Flynn plays a man, as he reveals late in the film, whose partner had run off with his wife, leading to a murder-suicide. He doesn't expect much of life after that but has skills as a croupier, which he's used in casinos around the world, (I'm sure Flynn had seen many good ones). He gets fed counterfeit pesos and is then accused of being the counterfeiter. The police let him go so they can follow him and he decides to do his own investigation to draw out the counterfeiters, tracing it to a bank executive with two hard to control daughters, (The Big Sleep!). The one in league with the bad guys isn't the one he thinks it is. The tragical Gia Scala is one of them, (she killed herself some years later at age 38, a sad loss). Rossana Rory, who is still with us at age 93, is the other. Another tragic figure, the great Mexican actor Pedro Armendáriz, (one of the many people associated with the 1956 film 'The Conquerer' who contracted cancer after they filmed too close to the site of nuclear testing and who died at age 51 in 1963)) Jacques Aubuchon is the oily villain, who winds up falling from Moro Castle and being devoured by sharks, (anticipating both 'Goldfinger' and 'Jaws'). You will be entertained.
Flynn plays a man, as he reveals late in the film, whose partner had run off with his wife, leading to a murder-suicide. He doesn't expect much of life after that but has skills as a croupier, which he's used in casinos around the world, (I'm sure Flynn had seen many good ones). He gets fed counterfeit pesos and is then accused of being the counterfeiter. The police let him go so they can follow him and he decides to do his own investigation to draw out the counterfeiters, tracing it to a bank executive with two hard to control daughters, (The Big Sleep!). The one in league with the bad guys isn't the one he thinks it is. The tragical Gia Scala is one of them, (she killed herself some years later at age 38, a sad loss). Rossana Rory, who is still with us at age 93, is the other. Another tragic figure, the great Mexican actor Pedro Armendáriz, (one of the many people associated with the 1956 film 'The Conquerer' who contracted cancer after they filmed too close to the site of nuclear testing and who died at age 51 in 1963)) Jacques Aubuchon is the oily villain, who winds up falling from Moro Castle and being devoured by sharks, (anticipating both 'Goldfinger' and 'Jaws'). You will be entertained.
Errol Flynn is worth watching anytime
Tim-33-17496920 July 2020
Flynn always answers the bell.
At this stage in his career and life . You can see his incredible acting technique. His go for broke lifestyle, might be why top directors, actresses and writers wanted to worked with him.
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