Dodge City (1939)

July 7, 2011

62. Dodge City (1939)

Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale, John Litel, Henry Travers

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: "A soldier of fortune takes on the corrupt boss of a Western town." (from TCMDb)

I'm not huge on Westerns, but I decided to watch this one for Olivia and Errol. I also like Ann Sheridan a lot, but this is definitely not her best role, as she gets very little screen time. Too be honest, this film confused me a little. That could be because I was only half paying attention, and because the cattle chases and all that caused me to lose some interest. I think I got the basic plot, though: Errol is the good guy; Alan Hale is his comic-relief sidekick (who gets a little annoying after a while); Olivia is Errol's feisty love interest; William Lundigan (in a role very different than the one I last saw him in!) is Olivia's rowdy brother; Bruce Cabot is the lawless bad guy; Ann Sheridan is the saloon girl; Frank McHugh is Olivia's uncle.

Olivia and Errol are wonderful together, as usual. Like most of their pairings, they start out with an intense dislike of each other. [Of course we don’t really buy it, because we know they’ll eventually get together. But the sparks are still fun to watch.] Then they argue, and suddenly they are out on a date together (if you can call riding horses at sunset a date). I actually rewound to see if I missed something because I wasn't sure how they went from this (bickering) …

…to this.

I still wonder if I missed something? Ah, well, we knew it was bound to happen anyway. Never mind how we got there.

Despite the fact that most of the photos in this post include Errol and Olivia, they really don’t have that many scenes together. (It was hard to find photos of other things in the film, and I forgot to get screencaps. You can click on each image for the source.)

There are certainly bar room brawls, stampedes, and gun fights aplenty. But I don’t really go for that. One of my favorite part of the movie is probably when Olivia trips Errol. Really! It's a very funny moment that is delightfully and playfully acted. Okay, okay…maybe Frank McHugh's laugh is the best part of the movie. (Seriously, has anyone ever noticed how hilarious his laugh is? It's like a very light, quiet 'hehehehee'. I don't know why but it just strikes me as really funny. :D)

In conclusion, if you like classic westerns, stunning Technicolor, Olivia + Errol, or just want to hear what Frank McHugh's laugh sounds like, you'll probably want to check this out.

 

P.S. On Monday I did a guest post on Sophie’s blog where I shared my six favorite Ginger Rogers films.

You can check it out HERE.

[Also, be sure to visit some of Sophie’s other posts and subscribe to her site. She has a great blog!]

Never Say Goodbye (1946)

July 2, 2011

59. Never Say Goodbye (1946)

Starring Errol Flynn, Eleanor Parker, Lucile Watson, S.Z. Sakall
Directed by James V. Kern

Plot: "Phil and Ellen Gayley have been divorced for a year, and their 8-year old daughter, Flip, is very unhappy that her parents are not together…" (you can read the rest of the summary at IMDb but be aware that it does give some plot points away)

I really enjoyed this film. It was fun to see Errol in a comedy and he and Eleanor Parker (who looks gorgeous, by the way) are charming together. I especially liked Flynn's scenes with his daughter in the film, played by Patti Brady. Hattie McDaniel also has a small role, and she's hilarious. Forrest Tucker is also great in his comedic scenes as a burly Marine whose athletic prowess leaves Errol jealous...and injured.

Interesting fact: There is a part where Errol, imitating a ruthless and jealous husband, puts on a Humphrey Bogart accent. I thought he did a great job with it...until I read on IMDb that apparently Bogart himself did the dubbing!

 
Aren’t they cute? [source]

I think this is an underrated gem that deserves to be shown more and hopefully released on DVD soon. Watch it if you get a chance. :)

Captain Blood (1935)

 
May 9, 2011

50. Captain Blood (1935)

Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: "An enslaved doctor and his comrades in chains escape and become pirates of the Robin Hood variety." (from IMDb)

Swashbucklers really aren't my thing (usually) but I decided to give this one a try solely because I love Olivia de Havilland. I also like Errol Flynn, but I am still lamenting the horrible wig that he wore in this film. Olivia was, of course, delightful. I love the spunk and the intelligence she imparts that makes her unique from many of the other '30s starlets. She's also breathtakingly gorgeous and adorable. Just look…

I wish she had more screen time in this but oh well.

I thought the sets, scenery, and atmosphere were quite impressive. Others may beg to differ, but I really felt like I was transported visually to those places. I also love Korngold's music in general and his score here contributes greatly to the adventure-feel of the film.

 

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t find the story all that exciting, but I am glad I saw this. I love Warner Brothers, I love Errol + Olivia, and that was enough for me to find this film worthwhile. If you enjoy pirates/adventure/swashbucklers, I imagine you will find this movie to be even more of a treat.

 

Short Review: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Feb. 11, 2011

36. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) —REWATCH

Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains

Directed by Michael Curtiz & William Keighley

Plot: “When Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard’s absence, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a rebel guerrilla army.”

I’d seen this film a few years ago, but that was before I really got into old movies. This is clearly one of the most BEAUTIFUL films ever made. The vivid Technicolor jumps off the screen and the costumes and atmosphere are a feast for the eyes. The film boasts a perfectly-cast set of characters plucked from the talented group of Warner Brothers contract players. As for the story itself, it is pure escapist entertainment. Filled with duels, a dashing hero, a fair maiden, humorous sidekicks and calculating villains, it’s a storybook perfect fairytale. This is the second of eight films that Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn made together (that was mainly the reason I wanted to rewatch it!). My one regret with this film is that they left out the ending scene of the couple riding off into the sunset. 

Short Review: The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Feb. 4, 2011

30. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Starring Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Vincent Price

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: “A depiction of the love/hate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.” (from IMDb)

This was a fairly good film. While it may not be entirely historically accurate, the characters are well-presented and the dialogue is crisp and eloquent. Despite the influence from the stage play on which it was based, the story transitions well to the movie format and benefits from beautiful Technicolor cinematography and a regal Korngold score. Against the fidgety, feisty queen (Bette Davis), Errol gives a subdued performance that lends balance to the picture. I thought that their relationship was a little exhausting to watch, though. They go from slapping each other to eating grapes to kissing to playing cards to yelling in minutes flat (I’m generalizing, but you get the idea). Also noteworthy is the exceptional supporting cast. This film wasn’t one of my favorites, but it’s interesting and worth seeing at least once.