Actor Errol Flynn may have been a one-trick pony but that trick was a good 'un. The Australian-born actor made his mark as an effortlessly charming swashbuckler during the 1930's and 40's, headlining action comedies like The Adventures of Robin Hood, Captain Blood and The Adventures of Don Juan.
He played the charming rogue on-screen and off: the popular phrase "in like Flynn" referred to his many romantic conquests. But weak health, plus a fondness for booze, brawling and heroin, shortened his life and he died in 1959, 4 months after his 50th birthday.
Turner Classic Movies and Warner Home Video has packaged 4 of his greatest movies into one 2-disc set entitled Greatest Classic Legends: Errol Flynn. Even casual film lovers should eat this set up with a spoon.
Warner Home Video, Turner Classic Movies Presents Greatest Classic Legends: Errol Flynn DVD
Unlike many collections which package one or two classics with several bombs, every movie is a winner. 1935's Captain Blood was a risk gone horribly right; neither Flynn nor Olivia DeHavilland had headlined a film before. You can see Flynn discovering his onscreen persona under Michael Curtiz's tough but inspiring direction: a charming rogue with a hearty laugh even in the worst situations. Erich Wolfgang Korngold – one of the greatest film composers of all time – highlighted the action with his majestic score. And don't forget the thrilling seaside swordfight between Flynn and Basil Rathbone, the first of many between the two actors.
Sorry, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner et al: no one has ever equaled Errol Flynn's performance in 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood. He walks a fine line between making his character's peril believable versus always having a quip when things are at their blackest. Much like Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Flynn made a potentially annoying character charming and sympathetic.
Basil Rathbone returned to cross swords as the villainous Guy of Guisborne – Rathbone would eventually deliver the definitive portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in several films. But the standout is Claude Rains as an effete Prince John: you can see Michael Curtiz already casting him for his greatest role: the corrupt French policeman in Casablanca. All this and Korngold's brilliant score – his work here earned him an Oscar – makes this film a classic.
The Sea Hawk, released in 1940, represents Flynn and Curtiz treading water. You can see surreptitious cost-cutting – Curtiz used footage from Captain Blood during several fight sequences – and the story of Flynn playing a privateer in the service of Queen Elizabeth I is another excuse for him to trot out his patented persona. Brenda Marshall lacked Olivia DeHavilland's ability to spar with Flynn as an equal and Rains is subdued as a Spanish diplomat. Still, this film offers plenty of thrills.
It's tempting to dismiss 1948's The Adventures of Don Juan as a last chance to recapture former glories: Flynn's reputation took a beating when he didn't fight in World War II (Warner Bros. didn't want to admit their action star had been declared too sick to serve) and the editors had to work overtime to compensate for the fact that the 39-year-old Flynn couldn't move like he used to. But the actor brought a curious warmth and regret to his role as an aging seducer who risks it all for a woman he loves but can never have: Queen Margaret of Spain (Viveca Lindfors). It helped that scriptwriters Herbert Dalmas and George Oppenheimer had a lot of fun whipping out the one-liners. Few Hollywood stars have had the chance to age this gracefully.
TCM's Greatest Classic Legends: Errol Flynn DVD Extras
In addition to a documentary about each film, Warner Bros. offers their "Warner Night at the Movies" feature which recreates what it was like to watch these films back in the day. That means you get a theatrical trailer, a newsreel, a pair of documentaries, an animated short and finally the feature. It's a smart value-added feature
TCM's Greatest Classic Legends: Errol Flynn DVD Is a Must-Have
Four classic action movies featuring one of the most charming actors to ever grace the silver screen? How can you lose? Greatest Classic Legends: Errol Flynn gets a 5/5.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
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