Captain Blood (1935)
directed by Michael Curtiz
starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone
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MPAA rating: Not Rated Studio: Warner Brothers Script: Casey Robinson Based on the book by: Rafael Sabatini Music: Erich Wolfgang Korngold Running time: 119 minutes Tags: articles; Black & White; gout; Jamaica; navy; novel adaptation; oceans; pirate; ships; slaves; Swashbuckler Tactical strength: [6/10]
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Peter Blood (Errol Flynn), a 17th century English doctor, treats the wounds of a rebel against the King. The King's army subsequently arrests and the courts convict Blood of treason and sentence him to be sold as a slave in Port Royal. Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland) purchases Blood for 20 pounds, and Arabella's father puts Blood to work on his plantation. As the only competent doctor on the island, Blood must often treat the gout-infested feet of the local governor and thus has the opportunity to arrange for a boat on which to escape from the island. When Blood and his friends make thier escape, they find that the Spanish have attacked Port Royal and damaged Blood's escape craft. Not easily defeated, Blood and his men take over the poorly manned Spanish ship and begin a new life as pirates.
After months of profitable pirating, Captain Blood finds Arabella Bishop who a rival pirate took captive. Blood enganes and defeats the rival pirate in a swordfight (as you would expect from any self-respecting Flynn movie). Blood returns to Port Royal to return Arabella Bishop, but finds the port under attack by the French. One of Arabella's companions informs Blood that the rebellion in England has ended and a new king sits on the throne who will pardon all former rebels. Enthused with their new freedom, Blood and his men engage and defeat the French.
Captain Blood moves quickly, has fairly decent sea-battle effects for its time, and keeps you interested with its witty dialog and dry humor.
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