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Errol Flynn Adventures |
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Errol Flynn - the incomparable! É. He arrived in Hollywood in
1935 and quickly appeared in small roles in two Warren William ŌvehiclesÕ: The
Case of the Curious Bride (1935) & DonÕt Bet on Blondes (1935) - the second of which was a speaking
role. When Robert Donat
dropped out (at short notice) from Captain Blood (1935), Flynn stepped in and - as they say -
the rest is history. Errol Flynn is probably notable for many things but for me it
was two things that mattered: he was the supreme adventurer and he was an
Aussie! Yep, Errol's adventures seemed to be always a case
of life imitating art (or is that vice versa?) He certainly lived life to its
fullest and his movies were such supremely escapist affairs that one felt his
movies were just the filming of his real-life adventures. With a twinkle in
his eye he could make the hammiest line sound real, and if thatÕs not acting,
what is? On the matter on his "Aussieness", I'm
reminded of a conversation that I had with my Mum when I'd only just
discovered that this fabulous guy (whom I'd just watched "wup" Basil
Rathbone in The
Adventures of Robin Hood)
was in fact born in Australia - my Mum (pictured below during the mid 1940s)
being a huge fan of this perfect male specimen corrected me in saying: "He
was born in Tasmania".
I immediately thought to myself: Is Mum providing
more detailed information (by informing the actual State of Australia in
which "Our Errol" was born) or was she showing me her
"culturally imperialist" side? (Tasmania being detached from the
Aussie mainland and very much "on the way to Antarctica"). I recently queried Mum (still spritely and quite
switched on despite being well into her 8 decade here - on the mainland)
about the exchange all those years ago and she deferred to the latter as
being the true case! - yep, Tasmanian may well have been considered a
"bit of a backwater" in the 1950s (especially by my Mum). (For you non-Australians still reading this: herein
endith the Geography lesson) So Mum, despite your thoughts about Tasmania
in the 1950s, this section of the website is dedicated to you - a true fan of
Errol Flynn! Print Quality of all titles is uniformly excellent
with only King's Rhapsody (1955) down a little. Further, Santa Fe Trial (1940) is a very good print - much superior to commercial offerings. Note that all of these films can also be found in
the INDIVIDUAL MOVIE TITLES section. The set up and pricing are the same as for the INDIVIDUAL
MOVIE TITLES section
namely: į
The DVDs in this section of the
website consist of one movie title per DVD, each movie commencing when inserted into your DVD player (no
delays or useless menus). į
DVDs are available in any
combination of titles comprising 1, 2 or 4 DVD boxed sets (Note: They are not
available in 3, 5 or 6 DVD sets) A typical Errol Flynn 4 DVD boxed
set is pictured below:
į
The prices (including Express
Postage anywhere) for these single movie DVDs are: 1 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$20 or US$20
or £12 2 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$30 or US$30
or £18 4 DVD Boxed Set price: AU$40 or US$40
or £25 į
Email me
for a current price in CN$, Euros, NZ$ etc į
PURCHASING TIP:
the most economical way to buy
movies from this section is in groups of 4 films - they are neatly
assembled in a quad case with full artwork and sell for AU$40 or US$40 or
£25. Since
postage is included then each film can be delivered to your door for
AU$10 or US$10 or about £6 per movie! (Note
that AU$ prices are for AU postal destinations only, international customers to use US$ or UK£) |
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Adventures of Captain Fabian (1951) - 100 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Micheline Presle,
Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Francen & Jim Gˇrald Directed by William Marshall This Franco-American costume drama
concerns sea captain Michael Fabian and his involvement with a servant girl
Lea Marriote (Micheline Presle), whose thirst for revenge against a prominent
New Orleans family who wronged both her and Fabian drives this action packed
film. After Fabian defends Lea on a murder charge, she promptly weds George
Brissac (Vincent Price), scion of that aforementioned family, thereby laying
the groundwork for a final battle. Filmed in Paris and Nice, the screenplay
was written by Errol Flynn from the Robert Shannon novel, Fabulous Ann
Madlock. Gorgeous B&W Print from Republic
Pictures |
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Adventures of Don Juan (1948) - 110 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Viveca Lindfors,
Robert Douglas, Alan Hale & Romney Brent Directed by Vincent Sherman In a spirited, athletic performance as
fabled Spanish swashbuckler/lover Don Juan, Flynn spends the early portions
of the film romancing willing young ladies and duelling with jealous
husbands. Spain's Queen Margaret (Viveca Lindfors) assigns Don Juan to head
the royal fencing academy to keep him out of trouble. When scheming Duke de
Lorca (Robert Douglas) plots to topple the monarchy, it is Don Juan's eager
young fencing pupils who come to the rescue. Errol in top form again! Sumptuous Warner Bros production complete
with fabulous Max Steiner score. |
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The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - 102 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles & Alan Hale Directed by Michael Curtiz Based on the well-known English legend,
Robin of Locksley is a noble who is forced to become an outlaw when Prince
John the usurper tries to take the throne from his absent brother. He flees
to Sherwood forest where he gathers together his Merry Men and is called
Robin Hood. He begins to rob the rich and give back to the poor, the
townsfolk that are heavily-taxed by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Meanwhile he
still has to defend the throne, and woo Maid Marian. Undoubtedly the best of the best! Oscar wins for Art Direction, Editing and
Score (Erich Wolfgang Korngold) Oscar Nomination for Best Picture |
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Against All Flags (1952) - 83 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Maureen O'Hara,
Anthony Quinn & Mildred Natwick Directed by George Sherman Its 1700 and the pirates of Madagascar
menace the India trade. British officer Brian Hawke has himself cashiered,
flogged, and set adrift to infiltrate them. There, Hawke meets Spitfire
Stevens, a pirate captain in her own right, and the sparks begin to fly,
especially after he rescues adoring young Princess Patma from a captured
ship. Meanwhile, Hawke's secret mission proceeds to an action-packed climax. Flynn is
back to his best in what is considered to be "the last of the great
swashbucklers" |
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Another Dawn (1937) - 73 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Kay Francis, Ian
Hunter, Frieda Inescort, Herbert Mundin & Richard Powell Directed by William Dieterle Captain Denny Roark (Errol Flynn) is a
British army officer stationed in a remote Sahara outpost just after WWI.
Against his better judgement, Roark falls in love with Julia (Kay Francis),
the wife of his commanding officer Colonel Wister (Ian Hunter). Wister knows
what's going on, but he is too much the gentleman to interfere, just as Roark
is too much the gentleman to demand that the Colonel grant Julia a divorce. Nice Erich Wolfgang Korngold musical
score |
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Captain Blood (1935) - 119 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Lionel Atwill & Basil Rathbone Directed by Michael Curtiz The quintessential
swashbuckler. Irish doctor Dr. Peter Blood is wrongly sentenced to
deportation and slavery to the Caribbean. He plans an escape and now seeking
vengeance forms an alliance with the French buccaneer Capt. Levasseur.
However during their reign of piracy they capture Arabella Bishop and Blood's
feelings are betrayed when he challenges Levasseur over her. Quintessential Flynn
in his "breakout" role and a fabulous Eric Wolfgang Korngold score |
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The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) - 80 mins Starring Warren William, Margaret
Lindsay, Donald Woods, Claire Dodd, Allen Jenkins & Errol Flynn Directed by Michael Curtiz After giving the District Attorney
another stinging defeat, Perry Mason (Warren William) plans to take a
vacation in China. But Rhoda (Margaret Lindsay), his old flame, meets him at
a restaurant. It seems that her husband Moxley, who had been allegedly dead
for four years, is apparently alive & well and now demanding money from
Rhoda as she has married into wealth. The case escalates when the police find
the body of Moxley and Rhoda becomes the prime suspect. But, with the able
assistance of his wisecracking secretary Della Street (Claire Dodd), Perry is
able to reveal the identity of the real culprit. Errol Flynn makes his Hollywood screen debut in this funny, fast-paced whodunit, the third of six Perry
Mason vehicles produced by Warner Bros. from 1934
to 1937. The entire Perry Mason movie series is available from the Movie Series section of this
website |
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The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) - 116 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Patric Knowles, Nigel Bruce & David Niven Directed by Michael Curtiz Major Vickers is an
officer at the 27th Lancers in India 1856. When the regiment is on maneuver,
the barracks are attacked by Surat Khan and his soldiers, who massacre
British women and children. This leaves an inextinguishable memory and
Vickers promises to revenge the dead. Based on Tennyson's poem, with a
scintillating climax: the famous
Balaklava Heights charge. Flynn's follow-up to
Captain Blood and reuniting director Curtiz and co-star de Havilland.
Fabulous production values & wonderful Max Steiner score |
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Cry Wolf
(1947) - 83 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Barbara Stanwyck,
Geraldine Brooks, Richard Basehart, Jerome Cowan & John Ridgely Directed by Peter Godfrey The tense psychological drama Cry Wolf
offers a fascinating if not altogether successful change of pace for action
star Errol Flynn. Most of the story takes place at a remote and forbidding
mansion, where Sandra Marshall (Barbara Stanwyck), the widow of the house's
owner, arrives to take charge. An apparent golddigger, Sandra refuses to be
bought off with a small cash settlement and insists on claiming her late
husband's entire estate, which earns her a powerful enemy in the form of
research scientist Mark Caldwell (Flynn). Upon learning that her headstrong
sister-in-law Julie (Geraldine Brooks) is kept a virtual prisoner in the
house, Sandra begins suspecting that Caldwell is up to no good - a suspicion
seemingly confirmed when Julie dies under mysterious circumstances. But as
the story slowly unravels, it becomes clear that Caldwell is actually É best
not to give too much away here. Cry Wolf was Geraldine Brooks' first
film, and the second for her costar Richard Basehart |
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The Dawn Patrol (1938) - 103 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone,
David Niven, Donald Crisp, Melville Cooper & Barry Fitzgerald Directed by Edmund Goulding The story is set during
World War I; the scene is the French headquarters of the British Royal Flying
Corps, 59th division. The corps is suffering heavy losses, a fact that ace
pilot Courtney (Errol Flynn) ascribes to the supposed ruthlessness of
squadron commander Brand (Basil Rathbone). What the audience knows that
Courtney doesn't is that Brand is distraught at losing his men, but is forced
by his own superiors to push the pilots beyond their limits. After being
accused day after day of being a butcher, Brand takes grim delight in turning
over his command to Courtney. Soon Courtney finds himself enduring the
"butcher" tag, especially after the younger brother of his best
friend Scott (David Niven) is killed. To redeem himself, Courtney gets Scott
drunk and takes his place in a suicidal bombing mission.
The star power of Errol Flynn and Basil
Rathbone in their third screen teaming. |
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Desperate Journey (1942) - 107 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan,
Nancy Coleman, Alan Hale & Arthur Kennedy Directed by Raoul Walsh One of the most
exciting pictures ever made (in my humble opinion) Desperate Journey is
fast-paced and very enjoyable! Directed by action film veteran Raoul Walsh,
the story of British bomber 'D-for-Danny', shot down over occupied central
Europe, offers a terrific cast, including Ronald Reagan and Arthur Kennedy
(in their second teaming with Flynn), and Alan Hale (in his tenth of 12 Flynn
films). The gifted Canadian actor, Raymond Massey, also making his second appearance
with Flynn, is a thoroughly hiss-able Nazi Major (speaking the gobbly-gook
Hollywood passed off as 'German' in these films) who 'loses' the captured
fliers (after a brilliantly funny scene with Reagan) then pursues them across
the continent. A great chase
ensues and if you're like me, you'll be cheering as they approach the Dutch
border and the Nazis close in.
Fabulous Max Steiner score. |
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Dive Bomber (1941) - 132 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray,
Ralph Bellamy, Alexis Smith, Regis
Toomey & Robert Armstrong Directed by Michael Curtiz Lieutenant Commander
Joe Blake (Fred MacMurray), Lt. Tim Griffin (Regis Toomey), and Lt. Swede
Larson (Louis Jean Heydt) are longtime US Navy flying buddies, about to be
transferred to different posts when Larson suffers a blackout during
high-altitude maneuvers and cracks up. Navy doctor Douglas Lee (Errol Flynn)
insists on trying to save him with an immediate operation, and the mortally
injured pilot dies on the table. This sets the stage for a long, lingering,
and bitter hatred between Blake and Lee - which is only exacerbated when Lee
chooses to become a flight surgeon so he can help to find a solution to the
problem of high altitude blackout. Lee is assigned to medical research with
Lt. Cdr. Lance Rogers (Ralph Bellamy), a flight surgeon whose dedication to
high-altitude research has left him unfit for further flying. Their work
proceeds through small triumphs and terrible tragedy, and Lee and Blake keep
crossing paths, unwillingly - they not only don't like each other personally,
but end up competing for the attentions of the same woman (Alexis Smith) at
one point. But they're forced to work together for the good of the service,
even after Lee grounds Tim Griffin as medically unfit to keep flying. A fresh
tragedy shows Blake that Lee has always been looking out for the best
interests of the pilots, and they begin working together in earnest, at last. |
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Dodge City
(1939) - 104 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale & Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams Directed by Michael Curtiz Wade Hatton is a cattle man who arrives
in the frontier community of Dodge City, which is overrun by footloose
cowboys and outlaws. When Hatton helps Dodge City lawmen capture a gang of cattle
rustlers led by Jeff Surrett, he's asked to help guide a wagon train into
town with his friends Rusty Hart and Tex Baird. En route, an impulsive young
cowpoke named Lee Irving needlessly fires off his pistol, sparking a cattle
stampede that leads to his death. When Hatton and his men arrive in Dodge,
they discover Surrett is once again at large, and his gang has taken over the
city. Appointed the city's new sheriff, Hatton is determined to clean up the
town and put the outlaws out of business. A landmark western which, along with
Stagecoach, has often been credited with revitalizing the genre. A solid box office hit, Dodge City was
the first of a series of westerns for swashbuckling star Flynn; his next
oater, Virginia City, followed in 1940 (see below). |
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DonÕt Bet on Blondes (1935) - 59 mins Starring Warren William, Claire Dodd, Guy
Kibbee, William Gargan & Errol Flynn Directed by Robert Florey High-rolling gambler "Odds"
Owen (Warren William) establishes an American insurance agency created along
the lines of Lloyd's of London. Owen insures Kentucky colonel Jefferson Davis
Youngblood (Guy Kibbee) against the possibility that Youngblood's actress
daughter Marilyn (Claire Dodd) might get married, thereby cutting off the
Colonel's allowance. After scaring away several prospective suitors, Owen
messes things up by falling in love with Marilyn himself Errol
Flynn, in his second Hollywood role appears in
two scenes as one of Marilyn's boyfriends. It was Flynn's first speaking role
at Warners, and he carried it off with class if not distinction. Preceded by a
non speaking role in The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) and followed by his breakout film Captain Blood (1935) - see above |
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Edge of Darkness (1943) - 119 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter
Huston, Nancy Coleman & Helmut Dantine Directed by Lewis Milestone In October 1942, a German observation
airplane discovers a seaside village named Trollness where the Norwegian flag
is flying over the town square. A ground patrol discovers an empty town
littered with corpses, including a number of Nazi officials. The story of the
massacre is told in flashback. Errol Flynn plays Gunnar Brogge, a fisherman
engaged to Karen Stensgard (Ann Sheridan), whose father, Martin (Walter
Huston), is the village physician. Gunnar and Karen are working to undermine
the Nazis. The town is divided, with the minister leading a contingent which
believes that violence, even against the sadistic Germans, is morally wrong.
Karen is concerned about the imminent arrival of her brother, who is known to
be friendly to the German occupiers; she fears he may learn of plans by the
British to deliver a supply of guns to the resistance. The Nazi commandant,
Captain Konig (Helmut Dantine), keeps up the pressure to learn of any opposition
to his administration, eventually deciding to execute a selected number of
the villagers to force someone to reveal the extent of the resistance's
schemes. One of Errol
Flynn's very best WWII roles. |
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Escape Me Never (1947) - 104 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Ida Lupino, Eleanor
Parker, Gig Young & Reginald Denny Directed by Peter Godfrey Largely set in Italy, the story concerns
the relationship between poverty-stricken musician Sebastian Dunbrok (Errol
Flynn) and unwed mother Gemma Smith (Ida Lupino). Suspecting that her fiancˇ,
Caryl (Gig Young), Sebastian's brother, is the father of Gemma's child, young
heiress Fennella McLean (Eleanor Parker) retreats to the Italian Alps.
Attempting to straighten out the situation, Sebastian finds himself falling
in love with Fennella. For his brother's sake, Sebastian breaks off the
relationship and marries Gemma, but while awaiting the birth of her child, he
writes a heartfelt ballet score dedicated to Fennella. However, when Gemma's
baby dies, the conscience-stricken Sebastian changes the dedication to his
wife. Stirring musical score by Erich Wolfgang
Korngold. Based on a play and novel by Margaret
Kennedy. |
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Footsteps in the Dark (1941) - 96 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall,
Ralph Bellamy, Alan Hale, Lee Patrick & Allen Jenkins Directed by Lloyd Bacon A spritely comedy/mystery, starring Errol
Flynn as a wealthy investment counsellor who secretly doubles as a dilettante
detective, the better to write mystery novels. Brenda Marshall plays his
wife, who can't understand why he is never home and begins to suspect
hanky-panky. In fact, Flynn is investigating the murders of a jewellery
smuggler and an exotic dancer. Footsteps in
the Dark was an attempt by Warner Bros. to create a "Nick and Nora
Charles" team, in emulation of MGM's popular Thin Man series. And it
comes off! Flynn fans will love this one. |
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FourÕs a Crowd (1938) - 92 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Rosalind Russell, Patric Knowles & Walter Connolly Directed by Michael Curtiz This engaging late 30Õs "screwball
comedy" stars a quartet of Warner Bros' biggest stars: Errol Flynn,
Olivia DeHavilland, Rosalind Russell and Patric Knowles. Robert Kensington
'Bob' Lansford (Errol Flynn) is a publicity agent who is hired to stir up
"good press" for nasty millionaire John P. Dillingwell (Walter
Connolly). Bob accomplishes this by going back to his old job as editor of a
newspaper owned by Patterson 'Pat' Buckley (Patric Knowles), then using the
paper to Ņtalk upÓ DingwellÕs virtues. Along the way, he romances DingwellÕs
daughter Lorri (Olivia de Havilland), and Jean Christy (Rosalind Russell),
PatÕs star reporter. Fast-moving and chucklesome! |
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Gentleman Jim (1942) - 104 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Jack
Carson, Alan Hale, John Loder & Ward Bond Directed by Raoul Walsh Flynn stars as Jim Corbett, the
19th-century American pugilist who introduced "scientific" methods
to bare-knuckle boxing. Originally an office clerk, Corbett is introduced to
the then-illegal sport of fighting when one of the bank executives sponsors
the young man's training at the Olympic Club. His arrogance wins Corbett a
few enemies, including high-born lady Victoria Ware (Alexis Smith), whose
dislike turns to casual affection when she realizes that Corbett is a sincere
young fellow who can back up his boasts. What "Gentleman Jim"
desires most in life is a match with reigning heavyweight champ John L.
Sullivan (Ward Bond). Corbett and Sullivan finally meet in a bout governed by
those new Marquis of Queensbury rules that Corbett has helped popularize. Gentleman Jim is broad, boisterous
entertainment thanks to a "knockout" performance by Errol Flynn -
he was a capable boxer, and Gentleman Jim makes full use of this skill. |
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Green Light (1937) - 85 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Anita Louise,
Margaret Lindsay, Cedric Hardwicke, Walter Abel & Henry O'Neill Directed by Frank Borzage When Errol Flynn insisted that Warner
Bros. come up with a non-swashbuckler for his next vehicle, the result was
Green Light. Based on a novel by Lloyd C. Douglas (Magnificent Obsession, The
Robe etc.), the film tells the story of a young surgeon (Flynn) who willingly
takes blame for a fatal mistake committed by an older doctor (Henry O'Neill).
Disgraced, Flynn takes the near-suicidal assignment of testing a new vaccine
for spotted fever; to ascertain the serum's effectiveness, he must expose
himself to the disease. Flynn's fiancee (Anita Louise), having learned that
her lover was not responsible for the older doctor's error, is reunited with
Flynn as he lies recuperating from the fever. Weaving in and out of Green
Light is the kindly old spiritual leader (Cedric Hardwicke) who espouses the
values of sacrifice and faith. Green Light did acceptable box office
business, but Errol Flynn was back at his sword-wielding best in his next
film, The Prince and the Pauper (which is also
available from this website) |
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Istanbul (1957)
- 84 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers,
John Bentley, Torin Thatcher, Leif Erickson & Peggy Knudsen Directed by Joseph Pevney Adventurer James Brennan (Errol Flynn) finds
a bracelet containing 13 precious gems while visiting Istanbul. He soon finds
himself pursued by crooks who appear to want those jewels. He is then
deported by the Turkish authorities, but not before he has time to hide the
bracelet in a hotel. Five years later, Brennan returns to seek out the
stones. Again he is pursued by both the authorities and criminals. He must
also contend with the reappearance of his wife whom he thought had burned to
death on their wedding night. A remake of Singapore (1947) which is also available from this website |
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Kim (1950)
- 113 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell,
Paul Lukas, Robert Douglas, Thomas Gomez & Cecil Kellaway Directed by Victor Saville Kim, a young boy living on his own on the
streets of India, is actually the son of a British officer. He meets a lama,
a holy man, and devotes himself to his tending. But when British
administrators discover his birthright, he is placed in a British school. His
nature, however, is opposed to the regimentation expected for the son of a
British soldier, and he rebels. His familiarity with Indian life and his
ability to pass as an Indian child allows him to function as a spy for the
British as they attempt to thwart revolution and invasion of India. Rejoining
his holy man, Kim with the help of daring adventurer Mahbub Ali (Flynn) takes
on a dangerous mission. While a great deal of Kim was filmed on
location in India, some of the more complicated exterior sequences were lensed
in Lone Pine, California. |
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King's Rhapsody (1955) - 93 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Anna Neagle,
Patrice Wymore, Martita Hunt, Finlay Currie & Francis De Wolff Directed by Herbert Wilcox Based on a musical play by Ivor Novello,
about a European prince Richard, King of Laurentia (Erol Flynn) who falls in
love with a commoner Marta Karillos
(Anna Neagle). The prince abdicates his duties (as Prince) and goes
into exile so he may set up house with the woman he loves. When the King
dies, Flynn is obliged to return to his throne and marry the hand-picked Princess
Cristiane (Patrice Wymore). Years later, Richard finally free to marry whm he
chooses, seeks out Marta. Patrice Wymore was Mrs. Flynn at the
time. Quality Note: This is a wide-screen color print - however its not the greatest
of prints - a little smeary at times - but its still a good chance to see
another side of Flynn |
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Mara Maru
(1952) - 98 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Ruth Roman, Raymond
Burr, Paul Picerni & Richard Webb Directed by Gordon Douglas Flynn plays deep-sea diver Gregory Mason,
who is hired to locate a sunken PT boat bearing a diamond-encrusted religious
icon. Mason's employer on this mission is the disreputable Brock Benedict
(Raymond Burr), a firm believer in the old buccaneer credo that "dead
men tell no tales." Aware that he's expendable once he finds the
treasure, Mason stalls as long as he can, hoping that Benedict and his
crooked flunkies will end up wiping out one another. He also intends to claim
the treasure for himself, rather than turn it over to the proper authorities.
Ruth Roman co-stars as Stella Callahan, the widow of Mason's former partner,
who wants nothing more than for Mason to return the gem-studded cross to its
rightful owners (well, maybe she wants Mason, too). Excellent Errol Flynn adventure from
Warner Bros with a good score from Max Steiner. |
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The Master of Ballantrae (1953) - 90 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Roger Livesey,
Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell, Yvonne Furneaux & Felix Aylmer Directed by William Keighley Errol Flynn buckled his last swash in The
Master of Ballantrae, playing out the final film of his Warner Brothers
contract in this high seas adventure, liberally adapted from the Robert Louis
Stevenson yarn. Flynn plays Jamie Durrisdeer, a Scottish heir, who fights for
freedom against the British. When the rebels are defeated, Jamie must flee to
the West Indies with Col. Francis Burke (Roger Livesey), an Irish soldier of
fortune, in order to escape capture. After battling pirates, Jamie puts
together a small fortune and returns to Scotland to marry his true love, Lady
Alison (Beatrice Campbell). But Jamie's hopes are dashed when he finds that
Lady Alison, thinking that Jamie was dead, is now engaged to his brother
Henry (Anthony Steel), who may have betrayed Jamie to the English. Fabulous color production with Errol
still going strong! |
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Montana
(1950) - 76 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z.
Sakali, Douglas Kennedy & James Brown Directed by Ray Enright Australian sheep-man Morgan Lane comes to
Montana looking for government-owned grazing land, and encamps his sheep at
the boundary line set up by the cattle barons to keep the sheep from eating
the good grass. He goes to town, posing as a merchant, explains his
Australian accent, and learns that Maria Singleton, owner of a large ranch,
and Rodney Ackroyd, another ranch owner and Miss Singleton's fiancˇe, are the
leaders of the cattlemen against the sheep-men. Romance tugs at Morgan and
Miss Singleton but the cattle vs sheep feud keeps them apart. Montana scores best during the scenes
between stars Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith; they were good friends in real
life, so much so that Flynn served as best man at Smith's wedding to actor
Craig Stevens. |
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Never Say Goodbye (1946) - 95 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Eleanor Parker,
Lucile Watson, S. Z. Sakall & Forrest Tucker Directed by James V. Kern Phil Gayley (Errol Flynn) is a magazine
illustrator whose close proximity with gorgeous female models ruins his
marriage to the lovely Ellen (Eleanor Parker). When the Gayleys divorce,
their precocious 7-year-old daughter Flip (Patti Brady) contrives to bring
them back together. The film's biggest laughs are garnered
whenever Errol Flynn lampoons his established "swashbuckler" image,
which he does with apparent relish. At one point, Flynn even imitates
Humphrey Bogart-an effect accomplished by dubbing in the voice of the real
Bogart! |
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Northern Pursuit (1943) - 93 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Julie Bishop,
Helmut Dantine, John Ridgely, Gene Lockhard & Tom Tully Directed by Raoul Walsh Flynn is cast as
Canadian Mountie Steve Wagner, assigned to track down and capture downed Nazi
pilot Hugo von Keller (Helmut Dantine) in the snowier Hudson Bay regions.
Once Wagner and fellow Mountie Jim Austin (John Ridgely) catch up with Von
Keller, they pretend to be on his side, hoping that he'll reveal his
espionage plans. Taken in, Von Keller leads the Mounties towards a secret
Nazi hideaway, where the Germans have hidden a huge bombing plane, to be used
against North America. The fact that star
Errol Flynn had been recently embroiled in a real-life rape trial only served
to increase the box-office appeal of this fine Warner Bros actioner. In the
light of Flynn's legal problems, one line in Northern Pursuit invariably
brought down the house in 1943: After assuring his girl that she's the only
woman he's ever loved, Flynn turns to the camera and quips "What am I
saying?" |
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Objective Burma! (1945) - 142 mins Starring Errol Flynn, William Prince,
James Brown, George Tobias & Henry Huff. Directed by Raoul Walsh. A group of men
parachute into Japanese-occupied Burma with a dangerous and important
mission: to locate and blow up a radar station. They accomplish this well
enough, but when they try to rendezvous at an old air-strip to be taken back
to their base, they find Japanese waiting for them, and they must make a
long, difficult walk back through enemy-occupied jungle. Another great Errol
Flynn action / adventure film!
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The Prince and the Pauper (1937) - 118 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Claude Rains, Henry
Stephenson, Barton MacLane, Billy Mauch & Alan Hale Directed by William Keighley As Jane Seymour, consort of King Henry
VIII gives birth to the heir to the throne, the later Edward VI and Tom Canty
is born in the nearby slums. Years later, as King Henry is near death,
providence brings the two together and they discover that they share a
striking resemblance. Having changed clothes with Tom during play, Edward is
mistaken for a pauper by the Captain of the Guard and evicted from the palace.
In contrast, Tom is believed to be the Prince of Wales by all of sundry and,
when protesting, is treated as mentally unsound. Only the Earl of Hertford,
the king's scheming advisor, realizes the truth but keeps quiet to further
his own career. With a price on his head, the real Edward lives the life of a
pauper among the thieves and beggars of London, befriended only by Miles
Hendon. From the novel by Mark Twain. |
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The Private Lives of Elizabeth and
Essex (1937) - 106 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Olivia
de Havilland, Donald Crisp, Vincent Price & Alan Hale Directed by Michael Curtiz Concerns the tempestuous relationship
between the middle-aged Elizabeth and the ambitious Essex. At one point, the
Queen intends to marry Essex and relinquish her throne, until she realizes
that his plans for advancement would ultimately prove disastrous for England.
When afforded the opportunity to execute Essex for treason, she reluctantly
signs his death warrant. It is no secret that Bette Davis and
Errol Flynn were at each other's throats throughout the filming: Davis felt
that Flynn was unprofessional, while Flynn thought that Davis took herself
too seriously. Davis had wanted Laurence Olivier to play the Earl of Essex
opposite her Queen Elizabeth I. She was forced to compromise and the finished
product, a lavish Technicolor costumer allowing full scope to Davis'
histrionics and Flynn's derring-do, betrays little of the backstage
hostilities. Adapted by Norman Reilly Raine and Aeneas
McKenzie from Maxwell Anderson's blank-verse play. Oscar Nominations for Art Direction,
Color Cinematography, Special Effects, Sound Recording and Score (Erich
Wolfgang Korngold) |
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Rocky Mountain (1950) - 83 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Patrice Wymore,
Scott Forbes, Guinn Williams & Dickie Jones Directed by William Keighley A Confederate troop, led by Captain Lafe
Barstow, is prowling the far ranges of California and Nevada in a last
desperate attempt to build up an army in the West for the faltering
Confederacy. The patrol saves a stagecoach, with Johanna Carter as one of the
passengers, from an Indian attack, and is marooned on a rocky mountain. Patrice Wymore met Errol Flynn on the set
and she became his 3rd wife. |
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The Roots of Heaven (1958) - 121 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Juliette Greco,
Trevor Howard, Eddie Albert, Orson Welles, Paul Lukas & Herbert Lom Directed by John Huston Romain Gary's best-selling novel The
Roots of Heaven was adapted to film in Cinemascope and DeLuxe Color by
producer Darryl F. Zanuck. Though billed third, Trevor Howard plays the
central character, an idealist who has gone into Africa in hopes of saving
the elephants from extinction. At first regarded as a crank, Howard shows
he's not kidding by taking a shot at the posterior of a pompous news commentator
(Orson Welles). As Howard's crusade gains momentum, several opportunists go
along with him, among them a disgraced British military officer (Errol Flynn)
hoping to redeem himself. The Roots of Heaven represented the last
truly worthwhile screen appearance by Errol Flynn, who died less than a year after filming his Roots death scene.
The film itself was shot on location in French Equatorial Africa - apparently
a gruelling experience for its stars and its director (the legendary John
Huston). "Our Errol" is superb in this film: really
proving what a great actor he was!
Gorgeous
Wide-Screen Tecnicolor Print! |
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San Antonio (1945) - 109 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z.
Sakali, Victor Francen, Florence Bates & Paul Kelly Directed by David Butler Cattleman Clay Hardin, who, on a trek
south of the border, has discovered that San Antonio saloon proprietor Roy
Stuart is actually a cattle rustler of major proportions. Determined to bring
Stuart to justice, Clay runs into difficulties when he mistakes Jeanne Starr
for being on the saloon owner's payroll. Meanwhile, Stuart's partner (and
enemy) Legare uses the taut situation to benefit himself. Then Clay's
longtime friend, Charlie Bell, is brutally slain and Jeanne's manager, Sacha
Bozic is forced to skip town, who, unbeknownst to Clay, having witnessed the
murder. Fabulous Western! Oscar Nominated for Art Direction &
Music |
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Santa Fe Trail (1940) - 110 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Raymond Massey, Ronald Reagan, Alan Hale, Van Heflin & Guinn
'Big Boy' Williams Directed by Michael Curtiz The story of Jeb
Stewart, his romance with Kit Carson Holliday, friendship with George Custer
and battles against John Brown in the days leading up to the bloody
confrontation between Brown and the US Army at Harper's Ferry, Virginia and
the outbreak of the American Civil War. Before we get to the
meat of the story, we are treated to a great deal of byplay between West
Point graduates Jeb Stuart (Flynn) and George Armstrong Custer (Ronald
Reagan), who carry on a friendly rivalry over the affections of one Kit
Carson Halliday (Olivia DeHavilland). As a follow-up to Warners' Dodge
City and Virginia City, Flynn again has Alan Hale and Guinn 'Big
Boy' Williams, his comic sidekicks from those earlier films. Breathtaking
entertainment, excitingly staged by director Michael Curtiz. Recently
upgraded print - now excellent
(much superior to commercial offerings including that shown on TCM!) -
gratis upgrades to previous customers of this title É |
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The Sea Hawk (1940) - 127 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall,
Claude Rains, Donald Crisp & Alan Hale Directed by Michael Curtiz Geoffrey Thorpe is an adventurous and
dashing pirate, who feels that he should pirate the Spanish ships for the
good of England. In one such battle, he overtakes a Spanish ship and when he
comes aboard he finds Dona Maria, a beautiful Spanish royal. He is
overwhelmed by her beauty, but she will have nothing to do with him because
of his pirating ways. When the ship reaches England, Queen Elizabeth sends
Thorpe on a mission and in the process, he becomes a prisoner of the
Spaniards. Thorpe escapes and returns to England to uncover some deadly
secrets. Exciting duels follow as Thorpe must expose the evil and win Dona
Maria's heart. A very entertaining swashbuckler with a
wonderful score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
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Silver River (1948) - 110 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan,
Thomas Mitchell, Bruce Bennet, Tom D'Andrea & Barton MacLane Directed by Raoul Walsh After being handed a dishonorable
discharge during the Civil War, Mike McComb (Errol Flynn) becomes a
professional gambler and follows a path of ruthless action to get what he
wants. After moving out West and making a killing prospecting silver, McComb
becomes a wealthy and powerful man, and he finds himself infatuated with
beautiful Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan). However, Georgia is married to
Stanley Moore (Bruce Bennett), who works for McComb, so he arranges for
Stanley to be given a dangerous assignment; Stanley is killed, and McComb
sweeps the widowed Georgia off her feet. Georgia weds McComb, but in time she
finds out the ugly truth about her second husband, leaving him behind.
Devastated, McComb sets out to mend his ways and win Georgia back by serving
more noble purposes. Silver River was the seventh Flynn
vehicle directed by Raoul Walsh Now a perfect B&W print -
gratis upgrades to previous purchasers |
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The Sisters (1938) - 99 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Anita
Louise, Ian Hunter, Donald Crisp, Jane Bryan & Beulah Bondi Directed by Anatole Litvak The 1938 filmization of Myron Brinig's
novel The Sisters stars Bette Davis (Louise) , Jane Bryan (Grace) and Anita
Louise (Helen). The daughters of turn-of-the-century druggist Ned & Rose
Elliott, the Elliot girls all meet their future husbands at a 1904 ball in
honor of President Teddy Roosevelt. Special emphasis is given the
relationship between Louise and reckless, irresponsible newspaperman Frank
Medlin (Errol Flynn). Feeling trapped by his marriage, Medlin turns to drink
and philandering. When Frank eventually runs off to Singapore, Louise is too
proud to hold her husband by informing him that she's pregnant. Caught up in
the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Louise wanders around dazedly until she
finds shelter in an Oakland brothel. She loses her baby, but is consoled by
her employer William Benson (Ian Hunter), who falls in love with her. |
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The Sun
Also Rises (1957) - 130 mins Starring
Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, Errol Flynn, Eddie Albert & Juliette
Greco Directed by Henry
King American news
correspondent Jake Barnes (Tyrone Power) has incurring a injury in WWI that
has rendered him impotent - so relocates to Paris to escape his troubles. He
links up with several other lost souls, including the nymph Lady Brett Ashley
(Ava Gardner), irresponsible drunkard Mike Campbell (Errol Flynn) and
perennial hangers-on Robert Cohn (Mel Ferrer) and Bill Gorton (Eddie Albert).
In their never-ending search for new thrills, Barnes and his cohorts head to
Spain, where they participate in the annual Pamplona bull run and act as
unofficial "sponsors" of handsome young matador Pedro Romero
(Robert Evans). Additionally, Lady Brett pursues a romance with Barnes,
despite her engagement to the dissolute Campbell. Filmed on location in Pamplona, Paris,
Biarritz and Mexico, The Sun Also Rises was a reasonably frank and faithful
adaptation of the 1926 Ernest Hemingway novel.
Budgeted at a then huge sum of $5 million, the film's best performance is
delivered by Errol Flynn, though it can be
argued that, in taking on the role of the hedonistic, hard-drinking,
burned-out Mike Campbell, he was merely playing himself. |
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That Forsyte Woman (1949) - 110 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Greer Garson,
Walter Pidgeon, Robert Young, Janet Leigh & Harry Davenport Directed by Compton Bennett Loosely based on The Man of Property,
Book One of John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga, the film casts Garson as Irene
Forsyte, the independently-minded wife of tradition-bound Victorian "man
of property" Soames Forsyte (Flynn). Rebelling against her husband's
repressed nature and preoccupation with material possessions, Irene falls in
love with unconventional architect Philip Bossiney (Robert Young). When he
proves to be too free-spirited even for her, Irene moves on to the Forsyte
clan's black sheep, Young Jolyon (Walter Pidgeon). Soames makes a belated
attempt to win his wife back, but once again proves incapable of warmth,
compassion or understanding. The casting-against-type of Garson and Flynn was
fascinating - Flynn in fact was slated to play either Bossiney or Young
Jolyon, but insisted upon taking the less characteristic role of Soames. Though one might have expected friction
between MGM's resident "nice lady" Greer Garson and Warner Bros.
notorious "bad boy" Errol Flynn, the two got along splendidly
during this lavishly color filming of That Forsyte Woman Oscar Nominated for Best Costume Design |
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They Died With Their Boots On (1941) - 140 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de
Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, Charley Grapewin, Gene Lockhart & Anthony
Quinn Directed by Raoul Walsh General George
Armstrong Custer is a flamboyant and brilliant cavalry officer, who during
the Civil War defies his superiors' orders and becomes a hero as a result.
After a period of forced retirement in the postwar years, Custer is put in
charge of the 7th Cavalry in the Dakota Territory. Here he whips this ragtag
group into spit-and-polish shape, and also does his best to extend a
neighborly hand to the local Indian tribes. Custer even goes so far as to
promise Chief Crazy Horse that the white man will never set foot in the
sacred Black Hills. Alas, Custer is betrayed by greedy gold prospectors,
whipped into a frenzy by scheming land speculator Ned Sharp. Forced by
circumstances to do battle against Crazy Horse to prevent tribal retaliation,
Custer and his command ride towards a rendezvous with destiny at the Little
Big Horn on June 25, 1876. Historical
inaccuracies abound but itÕs a great story and well told! This film
represented the final screen pairing of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland,
a fact that lends poignancy to their classic parting scene. Though an
extremely long film, They Died With Their Boots On is never dull, especially
during the spectacular Custer's Last Stand finale. |
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Too Much, Too Soon (1958) - 120 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Dorothy Malone, Efrem
Zimbalist Jr., Ray Danton, Neva Patterson, Ed Kemmer & Martin Milner Directed by Art Napoleon Diana Barrymore (Dorothy Malone) is a
basically decent young lady who suffers mightily from lack of parental love.
Her famous father, John Barrymore (played with boozy bravado by Errol Flynn),
is the soul of graciousness and affection when sober, but a human monster
when drunk - which is often. Her poetess mother, Michael Strange (Neva
Patterson), is too preoccupied by her bitterness against Barrymore to pay
much attention to Diana. Striking out on her own as an actress, Diana vainly
seeks personal happiness with several husbands: actor Vincent Bryant (Efrem
Zimbalist Jr.); jealous, possessive tennis player John Howard (Ray Danton);
and another actor, alcoholic Robert Wilcox (Ed Kemmer). Unable to find
satisfaction in her work or her private life, Diana follows family
"tradition" by turning to liquor. Errol Flynn's is sensational in this
knowing performance of his old friend and drinking companion John Barrymore. Too Much, Too Soon was adapted from the
warts-and-all autobiography of Diana Barrymore. |
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Uncertain Glory (1944) - 102 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Paul Lukas, Lucile
Watson, Faye Emerson & James Flavin Directed by Raoul Walsh Errol Flynn plays French criminal Jean
Picard, a craven coward whose many misdeeds have earned him a date with the
guillotine. Detective Marcel Bonet (Paul Lukas) intends to see that Picard
keeps his appointment with the executioner, despite the fact that there's a
war on. When the Nazis capture 100 French hostages to force a resistance
saboteur to surrender himself, Picard offers to pose as the saboteur and
thereby save the lives of the innocent villagers. A different Errol Flynn in this
interesting WWII film |
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Virginia City (1940) - 121 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins,
Randolph Scott, Humphrey Bogart, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale & Guinn 'Big
Boy' Williams Directed by Michael Curtiz After escaping from
a Confederate prison during the Civil War, Union officer Flynn vows to stop a
$5,000,000 gold shipment from reaching the South. He is challenged by
Southern sympathizer Randolph Scott, whose interest in the gold is patriotic,
and by outlaw Humphrey Bogart whose interests are purely mercenary. Adding
spice to the proceedings is Miriam Hopkins as a dance hall
chanteusse-cum-Confederate spy. |
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The Warriors (1955) - 85 mins Starring Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru, Peter
Finch, Yvonne Furneaux, Patrick Holt & Michael Hordern Directed by Henry Levin The Warriors, Errol Flynn's final
swashbuckler was retitled The Dark Avenger for
its European release. Lensed on location in Hertfordshire,
England, the film stars Flynn as Edward, the "Black Prince" of
England. At the end of the Hundred Years' war, Edward remains in France to
guard the lands taken by his predecessor-father. He is opposed in this by
Count DeVille (Peter Finch). The story comes to a rousing conclusion as
Edward and his followers defend their castle against DeVille's minions.
Joanne Dru costars as Lady Joan Holland. Very nice Widescreen Color print! |