Talk about good movies - Movie review and video redux

Captain Blood
based on the book by Raphael Sabatini
starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone

It's a known fact that I love a good pirate romance. Well - that goes for a good pirate movie too.
I posted this video a while ago. At the time I hadn't actually seen the movie, though I have read the book, but they had it on Turner Classic Movies tonight and I just finished watching it. Considering it was from 1935, it was a pretty darn good movie!!

Peter Blood is a young Irish doctor who is taken prisoner when he tries to save the life of a rebel. He is sentenced to hang but his sentence is commuted to serving ten years as a slave on the island of Port Royal. Once there he is purchased by Arabella Bishop. They are attracted to each other but Blood knows he can't live the life of a slave. He and a group of slaves escape and he becomes a pirate known and feared far and wide. The tables are turned when his French partner captures the ship Arabella is sailing home on after a trip to England and Blood buys Arabelle from the evil French captain. She doesn't realize he is doing it to save her and she lashes out at Blood in anger.

He is hurt as he is in love with her and returns to Port Royal to take her home. Just outside the island, he sees it is under attack from the French and when an emissary of a new king who was also on the ship offers him and his men a pardon, Captain Blood enters into battle to save the day. It was a very good scene and I was most impressed. And of course since Arabella is in love with him, in the end, they admit their feelings and well, I won't give the rest of it away.

This is a swashbuckling film at it's finest!!

And in an interesting bit of trivia, I found this on Wikipedia:
The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and, despite not being nominated, Michael Curtiz received the second-greatest number of votes for Best Director, solely as a write-in candidate. Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Casey Robinson also failed to be nominated and also received substantially more votes for their work on this film than most of the official nominees.

It also has some wonderful quotes!! From IMDB

Mrs. Barlow: You would think of geraniums when every other able-bodied man is out fighting!
Dr. Peter Blood: Hmm. It's out of favor I seem to be with you, my vinegary virgin.
Mrs. Barlow: Half the town is saying you're a Papist.
Dr. Peter Blood: Why? Because I've the sense to sleep this night instead of rushing to my ruin in a hopeless attempt to put this Duke of Monmouth on the throne? He'd be even worse than King James. Make haste with that cloak there, my pretty one.
Mrs. Barlow: And the other half of the town that defends you claims that you're just a coward.
Dr. Peter Blood: Mrs. Barlow, me darlin', you can tell 'em if you like that I've been most everywhere that fighting was in evidence: I fought for the French against the Spanish and the Spanish against the French... and I learned me seamanship in the Dutch navy. And having had adventure enough in six years to last me six lives, I came here. Hung up the sword and picked up the lancet; became a man of peace and not of war... a healer, not a slayer. And that I'm going to be as long as I'm on top of the sod and not under it.

---

Capt. Hobart: Who the devil may you be?
Dr. Peter Blood: Peter Blood, Medicinae Baccalaureate.
Capt. Hobart: Don't fling your French at me!
Dr. Peter Blood: Latin, my dull friend. It means I'm a doctor.
Capt. Hobart: Or a liar!
Capt. Hobart: If your wit were as big as your voice, me dear, it's the great man you'd be by this.
Capt. Hobart: You may find me great enough to hang you.
Dr. Peter Blood: Cretheus, I don't doubt it. You've the looks and manners of a hangman.
Capt. Hobart: Take him away. And the others, too.

---

[Arabella sees Peter leaving the Governor's house after treating him for gout]
Arabella Bishop: Oh, forgive me for not recognizing you, Dr. Blood. You're so changed... and for the better.
Arabella Bishop: The Governor tells me I have you to thank for that.
Arabella Bishop: You don't sound very grateful, Dr. Blood.
Dr. Peter Blood: Do you suppose I'd be grateful for an easy life, when my friends are treated like animals? Faith, it's they deserve your favors, not I. They're all honest rebels. I was snoring in my bed while they were trying to free England from an unclean tyrant.
Arabella Bishop: I believe you're talking treason.
Dr. Peter Blood: I hope I'm not obscure.

And.... I hear they are doing a remake of it.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5



And your point it you are wondering? Well - it's not really connected but Orannia has a most excellent challenge going. I urge those who haven't yet to pick up the gauntlet she's thrown down. (and once you check out her challenge you might see a bit of a connection)

(hee hee hee hee hee - in a wicked witchy laugh)