Captain Blood
*Peter Blood and Arabella Bishop*
*Peter Blood and Arabella Bishop*
Olivia begins by hating Errol, but finally comes to her senses in the end-with every woman in the audience wondering why it took her more than 60 seconds.
Charge of the Light Brigade
*Jeffrey Vickers and Elsa*
Here we have Olivia actually engaged to Errol. Then she throws him over for his wimpy younger brother. Words fail me.
Gentleman Jim
*James Corbett*
Don't hold him back boys. He's just late for a date with me.
And in honor of this week's poll asking for a favorite James Bond movie featuring Roger Moore, here is a wonderful picture of the original, Sean Connery, with Moore. The two old lions still look good to me!
This is only slightly off-subject. I was watching THAT FORSYTE WOMAN the other day and couldn't help but think...yes, Soames Forsyte is cold and snobbish and cruel...and Errol Flynn played him well, a very fine job of acting. Buuut...he's still got that underlying Errol Flynn magic and it was inconceivable to me that anyone would dally with an unreliable light-weight like Philip Bosinney (Robert Young as another callow youth)...or later be happy with Jolyon Forsyte (reassuring Walter Pidgeon)...when Soames, so clearly filled with regret and remorse, has that unmistable and irresistable Errol Flynn appeal not very far beneath his cool exterior...just a thought.
ReplyDeleteThis was an entertaining post, Becky! If I had to choose one favorite film, it would be THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD--perfect cast, lively direction, wonderful score, and impeccable costumes and sets. Eve, I always thought THAT FORSYTHE WOMAN was one of Errol's best performances. Greer Garson so enjoyed working with him that she wrote the foreward to Tony Thomas' book on Errol's films. Kevin (of KEVIN'S MOVIE CORNER) recently reviewed TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, which features my favorite of Errol's later performances.
ReplyDeleteEve, you are so right -- he was good in the part, really good, but the charm was there. I know if Flynn's Soames grabbed my shoulders and said "You're mine, you hear me, mine!" all I would be able to do is say "OK."
ReplyDeleteRick, Robin Hood is the quintessential Flynn, but I also liked him in dramatic parts. Too Much, Too Soon and The Sun Also Rises were kind of heartbreaking to watch, yet he retained the charm and humor in those difficult roles. He always was underrrated as an actor.
I would like to comment on That Forsyte Woman as a fan of the book trilogy, The Forsyte Saga (actually of the entire trilogy of trilogies, The Forsyte Chronicles by John Galsworthy).
ReplyDeleteOf course, I completely agree with Eve and Becky. Soames, as he was created by the novelist, has a cold, "repulsive" personality...not repulsive as in disgusting, but repulsive as in pushing others away from him, even those who would have tried to be close to him.
To my mind, as good as he was in the role, Flynn was horribly miscast as Soames, simply because he had the exact opposite type of personality; he was incredibly magnetic, and could not hide it, try as he might.
Great post, Becky, it was fun!
P.S. Paul says he would like to vote for one of his favorites Flynn movies, They Died with Their Boots On.
P.P.S. That Forsyte Woman was NOT at all true to the Nobel-prize-winning Galsworthy novels about the Forsyte family, except in the macro-details. I tend to get upset by that since I usually have read the book before seeing the movie. Oh well. :(
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