Errol Flynn Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Cinematical Seven: ARRsome Pirates in Film
Filed under: Action », Classics », Cinematical Seven », Lists »
Avast readarrs! Today be Septembarr 19th -- Talk Like a Pirate Day, where land lubbers lounge with arrsome pirate lingo without pillaging saucy wenches, donning patches, or walking the plank. Ye might ARR the day away, or watch yeself some Petarr Sarrsgarrd. But maybe ye like to pull out the bung, drink up ye Grog, and fire up the VCARR. If ye do, here be a treasure chest of movie booty and pirate kings. Godspeed!
Sorry, this is as far as my pirate-speak goes!
The Pirate King -- The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
In 1980 New York City theater producer Joseph Papp fired up The Pirates of Penzance for his Public Theater, with a young Kevin Kline cast as the Pirate King. It was so successful that the cast brought it to Broadway, and then onto the big screen with almost everyone reprising their roles (Angela Landsbury was the lone change). Kline swaggered, swung his sword, and wrapped his tongue around 'often' and 'orphans,' because -- he is the Pirate King, Taran-tara, Taran-tara, and it is, it is a glorious thing to be a Pirate King!
RIP: Vincent Sherman
Filed under: Classics », Newsstand », Obits »
When actor/screenwriter/director Vincent Sherman died last weekend, Hollywood lost one of its last personal connections to the classic studio era. After brief forays into law school, acting (for both stage and screen) and screenwriting, he made his move to directing with 1939's The Return of Doctor X, a thriller starring Humphrey Bogart. During the illustrious career that followed, Sherman went on to direct (and have affairs with -- though, don't worry, he didn't sleep with everyone in the following list) some of Hollywood's biggest stars, from Joan Crawford (The Damned Don't Cry, Harriet Craig, Goodbye, My Fancy) to Bette Davis (Mr Skeffington, Old Acquaintance); from Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Don Juan) to Rita Hayworth (Affair in Trinidad).Sherman was "greylisted" after Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigations into communism in Hollywood, and he spend some time working in Europe as a result. Later, during the 1960s and 1970s, the director did copious TV work on shows like 77 Sunset Strip, Matlock, The Waltons and Trapper John M.D.
Sherman died of natural causes; he was 99.
Vintage Image of the Day: Vintage Swashbuckling
Filed under: Action », Classics », Vintage Image of the Day »
The Princess Bride was recently rereleased on DVD, and it's a movie that nearly everyone I know has enjoyed. The great fencing scene between Westley (Cary Elwes) and Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) is a treat to watch, as is a later fight scene that I won't spoil for the three remaining people who haven't seen the film.
But somehow it doesn't quite measure up to the charming and exciting swashbuckling performed by the dashing Errol Flynn in many of his early movies. Flynn's birthday is today -- he would have been 96, but died at 50 of heart failure. The above photo is from The Adventures of Robin Hood, the 1938 film in which Flynn fences daringly with Basil Rathbone's delightfully evil Sir Guy. I'm not all that fond of the film overall, but I love all the wonderful fight scenes. Flynn and Rathbone also dueled in an earlier film, Captain Blood. Both films were directed by Michael Curtiz, who went on to direct Casablanca, as well as another swashbuckling classic starring Flynn, The Sea Hawk. I've heard the theory that Henry Daniell's evil lord in The Sea Hawk was the inspiration for Christopher Guest's characterization of Count Rugen in The Princess Bride ... and so we've come full circle. All the above-mentioned films starring Flynn are available on DVD, so rent them and compare for yourself.
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