Captain Blood (Warner Bros.) (1935)

— “Captain Blood,” Big Pirate Film, Booked B LMapet the novel [ Sabatini, has been brought to life on the screen by Cosmopolitan productions in “Captain Blood,” a mammoth produetion which comes to the Theatre on , as a First National release. The gentleman pirate of fortune is portrayed by Errol Flynn, a young Irishman comparatively new to films, but who won this role, considered one of the most important of the over a score of famous actors after a se year, ries of screen tests. Tall, broad-shouldered, some, with a dashing and magnetic personality, Flynn has lived something of the life of Peter Blood, not as a pirate, but as the hand soldier of fortune, for he has sought adventure all over the world. The leading lady, portraying a beautiful noblewoman who falls in love with the bold pirate, is none other than Olivia de Havilland who leaped to fame over night by her work in the Max Reinhardt production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In addition to these two there is an all star cast of more than forty principals, headed by Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, Robert Barrat, Hobart Cavanaugh, David Torrence and J. Naish. Several hundred bit players and take part in the mammoth scenes. The been filmed on a lavish scale, at a cost of many, many thousands of dollars. An entire year elapsed from the starting of the work on the screen play to the time the picture came out of the cutready for showing. Carroll extras has current production ting room Guy Kibbee in ‘*Captain Blood’’ at the Strand. No. 101 10e Mat The entire city of Port Royal in the West Indies structed for the picture as also were seven warships and pirate The and make-up was a task, clothes and styles of the seventeenth century to suit king and slave, having to be made. The story opens during the period when the Duke of Monmouth was leading an abortive rebellion Dr. Peter Blood runs afoul of the soldiery was recon galleons. wardrobe gigantie against King James IT. and soon thereafter finds himself a slave in the West later the captain of a pirate ship. His Indies and effrontery wins the attention, then the hatred and finally the love of the beauti ful young noblewoman. This vig calm orous young daredevil puts down mutinies and seuttles ships with desperate coolness, saving his warmth for the ardor of his love. Lionel Atwill role of a plantation and slave owner who has the later becomes the governor of Ja Basil Rathbone is the pi rate Levasseur, unlike the Blood, is not and who is duel by Ross Robert maica; who, gentlemanly only eruel but treacherous, slain in a that Guy eventually Blood for Alexander, treachery; Kibbee, Barrat, Frank McGlynn, Sr., and David Torrence are fellow slaves of Blood, who escape with him and form part of his pirate crew. The Michael picture was directed by Curtiz screen from the play by Casey Robinson. Page Twenty A new film star, portraying the glorious scoundrel whose name became the terror of kings, Errol Flynn, 6 ft. 4 in. of fighting manhood, will come to the See oe FROGS ON ec... in the title role of the Cosmopolitan production ‘‘Captain Blood,’’ heralded as the year’s most exciting motion picture. Mat No. 208—20c -.“Captain Blood” Booms Business For Film Extras The last six months of 1935 were boom days for Hollywood extra players. From First National studio alone, the atmosphere players of the cinema colony had 32,000 days’ work at salaries ranging from the $5 per day paid the ‘mob seene’’ extra, the $15 per day paid the dress extras, the $25 and up paid the stunt men. The picture is the romantic adventure story, ‘‘Captain Blood,’’ the Cosmopolitan production which comes to the .... asics LOeSTS on ; dice ‘“Captain Blood’’ went into production July, 1935, and was completed in November. An average of 400 extras were used daily. There is an all star cast which includes Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat. Pirate’s Love Olivia de Havilland, 1% year old acreen star u ho created a sgensa tion in ‘‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’’ has the leading feminine ‘*Captain Blood,’’ the Cosmopolitan production ope ning at the Theatre on Mat No. 107—10¢ role in “Captain Blood” And His Pirates At Strand Today Rafael Sabatini’s famous and colorful story of romance and adventure, “Captain Blood,” which Cosmopolitan Productions has filmed on a gigantic scale, comes to the Theatre today as a First National release. This thrilling tale of seventeenth century sea pirates is said to be one of the most elaborate and pretentious productions in screen history. Tremendous settings were designed by master builders, These include great sailing vessels of the period, massive in size and full-batteried, which had to be specially built, complete in every detail; parts of a village in England; most of the old city of Port Royal, in the West Indies, destroyed by earthquake; King James II’s palace; a govermansion; and costumes to suit everyone from King to slave. nor’s Playing the title role of “Captain Blood” is Errol Flynn, a handsome and dashing young Irishman, who was recruited from the London stage. The feminine lead is played by Olivia de Havilland, the beautiful young girl who was skyrocketed to fame when chosen for a leading role in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The picture has a tremendous east with more than forty principals and several thousand bit players and extras. Among the leading players are several stars in their own right, ineluding Lionel Atwil, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, Robert Barrat, Hobart Cavanaugh, David Torrence and J. Carroll Naish. The story opens with the Monmouth rebellion against King James II of England. Young Peter Blood, a physician, who although he had no part in the rebellion, is sentenced to slavery. The picture was directed by Michael Curtiz from the screen play by Casey Robinson. Y Many Film And Stage Stars In “Captain Blood” More often than not the term ‘all-star ecast’’ is a misnomer. But such is not the case in the Cosmopolitan production ‘‘ Captain Blood,’’ which First National will release at the Theatre Bisons support Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, youthful and romantic leads, are bona fide stars. Lionel Atwill, who plays Colonel Bishop was under starring contract to David Belaseo for a period of ten years. Frank McGlynn, a man of fifty years acting experience, starred three years in John Drinkwater’s ‘“Lineoln,’’ an international stage hit. David Torrence and his wife Maude Leslie were both Shakespearean stars years before beginning film work. Guy Kibbee is one of the best known of stellar vaudeville players. Then there are Basil Rathbone, London celebrity; George Hassell *“spotted’’ in Sehubert’s ‘‘ Passing Show”? for fifteen years; Mary Forbes, star of ‘‘Chu Chin Chow,’’ at the age of eighteen; Colin Kenny of the Gayety Theatre, Harry Cording; Henry Stephenson; Reginald Barlow and Robert Barrat. Equally as well known are Stuart Casey, Hobart Cavanaugh, Holmes Herbert, Forrester Harvey, Ivan Simpson and Leonard Mudie. All play roles of early English pirates and Colonial officers in the picture, a powerful drama and a glowing romance based on the adventures of Captain Blood who turned pirate after having been condemned to slavery by King James II, Michael Curtiz directed. Lugs 185-Pound Film Actor On Back 4 Nights Robert Barrat, the veteran character actor, is grateful for the fact that he is powerfully built. Otherwise his task in the Cosmopolitan production, ‘Captain Blood,’’ now showing at the Theatre as a First National release, would have been quite impossible. Barrat spent four nights lugging 185-pound Ross Alexander around the studio lot on his back. The sequence filmed or the Port Royal set in the production depicts the escape of Errol Flynn, playing the title role of Captain Blood, and more than a score of Robert Barrat in ‘“Captain Blood’’ at the Strand. Mat No. 108 106 slaves from a Jamaica slave plantation. Alexander supposedly has been whipped at the stake shortly before the escape. Too weak to stand on his own feet, he has to be carried. To Barrat, playing the role of Wolverstone, the strongest of the escaping slaves, falls the lot of earrying Alexander. As for his part, Alexander confessed he enjoyed his restful assignment. Captain Blood is Rafael Sabatini’s most powerful drama. Others in the cast include Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Guy Kibbee and hundreds of extras. Michael Curtiz directed the picture. 17th century costumes show the winsome beauty of Olivia de Havilland, charming leading lady of ‘‘Captain Blood,’’ the Cosmopolitan production at the oo.cccccccccccoon Theatre, to the best advantage. Miss de Havilland was introduced to the screen by Max Reinhardt who gave her an important role in “fA Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Mat No. 111—10e Flynn Plunges Forty Feet From _ Cliff Into Ocean Errol Flynn’s career of adventuring probably saved him from serious injury when he fell off a forty-foot cliff into the Pacific Ocean during the filming of the Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘Captain Blood,’’ which comes to the Pe at: THAtTE ON-...:.....0ce as a First National release. Flynn was doing a scene depicting a duel with rapiers between himself as Pirate Blood and Basil Rathbone, who portrays the role of Levasseur, French bucecaneer and Blood’s rival. In order to give the scene added drama, Director Michael Curtiz had Flynn drive Rathbone at swordspoint onto a small ledge on the side of a cliff overlooking the bay. The cliff was not quite perpendicular, however, sloping off gently so that the ledge was about ten or twelve feet shoreward and forty feet above the water line. With the cameras grinding, Flynn backed Rathbone onto the ledge according to instructions. For several minutes the rapiers of the duelists flashed. Then, suddenly, a shout of dismay rose. Flynn had tripped on a small rock and toppled outward from the ledge. Slowly at first, he strove to regain his footing, but in vain. When he finally realized there was yen ure ietic xte tan mast Tl ma teen! ave tall ‘ad ne rat thou ionic }eas rork € wrod foun eix wha rod fig F “tag ‘eer ler Sea: lag if t ige, The ing lar om litle fay Dar’ ~ the no chance of saving himself, he put all his power into an outward leap. He soared out from the ledge, cut cleanly into the water, missing the base of the cliff by a mere matter of inches. He swam to the beach unaided. A less powerful man than Flynn could not possibly have put the force behind his leap to clear the’ base of the cliff. Flynn suffered nothing worse than a slightly laeérated knee which scraped aeeubmerged rock. ‘<Captain Blood’? is a, mam moth production of the powerful drama and thrilling romance of gentlemen pirates written by Rafacl Sabatini, Besides Flynn and Rathbone, the cast includes Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat and hundreds of others.