Captain Blood (Warner Bros.) (1935)

f | { ylitan Productions and this film Z inial ‘Wasants, pirates and peons in a ork of remarkable artistry. ‘Captain Blood” Proves Smashing Hit Sabatini’s Pirate Tale Year’s Outstanding Film frol Flynn And Olivia De Havilland Give Remarkable Performances Rafael Sabatini’s immortal tale of piracy on the high as, ‘Captain Blood’’ is now acknowledged to have taken its lace among the classic stories of adventure written in the st century. Its thrilling action and absorbing romance are gown to all readers whose hearts respond to the eall of adeture and the lure of excitement. Now ‘*Captain Blood’’ ith all its color its vividness and s thrills intact has been made ito a talking picture by Cosmodelighted usterpiece thoroughly ! word breaking audiences at the 2 woe Theatre where it had s local premiere yesterday, as a frst National release. And what jpicture this is. In the immenity of its stark drama, its tresndous sets, its bizarre and picwesque background, its thrilling ytion and its marvelous charwerizations, ‘‘Captain Blood’? tands out as one of the great film usterpieces. The picture has been produced an amazingly lavish seale. Six wath century cities and villages ave been pirate glleons, slave ships and English ud French war vessels, complete every detail are shown in terrific uttle action; the costuming of tousands of players, kings, Cogovernors, nobles, reconstructed ; slaves, Heading a cast as unusual as the woduction itself are two young im players whose work will unioubtedly set them among the ading stars of the cinema. These are Errol Flynn, the jung English actor-adventurer tho is Captain Blood in the flesh ad Olivia de Havilland, the young igh-sehool girl discovered by Max kinhardt and who scored a permal triumph as Hermia in his Moduction of ‘‘A Midsummer jight’s Dream.’? Flynn, tall, handsome, debonair, never a been a pirate. He has a@ soldier of fortune, a mas@ of trading vessels in the South as, a hunter of head-hunters, a taster of his own craft and one ifthe few real adventurers of this %e. Above all he is a real actor. The Mannerisms of a swash-buck ‘ng buccaneer, his recklessness, his lare-deviltry and the subtlety of is characterization show why this ‘Mparatively unknown actor was oven 80 important a part as the ile role of Captain Blood after "ores of Hollywood’s leading film vorites had been tested for the art, Miss de Havilland justifies Max linhardt’s faith in her. She has kauty, grace and charm and is horoughly adapted_to the role of noblewoman who first buys the ve and then loves him, a. Basil Rathbone in “Captain P Blood’’ at the Strand. ' There is Lionel Atwill, famous "ge star, in the role of a wealthy ‘st-Indian Plantation owner. ere is Basil Rathbone portraying ruel and treacherous French pislain in a duel by Captain ood, There is the always lovable Y Kibbee, also portraying a piAnd what a pirate he is! markably fine performances are » siven by Ross Alexander, RobBarat, Frank McGlynn, David Pirate, Ahoy! Almost any sailor would like to be captured by so charming a pirate as Olivia de Havilland, the talented young film star who has the leading feminine role in ‘‘ Cap tain Blood,’’ now at the Strand. Mat No. 109—10c Torrence and Colin Kenny in the role of friends of Blood. The story opens with the rebel lion of the Duke of Monmouth against King James, touches on the wholesale hangings and enslave ment of rebels at the order of the cruelest of English Chief Justices, Lord Jeffreys, then sweeps to the slave plantations of the West In dies, to pirate ships cruising the seas and scuttling richly laden vessels, to fierce sea battles and the sackling of Port Royal. Mention must be made of the fine performances of Ivan Simpson, J. Carroll Naish, Hobart Cavanaugh and many others. The picture was remarkably well cast and every player deserves credit. ‘Captain Blood’’ is the kind of story that can only be pictured in broad, heroic strokes, and First National has done just that. Michael Curtiz has done a splendid piece of direction. The screen play is by Casey Robinson. Ancient Weapons Of War Made For “Captain Blood’’ The gun maker didn’t seem surprised when he looked at the order on his spindle. It read: ‘‘Fifty cannons, 400 cap and ball pistols, 450 flintlock muskets, 390 powder horns, 50 powder bar rels, 350 cutlasses, 200 cane knives and 300 daggers.’’ The gun maker had known for some time that such an order would eventually find its way to him. For he works in the arsenal at the First National studio where they filmed Rafael Sabatini’s **Captain Blood,’’ the Cosmopolitan production which comes to the Theatre on . Arming the ‘‘Captain Bleod’’ company was quite a job. The director, Michael Curtiz, insisted on realism. The cannons could not be dummies. They had actually to shoot. They were mounted on fortifications and on ships for the battle scenes. Wherever possible, weapons actually made in 1685 were procured. But there were not enough of these guns, so studio technicians duplicated them. Several types of cannons are used—swivel guns, long guns and carronades. Pictures of such guns were ob tained and reproductions made, ex act in every detail. The task of filling the order for cutlasses, cane knives, daggers, powder horns and barrels was not quite so difficult. You don’t have to shoot a cutlass. The picture is 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. There is an all star east which includes Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat and hundreds of others. The screen play is by Casey Robinson. Flynn Saves His Leading Woman From Sea Peril Quick thinking on the part of Errol Flynn saved Olivia de Havilland from possible drowning while the two were working on scenes at Laguna Beach, California, for the Cosmopolitan picture, ‘*Captain Blood,’’ which comes to the ...... Theatre on as a First National release. Miss de Havilland was sitting on a large rock about 10 feet from when a tremendous wave lashed over the rock and hérled the actress into the water. shore Flynn plunged through the wave and grabbed Miss de Havilland as she was being washed toward another large rock. He managed to get her ashore safely. Lifeguards in the vicinity who rushed to the scene could offer no explanation for the unexpected wave which Flynn estimated as ten feet high. ‘*Captain Blood’’ is Rafael Sa batini’s most powerful drama, a tale of Seventeenth Century piracy, produced on a tremendous scale. Besides Flynn and Miss de Havilland, the cast includes Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat and hundreds of others. Michael Curtiz directed the picture from the screen play by Casey Robinson. Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, whose remarkable work in the lead ing roles of ‘‘Captain Blood’’ the its premiere at the establish them high among the leading stars 214—20¢ Mat Big Sea Battle Was Staged For “Captain Blood” The old Arabella, wind jamming pirate cruiser unlimbered chaie Culverins, demi-( ulverins, Sakers, Swivel-guns, Cannonades and Murderers, as a cocky be-canvassed French war-sloop tried to capture the spotlight in the Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘ Captain Blood,’’ now showing at the Theatre. The scene was the highlight and fadeout of this epochal pirate dra The war pieces mentioned are the technical names for the clumsy cannons used to comb the Spanish Main in the 17th century in search of yellow gold and precious loot. As the mammoth frigates built entirely by engineers and artisans at the First National studios poured barrage after barrage of 32 and 62 pound iron balls, grape shot and cannister into each other’s mid-riff, ugly-visaged pirates and sailors enacted by Hollywood’s finest troupers* mixed with swinging cutlasses, pikes, hangers and grappling hooks in one of the bloodiest of all cine Bracases. Fire-grenades @§@ gly stinkpots, forefathers of the present day and poison gas showered like rain on the hand-to hand her ar ma, flammem-werferg shells, seething, shouting fighters. Several hundred took part in the battle, while a phalanx of cam-both mobile and _ still—recorded the affair for the picture. ‘*Captain Blood’’ is Rafael Sabatini’s most powerful drama. It is a colorful romance with the wildest adventure, a tale of seventeenth century piracy, produced on a tremendous seale. The all star cast includes Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lion eras sea el Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, Robert Barrat and hundreds of others. Michael Curtiz directed the pieture from the screen play by Casey Robinson. No, opolitan production which had Theatre last night, Lg ls expe ‘ted to of the screen. Star Says Luck And Hard Work Won Prize Role Havilland thinks a combination of good luck, hard study and abstinence from Holly wood social life won her the most sought after part of the season, the feminine lead in **Captain Blood,’’ the Cosmopolitan produetion now showing at the Olivia de Theatre as a First National release. ‘‘When I first signed a eontract, after playing ‘Hermia’ in Max Reinhardt’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ to with First National for five years, many friends told me ‘the way to get along in pictures is to go to parties; to play up to all the directors and producers you can possibly meet; to means to make your name known.’ “*T didn’t theory was, ‘be anything upon to do, doesn’t seem much chance that you’ll be starred.’ ‘‘When I heard First National was about to test girls for ‘Ara bella’ in ‘Captain Blood,’ I didn’t dream I’d be tested. I’d only been in three pictures, the ‘Dream,’ ‘Alibi Ike’ and ‘The Irish In Us.’ But I got a script of ‘Captain Blood’ and studied it for weeks, until I knew every one of ‘Araella’s’? lines. When the test came I was ready. ‘*But I’ve been lucky, and luekiest of all in gaining the approval of Prof. Reinhardt.’’ ‘*Captain Blood’’ is Rafael Sabatini’s smashing tale of the sea rovers of the Seventeenth Century, set in a massive and colorful background and produced on a tremendous scale, Besides Miss de Havilland, the cast includes Errol Flynn, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Robert Barrat and hundreds of others. Michael Curtiz directed the picture from the sereen play by Casey Robinson. remain use any possible agree. My re ady to do called there you may be even though Page Twenty-one a Ce .. 20a ee ON _—