Director: Michael Curtiz
Screenplay: Casey Robinson
Based on a Novel by: Rafael Sabatini
Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, Robert Barrat
Country: USA
Running Time: 119 min
Year: 1935
BBFC Certificate: TBC
Michael Curtiz’s Captain Blood (1935) is based on a novel that had already been filmed once before, as a silent film back in 1924, but this sound-era version is the one that properly lodged itself in cinema history. Most notably, it’s the film that helped make Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland stars, which is all the more striking when you remember that this was an expensive production and their casting would have been a considerable risk at the time.
In Flynn’s case, that risk very nearly didn’t pay off. A fair chunk of the film was reshot because the inexperienced actor was not delivering the confident, dashing performance that Curtiz and the Warner Bros. producers wanted. Flynn himself admitted that he struggled early on, but he clearly found his legs as the shoot progressed, and the results of that hard work paid off. By the end, he’s effortlessly selling some rousing speeches about justice, freedom and personal liberty. In the wrong hands, these moments could have been painfully corny, but Flynn’s bravado and charm carry them with ease.
Behind the scenes, things were far from smooth. Curtiz and producer Hal Wallis reportedly clashed throughout production, with the executive making extensive demands while the director routinely ignored them. Flynn didn’t get on with Curtiz either, believing that he treated people badly, particularly actors. None of this friction shows on screen, though. If anything, the film feels remarkably assured for something made under such strained circumstances, resulting in the swashbuckling classic that remains much-loved 90 years later.
In fact, The Criterion Collection have deemed Captain Blood worthy of a new UHD and Blu-ray release. I only saw the film for the first time a few years ago, but I enjoyed it and wanted to see how the new restoration looked, so I requested a screener, and my thoughts follow.
The film, which begins in 1685, tells the story of the Irish doctor Peter Blood (Flynn), who is convicted of treason against King James II after tending to the wounds of a rebel. He and a group of convicted rebels are sent to Port Royal in the West Indies, where they are sold into slavery.
Blood and most of his compatriots are sold to the cruel Colonel Bishop (Lionel Atwill). However, Bishop’s daughter Arabella (Olivia de Havilland) takes a shine to Blood and recommends him to be the personal physician for Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson). After successfully treating Willoughby’s gout, Blood finds favour in the court, much to the anger of Colonel Bishop, who clashes with the slave.
However, when the Spanish attack the port, Blood seizes the chance to escape. He commandeers their ship and takes to the sea with his fellow convicts, making them his crew as he assumes a new identity, that of Captain Blood.
Whilst being thought of as one of the quintessential swashbucklers, I’ve always found Captain Blood a little lighter on ‘swashbuckling’ than I expected. Narratively, the film takes its time. There’s no pirate action until the Spanish arrive roughly halfway through the film, and there’s only one first-rate ‘proper’ swordfight which comes 25-minutes before the end.
However, despite feeling a little let down on the duelling front, I still enjoy the film a great deal. There’s a healthy blend of excitement, drama, comedy and romance, and Curtiz’s direction is buoyant and confident. This makes for a story that bounces along, despite the quite considerable running time (close to two hours).
The film’s energy is also aided by a winning cast. Flynn may have initially struggled to find his feet, but none of that shows, as his charisma is one of the strongest driving forces of the film. His exchanges with de Havilland are a lot of fun too, as their characters have a tempestuous relationship for much of the time, complete with plenty of sharp banter.
The rest of the cast, largely made up of reliable Warner stock players, all deliver the goods, creating a well-rounded mix of memorable characters. It’s a shame Basil Rathbone isn’t in it more, as his character only shows up halfway through and isn’t the main villain of the piece by the end either. He makes the most of his limited screentime though, and Atwill is a suitably reprehensible as the primary antagonist.
Captain Blood is a handsome-looking film too, with Curtiz and cinematographers Ernest Haller and Hal Mohr making good use of movement and lighting. The sets are pretty impressive for the time, and the action scenes hold up well for the era too. The blending of close-ups, model shots and stock footage is very effective, and it’s interesting to note that some of the stock material actually came from the silent version of The Sea Hawk.
The film also sounds fantastic. Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed the score, taking bits of symphonic poems by Franz Liszt and sections written by his orchestrator Milan Roder, so that he could complete the work in an incredibly restrictive three weeks. The results are magnificent. The music provides rousing backing to the film and helps propel the narrative forward.
Overall, Captain Blood is a hugely enjoyable romp that delights and excites for its full two-hour running time. It’s aided enormously by a charismatic lead who grows into the role before our eyes, and by Curtiz’s vibrant direction, despite what might have been going on behind the camera.
Film: 
Captain Blood is out on 26th January on 4K UHD & Blu-Ray in the UK, released by The Criterion Collection. I christened my new UHD player with this, and thought that the 4K restoration was decent. The grain is a touch harsh in places, but largely it looks fantastic for its age, with impressive levels of detail, aided by a largely pleasing tonal range, give or take the odd hot spot. It sounds great for its age too.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
– New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
– One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
– Audio commentary featuring Alan K. Rode, author of Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film
– Documentary from 2005 on the making of the film
– Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 1937, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Basil Rathbone
– Trailer
– English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
– PLUS: An essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme
Alan K. Rode provides a commentary. This is fast-paced and loaded with fascinating, often quite revealing behind-the-scenes information. He includes numerous quotes from first-hand memos, interviews and such. It’s an excellent track.
There’s also an archival making-of documentary. This has that early 2000s American sheen that can come across as slightly corny, but it does a good job of providing a solid overview of the production and its importance.
Finally, you get a Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film with the principal players reprising their roles. I always appreciate the addition of extras like these, as they usually make for an enjoyable listen.
I didn’t receive a copy of the booklet, unfortunately.
So, it’s not one of Criterion’s more loaded releases on paper, but what is here is valuable, particularly the commentary, which is every bit as good as a feature-length documentary. Highly recommended.
Disc/Package: 