[Pirate Talk Mode on] Ahoy...[Pirate Talk Mode off] No, whatever, I don't want to activate the Pirate Talk because both films let me down, so they don't deserve it. Why? Let me explain:
The Sea Hawk (1940; Michael Curtiz):
One of my brothers loved it, the other was so bored that left the room, I didn't like it very much. I hate when films that obviously are not there to teach us History but to entertain us, waste time showing political speeches that no one will remember and boring reunions of Queens and random guys, etc. This is what happens in The Sea Hawk. Errol Flynn plays a corsair, not a pirate, because he's serving for the Queen (Elizabeth). The whole plot is about the diplomatic relations with Spain, supposedly a friend of England. Well, Errol discovers that they are planning an attack, plus falls in love with Doña María (Brenda Marshall), but he's a very shy pirate so their encounter is postponed. The first part of this movie is very boring; then it takes off, when Errol and his mates are enslaved by the Spanish guys, and then there's fights and action, and everything a pirate film should have. But too late in my opinion.
The Black Swan (1942; Henry King)
Remember Errol playing a shy corsair? Well Tyrone Power is completely the opposite. In the first minutes and with a happy tune, he aggressively beats Maureen O'Hara playing an aristocrat, leaving her unconscious. So, really, I didn't mind about their relationship and the movie was practically about it. When a friend of Tyrone assumes as Governor of Jamaica, he declares the end of the pirate era. One of them, a cruel guy doesn't agree and with some powerful connections wants to unseat the Governor. Tyrone now has to defeat the enemy and try to win Maureen's heart...after kidnapping her. Of course, The Black Swan has good things, like Technicolor, some funny moments and lots of action, but I couldn't forget that coward slap at the beginning so it was hard to root for Tyrone...and the movie.
So, Captain Blood remains my #1 pirate movie; followed by The Crimson Pirate with Burt Lancaster (read my review).
PS-- Congrats to everyone who participated, writing, reading or commenting, in the CMBA's Hitchcock Blogathon. It was great!
More adventure films :
Las dos películas las he visto, cuando era una niña, así que igual si las reviso ahora no me gustarían tanto pero estando Errol Flynn y Tyrone Power lo veo un poco complicado y que quieres que te diga, yo soñaba que alguien como Power me raptara, jajaja.
ReplyDeleteSaludos,
It seems Power was trying to break free of the Mr. Good Guy roles.
ReplyDeleteA scene that haunts me from Black Swan comes before the meetcute.
After a plunder, Tyrone Power and George Sanders are sitting on the ground drinking stolen wine and making more murderous plans. What gets me is the random captive female who's writhing on the ground next to them like a decapitated snake.
It's rather gruesome, and yet no one actually does anything to her (at least not on camera). There's an inference of a nasty end for the lady.
And it's in a Ty Power film!
Even at the end he's not really a good guy, just less of a bad guy.
Eeesh. I don't think I'd like the Black Swan at all! I do like the Sea Hawk though! I just fast forward the slow parts... haha!
ReplyDeleteGirls, I'm really sorry for not answering sooner, I had the comment ready the other day and I was about to click Publish when there was a power cut.
ReplyDeleteLola: JAJAJJA, en todo caso, aunque comparando los personajes de estas dos pelis, prefiero que me rapte Errol. Gracias por comentar, Lola :)
Java: OMG, yeah, that scene with the captive women lying on the sand was really shocking. I thought that it was kind of realistic, because pirates probably behave that way, but that Tyrone would be the decent hero. But then he was clearly another brute that probably did the same to women :) Thanks for commenting, Java!
Emma: LOL, that's a great idea. Yeah, maybe you wouldn't like The Black Swan either, Tyrone was a brute. Thanks a million for your comment, I really appreciate it.
It seems Power was trying to break free of the Mr. Good Guy roles.
ReplyDeleteA scene that haunts me from Black Swan comes before the meetcute.
After a plunder, Tyrone Power and George Sanders are sitting on the ground drinking stolen wine and making more murderous plans. What gets me is the random captive female who's writhing on the ground next to them like a decapitated snake.
It's rather gruesome, and yet no one actually does anything to her (at least not on camera). There's an inference of a nasty end for the lady.
And it's in a Ty Power film!
Even at the end he's not really a good guy, just less of a bad guy.