The Sea Hawk is a rousing war film, a neat allegory for the tenor of the times when the Axis powers were threatening all Europe when strong backs and stiff necks were needed to stem the evil tide. Geoffrey Thorpe, the privateer played by Flynn in this one is a rascal, a hardened soldier and a patriot but not as open to feeling as Flynn's earlier pirate -- Peter Blood.
(1924 film poster)
This time there was a little complication. The Sea Hawk had been adapted before as a silent film in 1924. Perhaps to avoid comparisons to that movie, the plot of the Rafael Sabatini novel was mostly ignored and a new pro-war affair substituted. Still and all, the movie was an attempt to recapture that energy which resulted from Captain Blood and that begs comparison.
There's a high romance to
Captain Blood that I find very attractive today, a greater feel of escapism. The action and the characterizations seem more natural and the fighting more exotic. The look of
The Sea Hawk is much more lavish, but it nonetheless has a constricting feel to it compared to the earlier film. That said, the sea battles are intense and powered by a studio able to build full-size ships which director Michael Curtiz takes full advantage of. And as much as I like him in other roles, I find Henry Daniel as the main villain a bit weak in the face of Flynn's heroism. On the contrary while he's not on screen much Basil Rathbone in
Captain Blood is amazing, both wild and memorable.
Both
Captain Blood and
The Sea Hawk are wonderful flicks, but I find now that the saga of Peter Blood the outsider speaks to me more than the loyal man of the state Geoffry Thorpe these days. Doubtless it says more about me than the movies.
Still and all a great movie and highly recommended.
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Basil Rathbone always made a big difference in adventure films of that time. As a former champion fencer, he tended to be an unofficial fight coordinator. The quality of his swordfight scenes is the benchmark which all others are judged against.
ReplyDeleteBest sword fights in movies for sure. A joy to watch them.
DeleteThe Sea Hawk just didn't have the wind fully in its sails as much as Capt. Blood. Re: Rathbone's fencing: Yes, it certainly seemed to be a passion of his and he kept himself fit practicing. Good sword fights in The Mark of Zorro and Tower of London, too. Ironic that he always seemed to lose!
ReplyDeleteHe's the villain so he's destined to lose, at least in the movies.
DeleteThis was always one of my mum's favourite films. I still remember watching this with her as a child on our old black and white TV as a child before headng out and playing pirates with my pals. Flynn was made for these type of films.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect match of man and medium.
DeleteDon't forget Rathbone's contribution, both as villain and swordsman, to Danny Kaye's swashbuckling spoof THE COURT JESTER.
ReplyDeleteI am not a Danny Kay fan I have to say, but I am a great Rathbone fan.
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