3rd Mondays Talking Talkies with John Boschen: Captain Blood (1935)

Join movie historian John Boschen as we explore the launch of the action-adventure movie in old pre-code Hollywood of the 1930’s with Errol Flynn (Adventures in Robinhood) at his swashbuckling best across from the incomparable Olivia De Havilland (Gone with the Wind) in the 1935 talking remake of the smash 1923 silent film hit Captain Blood. The film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Music, Best Sound Recording and Best Writing. Despite not being even nominated Michael Curtiz received the 2nd most votes for best director all by write in! Peter Blood is one of the American Film Institutes Top 100 Heros and you can even see the film featured in the 1985 film Goonies!

Arrested during the Monmouth Rebellion and falsely convicted of treason, Dr. Peter Blood is banished to the West Indies and sold into slavery. In Port Royal, Jamaica the Governor’s daughter Arabella Bishop buys him for £10 to spite her uncle, Col. Bishop who owns a major plantation. Life is hard for the men–and for Blood. By chance he treats the Governor’s gout and is soon part of the medical service. He dreams of freedom, and when the opportunity strikes, he and his friends rebel taking over a Spanish ship that has attacked the city. Soon they are the most feared pirates on the seas, men without a country attacking all ships. When Arabella is prisoner, Blood decides to return her to Port Royal, but they discover that it is under the control of England’s new enemy: France. All of them must decide if they will fight for their new King.

CAST: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee

DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz

RUN TIME: 119 min