The Sea Hawk

The Sea Hawk
by Michael Curtiz

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DVD details

Actor: Branda Marshall, Claude Rains, Errol Flynn
Director: Michael Curtiz
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 127 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-04-19
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Reviews of The Sea Hawk

DVD Review: Grand Entertainment!
Summary: 5 Stars

"You Spanish have a gift for hospitality, when your guests are in chains." -- Errol Flynn

The Sea Hawk is an exciting and romantic adventure set during the time of Queen Elizabeth of England, as Spain tried to plant its flag everywhere on the map. It is grand entertainment, handsomely photographed by Sol Polito and with a rousing score from Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Directed with panache by director Michael Curtiz, a dashing Errol Flynn displaying derring-do and lovely Brenda Marshall offering romance, it is one of the finest swashbucklers ever filmed. Flynn and Tyrone Power took turns in this heroic genre, each having some shining moments. No one ever really replaced Douglas Fairbanks at this sort of thing, but no one ever tried harder than Errol Flynn.

Not as good an actor as Power or Fairbanks, he had an athleticism and charm which made him perfect for this genre, however. He had been kicking around the studio going nowhere when Carole Lombard took a liking to him, inviting him to one of her famous parties at an amusement park, where he charmed the pants off every woman there and caused studio bosses to suddenly take notice of him; realizing he might have something after all. The rest is history, as they say. Flynn would never win any awards, but audiences ate him up, making him a huge star at WB, where he made some of the most entertaining swashbucklers of the era. The Sea Hawk is a sparkling example.

Everything is perfect in this film, from the lush black and white and sepia photography to a stellar cast, including Flora Robson as a terrific Queen, smart and with just a bit of a crush on pirate Geoffrey Thorpe (Flynn) who wants nothing more than to help his Queen, and keep England safe from Spanish greed. Of course, if he and his band of pirates profit more than just a little by slowing their progress, just as well. His ship is the Albatross, and the Sea Hawks are all that stand between England and Spain's King Philip, who is secretly preparing an armada to conquer England. Though the Sea Hawks are not officially backed by the Queen, her soft spot for Thorpe's good intentions and his loyalty to her leads to court intrigue as Elizabeth must deal with a crafty and very disloyal Lord Wolfingham (Henry Daniell), who is in league with Spanish Ambassador de Cordoba (Claude Rains).

Complicating matters is Cordoba's beautiful daughter, part English Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall), who warms to the pirate and falls in love. A secret mission given an unofficial nod from his Queen proves to be a trap, and before Thorpe and his crew can save England from Spain's treachery he will improvise a daring escape from the galley of a Spanish ship, romance Dona, and cross swords with Wolfingham. An exciting finish laced with romance makes everyone happy. Marshall is quite lovely and makes a fine heroine despite what some say, and Robson is fantastic as Queen Elizabeth, giving her life and humor. Flynn is a grand hero, and this film is perfect for what he had to offer as a star. The sepia-tone portion of the film harkens back to silent films as does the presence of Donald Crisp as the Queen's loyal advisor. Rarely has something set in 1585 been this exciting!

A lush romantic glow of ships sailing away by moonlight while a teary Brenda Marshall watches longingly blend perfectly with an exciting screenplay by Howard Koch and Seton Miller and the heroic deeds of charmer Flynn in one of his finest moments. A must see for fans of this genre.

DVD Review: Good...but Great?
Summary: 3 Stars

I've been an avid Flynn fan for years...but I always thought this was weak. Flynn seems too restrained and like what a previous reviewer stated "all the ingredients are there but the cake didnt rise"

DVD Review: entertaining fantasy
Summary: 3 Stars

I watched this movie when i was a teenager years ago, then again now in my thirties. Not very accurate historically, since pirates, buccaneers, corsairs or the so called seahawks would never dare in real life to attack a spanish war galleon, only slightly or unarmed merchant vessels. This movie is however very entertaining with all the swordfights and adventure not to mention the message the directors wanted to send concerning the begginings of World War II.

DVD Review: the best of its kind
Summary: 5 Stars

THE SEA HAWK showcases my favorite Warners director (Curtiz), swashbuckler (Flynn) and composer (Erich Wolfgang Korngold).

I see that more than a few Amazon reviewers complain of the casting of Brenda Marshall as the female lead and inevitable Flynn love interest rather than (one might reasonably assume) Olivia De Havilland. I disagree. Was the pairing of Errol and Olivia obligatory? Were they Rock Hudson and Doris Day? Frankie and Annette? I for one am GLAD to see Brenda Marshall as Do?a Maria. She's more Spanish in appearance and is more believably unacquainted, distant and demure. If I need De Havilland opposite Flynn, there's always THE SANTA FE TRAIL or THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON, both of which were a better fit for her.

I also enjoy Henry Daniell's turn as villainous Wolfingham. Sure, had Rathbone played the part, he'd have been great as usual, but must every film be an ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD cast reunion? Answer: no.

I also don't mind the B&W film. Color would have been nice, but the beautiful sets (for the most part), costumes, shifting camera and gloriously operatic and Straussian music compensate nicely for its absence. The sepia tone of the Panama sequence helps, too.

MY only two gripes concern the royal courts. First, as much as I admire Claude Rains and Montague Love, a couple of other actors with a dignified screen presence and a Spanish accent would have been far preferable as Don Jose and King Philip. After all, Gilbert Roland got the call to play Captain Lopez, didn't he? I find these guys' presence jarring. And second, the palace interiors are SO stark and plain. High ceilings and walls bare but for maps? I'm sorry but this just doesn't work and it never did in any of the earlier Flynn films either. England and Spain had no painters or artisans? Is there a single palace in the world which looks like these? Really, with the British accents and that stripped down soundstage, I can't believe for a second that I'm peeking in on the King of Spain. Flora Robson's performance as Elizabeth I, however, is such a tour de force that the British court almost convinces.

DVD Review: A new twist on Flynn
Summary: 4 Stars

This film used the same sets as the Private lives of elizabeth and essex, but had a new twist on things. Errol Flynn supporting actors Alan Hale, Claude Rains and Una O'Connar star in the Sea Hawk with Donald Crisp. Flynn comes back to the sea after Captain Blood, 5 years prior to the Sea Hawk and comes back with anew girl, Brenda Marshall. All Flynn fans, this is a surprisinf twist to any other Flynn film. Theres no Olivia De'Havilland. HOW DARE FLYNN KISS MARSHALL!! Theres no Bette Davis as the Queen, even though a year prior Flynn had played a love-bird to Elizabeth, and now he's done it agin with a different Elizabeth!
Wonderfully restored with original color-tinting.

A must have for Flynn, Rains, Michael Curtiz or sea-fearing lovers.

Description of The Sea Hawk

A pirate learns that the spanish armada is planning to attack england so he rushes home to save his country. Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 04/19/2005 Starring: Errol Flynn Claude Rains Run time: 127 minutes Rating: Nr

Five years after Captain Blood made him a swashbuckling star, Errol Flynn returned to the high seas as privateer Captain Thorpe in The Sea Hawk. Flynn plays the dashing gentleman pirate as dedicated patriot, looting Spanish ships for English coffers with the private blessing of Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson, reprising the role from Fire over England). The film opens with a rousing sea battle: broadside cannon fire sends masts falling and splinters a-flying before Flynn's men take their Spanish quarry in a furious shipboard cutlass battle. The fearless fighter becomes a stumbling schoolboy when he falls for the Spanish ambassador's niece, but he's back in his element when he sails to the New World for treasure and lands in the middle of a deadly conspiracy. Big-eyed beauty Brenda Marshall stands in for Flynn's usual love interest Olivia de Havilland, and the film misses the latter's sass and spirit, but it's a minor shortcoming. Claude Rains plays his usual smoothly conniving villain, and hearty Alan Hale returns as Flynn's loyal sidekick. Michael Curtiz proves once again why he was Warner Brothers' top director with a handsome, action-packed film that mixes intrigue and suspense with grand set pieces, concluding with a rousing series of escapes, chases, and a runaway sword fight. Classic Hollywood swashbuckling at its best. --Sean Axmaker

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