I love the mystique of Errol Flynn as much as anyone, but this was the final swashbuckler of his classic period, and it shows. Errol's still got it, of course, and he shows plenty of dash and charm. But Olivia DeHavilland is gone, and in her place is lovely but lifeless Brenda Marschall, whose wooden delivery and lack of charm hurt the love story just as much as the frequent separations and clumsy sub-plots.
The movie really drags, particularly when Flynn is at court and reduced to playing second banana to a monkey (yes, a monkey!) Flora Robson is scrumptious as Queen Elizabeth -- the fun and elegant chemistry she has with Errol suggests that she should have been the leading lady -- but the cumbersome story drags Flynn away from her as well. The middle drags, as Flynn is not only beaten, but bamboozled, betrayed, and bundled off into slavery on the galleys! Errol is great at playing the carefree rogue, but he can't do nobility or suffering very well. It comes off as a very bad imitation of BEN HUR, without the noble ideals and without the religious meanings. Things finally perk up -- a bit to late -- with the big climactic sword fight, and Flora Robson gives a stunning Battle of Britain speech (this was 1940 after all,) that ends the movie with a bang.
All in all, it's not a bad movie, just the sad sunset of a golden age.
The movie really drags, particularly when Flynn is at court and reduced to playing second banana to a monkey (yes, a monkey!) Flora Robson is scrumptious as Queen Elizabeth -- the fun and elegant chemistry she has with Errol suggests that she should have been the leading lady -- but the cumbersome story drags Flynn away from her as well. The middle drags, as Flynn is not only beaten, but bamboozled, betrayed, and bundled off into slavery on the galleys! Errol is great at playing the carefree rogue, but he can't do nobility or suffering very well. It comes off as a very bad imitation of BEN HUR, without the noble ideals and without the religious meanings. Things finally perk up -- a bit to late -- with the big climactic sword fight, and Flora Robson gives a stunning Battle of Britain speech (this was 1940 after all,) that ends the movie with a bang.
All in all, it's not a bad movie, just the sad sunset of a golden age.