Lower tier Errol Flynn swashbuckler coming at a time when his star was waning. The Master Of Ballantrae is adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel by Herb Meadow and sees Roger Livesey, Anthony Steel, Beatrice Campbell, Yvonne Furneaux, Felix Aylmer & Mervyn Johns star alongside Flynn. It's directed by William Keighley (his last film and fourth with Flynn) with the music by William Alwyn and photography by Jack Cardiff. The plot sees Flynn as Jacobite Jamie Durie who is forced to flee Scotland from English oppression and winds up with pirates in the West Indies. Here he bides his time until the time comes to return home where he has a score to settle with his brother; and all being well, rekindle a romance with his sweetheart.
Filmed mostly in Scotland, the material is tailor-made for Flynn. For even tho he's far from in the best physical shape, he gets to swish and swash with the customary heroics that made his name. Livesey turns in the best performance of the piece, whilst our ladies are as pretty as Jack Cardiff's Highland photography is. The character complexities in the novel are sadly missing here, so with that the film hasn't much to offer outside of being an 18th century yarn. But a worthwhile yarn it be, in short it's a colourful production with good period value, that is competently acted and deals nicely in romance and adventure. 6/10
Filmed mostly in Scotland, the material is tailor-made for Flynn. For even tho he's far from in the best physical shape, he gets to swish and swash with the customary heroics that made his name. Livesey turns in the best performance of the piece, whilst our ladies are as pretty as Jack Cardiff's Highland photography is. The character complexities in the novel are sadly missing here, so with that the film hasn't much to offer outside of being an 18th century yarn. But a worthwhile yarn it be, in short it's a colourful production with good period value, that is competently acted and deals nicely in romance and adventure. 6/10