The 1935 film that turned rookie actor Errol Flynn into the King of the Swashbucklers debuts in 4K in Captain Blood (Criterion, not rated, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, 119 minutes, $49.95).
Academy Award-winning director Michael Curtiz (“Casablanca” and “White Christmas”) takes viewers to 1685 England in the midst of the Monmouth Rebellion and introduces Irish physician Peter Blood (Mr. Flynn), taking care of a wounded rebel and then accused of treason by the court of King James II.
Found guilty and shipped to Port Royal, he is sold into slavery and bought by Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland), the niece of local military commander Colonel Bishop (Lionel Atwill).
Dr. Blood’s ultimate goal is to escape, and he manages to commandeer a Spanish man-of-war with his fellow prisoners when the ship attacks the port.
The good doctor has now become a full-fledged pirate and has quickly gained notoriety as the terror of the Caribbean and the pride of the buccaneers.
His high seas get complicated after Dr. Blood’s Brotherhood of the Coast’s treacherous partner, the French pirate Captain Levasseur (Basil Rathbone), seizes a British ship and takes Arabella hostage.
Our hero must decide if saving the fair maiden and delivering her back to Port Royal is as important as his reputation and taking care of his loyal crew.
The film shines through action such as an extended sword fight between Flynn and Rathbone and some intense, ship-to-ship sea battles, as well as the chemistry between the new leading man and co-star de Havilland.
Only nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, “Captain Blood” was woefully underappreciated by Hollywood back then and should have taken home Oscars for Flynn, Curtiz and Erich Wolfgang Korngold for his rousing musical score.
4K in action: As expected, this black-and-white classic shows its age despite a 4K restoration that uses scans of a 35mm second-generation nitrate print and a 35mm nitrate duplicate negative held from the UCLA Film & Television Archive and a 35mm nitrate composite fine grain from the Library of Congress.
The moments that do shine come from the moody lighting choices and the cinematography of Ernest Haller and Hal Mohr, such as an early scene in a courtroom with a floating camera, shadows of Dr. Blood helping a rebel and the tall shadows of armored Spaniards as they bargain with Colonel to release the Port.
Faux outdoor scenes (shot in a soundstage) are sometimes a bit washed out, and some starting points of edits occasionally begin slightly out of focus, but the majority of cleaned-up footage looks crisp, well-contrasted, and highlights the costuming and early effects that brought the sea battles to life.
Best extras: A rare meager offering from Criterion starts with a new commentary track by “Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film” author Alan K. Rode. This guy comes loaded with background, trivia, cast biographies and a wealth of information and opinions on the film. He even reads original correspondence from the studio executives.
Mr. Rode offers facts about Flynn: His father was a well-known marine biologist; he was expelled from the Sydney Church of England Grammar School for seducing the daughter of a laundress; he contracted malaria in New Guinea that plagued him throughout his life; and he was unknowingly a friend of a Nazi spy.
Production stories reveal that early scenes were reshot as Flynn grew more confident, some footage was reused from the 1924 version, and studio head Jack Warner refused to cast Black actors in major roles.
Additionally, creative tensions flared between executive producer Hal B. Wallis and Curtiz over the film’s visual style. Curtiz and Flynn never developed a collaborative relationship, with the director viewing actors as “marionettes” to be controlled.
Also, culled from the 2005 DVD release, a 23-minute 2005 retrospective on the movie features film historians Rudy Behlmer and Robert Osborne, conductor John Mauceri, author Bob Thomas and stage sword master Tim Weske.
They touch on Hollywood’s Golden Age of swashbucklers; casting Peter Blood; the early career of Flynn and de Havilland; production design; using 18-foot miniature boats for some effects shots; fencing master Fred Cabins and his work with Rathbone and Flynn in the critical duel; and the musical score that was composed in three weeks and mostly at night.
And, viewers can listen to the 60-minute Lux Radio Theatre condensed adaptation of the film from Feb. 22, 1937, starring Flynn, de Havilland and Rathbone
The package includes a 12-page, illustrated, foldout pamphlet dominated by an essay about the production from film critic Farran Smith Nehme.
• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at jszadkowski@washingtontimes.com.
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