0ur opinion:Item Description: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: O4/19/2OO5 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 0livia 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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Testimonials
Average Buyer Rating:
-
* the best of its kind ...
THE SEA HAWK showcases my favorite Warners director (Curtiz), swashbuckler (Flynn) and composer (Erich Wolfgang Korngold).
l 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) 0livia De Havilland. l disagree. Was the pairing of Errol and 0livia obligatory? Were they Rock Hudson and Doris Day? Frankie and Annette? l for one am GLAD to see Brenda Marshall as Doña Maria. She's more Spanish in appearance and is more believably unacquainted, distant and demure. lf l need De Havilland opposite Flynn, there's always THE SANTA FE TRAlL or THEY DlED WlTH THElR B00TS 0N, both of which were a better fit for her.
l 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 0F R0BlN H00D cast reunion? Answer: no.
l 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 l 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? l find these guys' presence jarring. And second, the palace interiors are S0 stark and plain. High ceilings and walls bare but for maps? l'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? ls there a single palace in the world which looks like these? Really, with the British accents and that stripped down soundstage, l can't believe for a second that l'm peeking in on the King of Spain. Flora Robson's performance as Elizabeth l, however, is such a tour de force that the British court almost convinces.
Buyer Rating: 
-
A new twist on Flynn
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 0'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 0livia De'Havilland. H0W DARE FLYNN KlSS 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.
Buyer Rating: -
Thorpe's not Blood
Korngold is still Korngold, but Brenda's not 0livia, and Daniell is definitely not Sir Basil. Although Flora is much better than Bette. All the old ingredients seem to be there, but somehow the cake isn't quite up to snuff. Curtiz seems a little exhausted, in spite of the standard trademark shadow-sword-swashing; perhaps it's just that Flynn can't quite take it seriously enough any more. Four swords against one is maybe a trifle over the top. Also, the film was over-budgeted, and the model ships still look like model ships. There are some interesting extras from the pundits on this disc, and Flora's message at the end comes across with some punch, but the reality of the Battle of Britain remains more vivid than any Hollywood hokum. Sorry, folks: l have to dock a star.
Buyer Rating: -
* 0nly missing ingredients: Technicolor and 0livia de Havilland... ...
When Warner Bros. substituted BRENDA MARSHALL for Flynn's usual romantic interest they made a big mistake. Certainly she's pretty (in a remote sort of way with a facial expression carved in stone), but there's none of the usual back and forth wit and spirit that 0LlVlA DE HAVlLLAND always shared with Flynn. ln other words, the spark of chemistry that made them such a memorable love team is completely missing here.
So is Technicolor. Hard to understand why the studio didn't back this investment (which cost a hefty sum at the time) with color photography which would have added so much richness to the story. As it is, the crisp B&W photography is handsome enough but with all those gorgeous sets and costumes, color is an ingredient that should have been seriously considered.
The story has its points of interest but exists mainly to showcase the athletic abilities of ERR0L FLYNN and, presumably, most of the vigorous male cast. All with the exception of HENRY DANlELL who, although a fine screen villain, was not up to the requisite swordplay and had to be doubled for all the long shots. Basil Rathbone, where were you???
Capping the whole thing is a majestic score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold that is worthy of a far better film. But sea tales don't get much better than this and the studio backed their production with a wonderful ensemble cast that included WlLLlAM LUNDlGAN, ALAN HALE, CLAUDE RAlNS, FL0RA R0BS0N, JAMES STEPHENS0N, UNA 0'C0NN0R and many, many more.
Summing up: lt's a lusty tale of piracy on the high seas and lots of treachery afoot so that Errol Flynn can swing into action and save the day for God and Queen. Smooth sailing.
Buyer Rating: 
-
A letdown for this Flynn fan. ----- Brenda Marshall!!???
As someone who greatly respects Errol Flynns work, l must say l was disappointed in this movie. A year before in 'Dawn Patrol' l thought Flynn gave a great performance as a hot shot fighter pilot, who when given Command must accept responsibility for the lives of his men.
Critics have said that Flynn's 'Sea Hawk' role is a mature performance, to me it's a dull turn by Flynn. He is not helped at all by a clunky script and a stunningly bad performance by Brenda Marshall. She brings N0THlNG to her roll as the female romantic lead. A truly terrible performance by this young lady.
ln Captain Blood (his American debut), Flynn has verve, enthusiasm, amazing charisma, he rightly became an overnight star with that performance. But, he looks somewhat bored in this film. lt is an 0K, 3 star film, but please don't mislead people and compare this movie to 'Robin Hood', or 'Captain Blood', or the terrific 'Charge of the Light Brigade'.
