Daily Archives: March 8, 2014

The Sea Hawk
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Written by Howard Koch and Seton I. Miller
1940/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing?/Netflix rental

[box] King Philip II: [anticipating the success of the Armada] With England conquered, nothing can stand in our way. Northern Africa… Europe as far east as the Urals… then the New World: to the north, to the south, west to the Pacific… over the Pacific to China and to the Indies will our empire spread. One day, before my death, we shall sit here and gaze at this map upon the wall. It will have ceased to be a map of the world. It will be Spain.[/box]

I thought this highly rated Errol Flynn adventure was only OK.  Then again, I was distracted.

In 15th Century England, dashing pirate Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn) seizes Spanish ships and treasure for the crown.  He captures a galleon bearing the Spanish Ambassador (Claude Rains) and his daughter Maria (Brenda Marshall), sinks it, frees the English galley slaves (?!), and takes all passengers aboard.  The Ambassador complains loudly to Queen Elizabeth I (Flora Robson) and she promises it won’t happen again while secretly welcoming her share of the treasure.  Her loyal counselor urges her to arm against a coming Armada but traitor Lord Wolfingham (Henry Daniell) argues against it and the Queen herself believes the country cannot afford this.

Thorpe comes up with a daring plan to seize Spanish gold at the source in Panama (?). The rest of the story follows his travails in the jungle, his escape from a Spanish galleon, and his romance with Maria.  With Alan Hale as Thorpe’s sidekick, Donald Crisp as a courtier, and Una O’Connor as Maria’s lady’s maid.

To be fair, I did not perhaps give this the attention it deserved amid my packing.  On the other hand, I had rated this movie before now and remember absolutely nothing about it.  Anyway, the performances are all fine although Brenda Marshall is no Olivia DeHavilland and Henry Daniell, snide as he is, is no Basil Rathbone particularly in the fencing department.  There is a definite patriotic flavor to the piece with Philip of Spain standing in for Hitler and Elizabeth for Winston Churchill.

The Sea Hawk was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Sound Recording, Best Special Effects and Best Score (Erich Wolfgang Korngold).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_XIJm0_Wgc

Trailer