Daily Archives: September 5, 2014

The Black Swan
Directed by Henry King
Written by Ben Hecht and Seton I. Miller from the novel by Raphael Sabatini
1942/USA
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Jamie: In Tortuga when a woman slaps a man’s face, it means she wants him to grab her, over-power her, and smother her with kisses. I understand in Jamaica a gentleman must refuse such overtures.[/box]

The pictures I am posting do not do justice to the Technicolor glory that is this swashbuckler.

When pirate chief Henry Morgan (Laird Cregar) is named Governor of Jamaica his crew splits up.  Jamie Waring (Tyrone Power) and Tommy Blue (Thomas Mitchell) remain loyal and go with Morgan to run Jamaica.  Rapscallion Capt. Billy Leech (George Sanders with curly red hair and a bushy beard) continues to plunder the Caribbean.  When Morgan arrives in Jamaica, the former Governor Lord Darby (George Zucco) sabotages his rule (and enriches himself) by providing inside information on British treasure ships to the pirates. Jamie falls in love with Lord Darby’s fiery daughter Lady Margaret (Maureen O’Hara) who won’t give him the time of day.

 Margaret is about to be married to one of Lord Darby’s shady henchmen and Jamie abducts her when he sets out to bring Capt. Billy to justice.  Plenty of sea battles and sword fights ensue with a generous dollop of Hollywood romance thrown in for good measure.  With Anthony Quinn as Capt. Billy’s right-hand man.

This is a classic pirate movie with all the trimmings and it looks simply stunning.  Laird Cregar is super-flamboyant and enjoyable as the heavily bewigged Henry Morgan. If it weren’t for his voice, Sanders would be unrecognizable.  As it is, he does well with a red-blooded part, so uncharacteristic of his many effete roles.  The score is really stirring.  If you like this kind of thing, I recommend it.

The DVD I rented had a wonderful commentary by Rudy Behlmer with Maureen O’Hara. At age 83, she was a trove of information and seemed like a really fun person to know.

Leon Shamroy won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color for The Black Swan.  The film was also nominated for Oscars for Best Effects, Special Effects and for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Alfred Newman).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgFg3nsXXvA

Trailer

Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake
Directed by John Cromwell
Written by Philip Dunne from a novel by Edison Marshall
1942/USA
Twentieth Century Fox
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Eve: You will go! If you stay out of pity, I will throw myself in sea.[/box]

This is an OK costume drama notable for a unique chance to see George Sanders boxing bare-chested.

It is sometime in the 18th Century.  Young Ben (Roddy MacDowall)  is being raised by his humble grandfather to become a blacksmith.  The other children tease him because he has no name.  One day, Sir Arthur Blake (Sanders) comes into the shop, announces that Ben is the illegitimate son of his deceased older brother and the gunsmith’s daughter, and takes Ben away to live with him ostensibly to be educated.  Instead, Ben is made an indentured servant and treated even more cruelly than the rest of the heartless Sir Arthur’s minions.  He grows up to be Tyrone Power.

Sir Arthur’s daughter Isabel (Frances Farmer) lusts after the handsome Benjamin and eventually falls in love with him.  Finally, he can bear his mistreatment no more and attacks Sir Arthur.  Now he is a fugitive.  He escapes as a seaman on a vessel headed on an around the world voyage.  He meets fellow seaman Caleb Green who tells him of a fortune in pearls to be found off the coast of a South Sea Island,  They detour the ship and go AWOL on the island.

 The islanders had previously been visited by Spaniards who abused them and are hostile to the two adventurers.  But when Benjamin shows them the scars on his own back the locals accept them with open arms.  Benjamin is promptly enchanted by the beautiful islander he calls “Eve” (Gene Tierney).  He declares her his bride since no one knows when another ship will arrive to take the pearl hunters back to England.

Their ship does come in and the rest of the story is devoted to Benjamin’s adventures as he seeks to redeem his rightful inheritance courtesy of the treasure trove of pearls he brings with him.  With Elsa Lanchester as a prostitute who helps Benjamin escape.

This is alright but I didn’t find it gripping.  This kind of thing isn’t usually for me though and those who like costume dramas will find this a very polished one.

This was the last film Frances Farmer made before alcoholism and erratic behavior caused her parents to commit her to a series of insane asylums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fClx_LTSI

Trailer