The Sea Hawk (1940)
Overview
Dashing pirate Geoffrey Thorpe plunders Spanish ships for Queen Elizabeth I and falls in love with Dona Maria, a beautiful Spanish royal he captures.
Cast
Errol Flynn
Captain Geoffrey Thorpe
Brenda Marshall
Doña Maria Alvarez de Cordoba
Claude Rains
Don José Alvarez de Cordoba
Donald Crisp
Admiral Sir John Burleson
Flora Robson
Queen Elizabeth
Alan Hale
Carl Pitt
Henry Daniell
Lord Wolfingham
Una O'Connor
Miss Latham
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CinemaSerf
First things first. This has virtually nothing at all to do with the 1924 Frank Lloyd version nor, indeed, does it have very much to do with the original Rafael Sabatini novel either - but it is still probably my favourite Errol Flynn film. The story is (very) loosely based on the courageous activities of the privateers who raided the Spanish treasure ships during the reign of Elizabeth I of England (rather convincingly portrayed here by Flora Robson). Flynn seizes an ambassadorial galleon on which are travelling Claude Rains and Brenda Marshall, and a tale of espionage, secrecy, love and skullduggery ensues for an exciting couple of hours. Korngold always had the skill to add something special with his score to these seafaring adventure films - and he does in abundance here too (though perhaps not the songs with the shockingly terrible rhymes!?). Henry Daniell is also worthy of mention as the duplicitous "Lord Wolfingham" and Michael Curtiz is at his action-packed best as he offers us loads of swash, buckle and a thoroughly enjoyable piece of cinema that you ought to see on the big screen if you get a chance.
