The Sea Hawk Movie Review

Captain Blood's Errol Flynn hits the high seas again in this overstuffed historical epic. The film careens from the water (as Flynn's Captain Thorpe plays pirate against the Spanish galleons of the Elizabethan era) to the royal drawing rooms (as Thorpe raises the ire of Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson)). Meanwhile, he's in love with a Spanish lady from one of the ships (Brenda Marshall) and he tries to woo her while avoiding capture.

The sea adventure is fantastic (two life-size ships were constructed specifically for the film) but frankly I could have used far less parlor rooming in the picture -- especially because Robson is so difficult to believe as Elizabeth, despite the severe hairdo. Flynn -- in his 10th collaboration with director Michael Curtiz -- acquits himself just fine, though perhaps he should have taken his sword to the overblown script as well as the Spaniards.

Avast!