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Flamboyant leading lady Maureen O'Hara, having just completed her favorite film role, in "The Quiet Man", with John Wayne, now got her one chance to costar with another legendary film man of action, albeit during his declining years. I was unaware of this Technicolor Flynn-starring pirate yarn, filmed when he was looking and sounding rather middle-aged, being consumed by his rampant alcoholism. Nonetheless, he put forth a credible performance in this, unique for him, Universal-sponsored film. This is one of a rash of pirate-centered films that Universal sponsored in the early '50s: some straight adventure stories, others farcical spoofs. A number of these are currently available in a collective DVD offering. Of this group of films, this one certainly sports the greatest collection of high profile actors, if not being your personal favorite.Maureen was no stranger to being cast in pirate and other adventure-type films. In contrast to her previous roles in "The Black Swan" and "The Spanish Main" as an aristocratic lady desired, in this film, she is cast as one of the pirate captains, having inherited this position from her deceased father. This role enhances her opportunities to display her trademark fiery tomboyish personality. As in the case of feisty Alexis Smith, Flynn's leading lady in a number of previous films, her flaming red hair and green-grey eyes were made for Technicolor, sometimes denied her in her early career. This was one of a rash of films released in the early '50s that featured feisty women of a bygone era in roles traditionally reserved for men only. This includes: "Anne Get Your Gun", "Calamity Jane", "Montana Belle" "Comanche Territory", and "The Redhead from Wyoming" the last two again featuring Maureen. Charismatic Anthony Quinn was the third lead, as another pirate captain. He played a rather similar role in the previous "The Black Swan", with Maureen again the leading lady. As usual, he ends up the odd man out in a romantic triangle. Although physically he clearly belies his partial Mexican heritage, Quinn was cast as a wide variety of exotics during his career, often villainous, as exotics tended to be. Here, he curiously takes on the namesake of the otherwise forgotten historical Dutch-Brazilian Caribbean pirate Roc Brasiliano. Just why the screenwriters decided to so anoint his character is beyond me. The brutal Brasiliano never had anything to do with Madagascar nor Indian Ocean piracy, which are the centerpiece of this film. Furthermore, Quinn's character is apparently Italian, or perhaps French.Instead of the single damsel in distress Flynn previously fought and romanced with in his pirate films,here he has two beautiful women characterized as extreme opposites in the spectrum of female personalities, competing for his romantic attentions. Besides the sharp, gutsy, outspoken Maureen, he happens upon the demure, extremely sheltered,unbelievably stupid, Princess Patma, daughter of the Indian Grand Mogul. She happens to be a passenger on a ship that Brasiliano attacks, rescued from the burning ship by Flynn, Brasiliano's crew member. Man-starved throughout her life, this gorgeous creature(played by Alice Kelley) immediately takes a romantic fancy to Flynn, who responds standoffishly after he learns who she is. Presumably, he doesn't want to run afoul of the Grand Mogul, who no doubt has his own marriage plans for his daughter. What was the Princess doing on this ship? A favorite target of Indian Ocean pirates was shiploads of Indian Muslims, going to fulfill their lifetime quest to visit the holy city of Mecca. Probably, this was her case, as suggested by Flynn's character.When the Princess is put up for sale as a slave, Maureen outbids Flynn, assuming he wants her as a concubine, whereas Flynn actually wants to protect her. He hopes to ultimately get her aboard a British warship scheduled to arrive. Unfortunately, instead, she falls into the hands of Brasiliano, who uses her as a 'shield' to discourage the British warship from firing on his ship, as he tries to make a getaway, with Maureen aboard, to Italy. Brasiliano sent the Princess's chaperone to the warship to tell he has the Princess. Flynn saves the day by sneaking aboard the ship and dueling with Brasiliano to the death, abetted by rapier-wielding Maureen, after Brasiliano tried to rape her.Maureen keeps going back and forth in her allegiance between Flynn and Brasiliano, when they are at odds. Although attracted by Flynn's charm and seeming gentlemanly persona, she is scorned by his inexplicable refusal to make love to her at her beckoning, at one point, and is suspicious of his relationship with the Princess, among possible others. As she is leaving, having been frustrated, she suggests that another woman will probably soon show up. Flynn quips "no, not another woman, 10 of them!" Flynn plays an undercover agent, intent on infiltrating the Madagascar pirate rings, and disabling the numerous cannons protecting their main base at Diego-Suarez. He is successful at this, but seemingly outmaneuvered by Brasiliano's use of the Princess as a shield. My favorite film role for Maureen, with great chemistry with Flynn. Quinn also great. Superb Technicolor cinematography. Unfortunately, Flynn is really trying to play his irresistible self 5-15 years earlier, with only modest success.
zardoz-13
"London Blackout Murders" director George Sherman's formulaic seafaring voyage "Against All Flags" was actor Errol Flynn's final swashbuckler on the high seas against marauding pirates. Indeed, the title sums up the nature of piracy. Wicked pirates pit themselves against all flags when they hoist the skull and crossbones. Nothing really special stands out in the predictable screenplay penned by "Essex and Elizabeth" scenarist Æneas MacKenzie and "At Sword's Point" scribe Joseph Hoffman. This is one of those daring 18th century escapades where the intrepid hero infiltrates the ranks of the pirates. Basically, two kinds of movies like "Against All Flags" exist. The first example is when the filmmakers explain ahead of time that their hero has committed no iniquity and plans to undermine an opponent with false information. In the second example, the true identity of the hero is not revealed until the final reel. "Against All Flags" exemplifies the first example. As the heroine, auburn-haired Maureen O'Hara enlivens this epic with another one of her ardent performances. Anthony Quinn projects a commanding presence and his use of gestures to reinforce his character is good. Compared to his earlier Warner Brothers' sea spectacles, this budget-minded Universal-International Pictures' release isn't half as spectacular. Lenser Russell Metty makes sure that all this nonsense benefits from his elegant Technicolor cinematography. The closest that "Against All Flags" comes to being unsavory are the repeated threats to relegate prisoners to the tide stakes. These tide stakes are planted in the shoal waters of the reef. Before the tide rises sufficiently high enough to drown the unfortunate fellow, the hungry crabs will have feasted on the prisoners. "Against All Flags" unfolds at sea with the following prologue: In 1700 A.D., the Pirate Republic of Libertatia on the island of Madagascar was a constant menace to the rich trade routes to India. Several days sail is the British merchant ship 'Monsoon.' The British Navy is determined to wipe out the heavily armed stronghold of pirates on the island. British Navy Lieutenant Brian Hawke (a mature Errol Flynn of "Captain Blood") and two sailors—gunner's mate Harris (John Alderson of "Violent Saturday") and topman Jones (Phil Tully of "All the King's Men")--pose as deserters and take a longboat to the island. "I don't like the cut of your sail," Captain Roc Brasiliano (Anthony Quinn of "Larceny, Inc.") opines when he lays eyes initially on Hawke. Brasiliano suspects that Hawke may be a spy, while hot-tempered beauty Prudence 'Spitfire' Stevens (Maureen O'Hara of "Sinbad the Sailor") finds herself sexually attracted to Hawke. Brasiliano wants proof that Hawke is a deserter. One of Brasiliano's gnarly-looking pirates inspects Hawke's back where our hero received twenty terrible lashes by a cat o' nine tails. The pirate had served on the East Indian Company ship Monsoon and he recognizes the distinctive handiwork of Flogger Flower (Dave Kashner of "High Lonesome") who delivered the punishment. Prudence cannot wait to get her hands on Hawke, so Brasiliano orders him to serve as his navigator on the ship Scorpion. The secret defense of Madagascar is the point of Hawke's mission. He must spike the cannons defending the island so the Royal Navy can sail into port and blast away with broadsides at the moored pirate vessels. Hawke learns not long after he is accepted amongst the pirates that a map of the cannon emplacements hangs in the bedroom and he memorizes the positions while he is instructing Prudence about the make-up that women wear in proper society. Prudence's father was a well-known pirate and he created the gun emplacements. Meanwhile, when Hawke isn't romancing the fiery Prudence, he is following Captain Brasiliano's orders. Instead of allowing Hawke to horn in on his relationship with Prudence, Brasiliano makes Hawke his navigator. They attack a royal Indian ship and is carrying Princess Patma (Alice Kelley of "Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas") and her mistress, Molvina MacGregor (Mildred Natwick of "Yolanda and the Thief"). Brasiliano sets the Indian ship afire and MacGregor appeals to Hawke because the princess is still aboard the burning ship. Hawke rescues her and gives the princess a kiss that leaves the poor girl stunned beyond imagination. Afterward, every time that the princess lays eyes on Hawke, she begs for another kiss. "Again," she pleads. This becomes a running joke throughout "Against All Flags." Ultimately, George Sherman qualifies as a competent enough director, but he lacks the artistic flair of director Michael Curtiz. Curtiz helmed all of Flynn's early swashbucklers, starting with "Captain Blood," and Flynn assumed the significance of a larger-than-life hero. Little about "Against All Flags" is larger-than-life. Everything approves rather second-rate in this costumer. You know in some scenes that the gorgeous looking sailing ships are brightly lighted models in a massive studio tank. The close quarters combat scenes aboard the ships are staged with a modicum of verve. Of course, Hawke and Stevens will get out of it alive, but Brasiliano isn't as fortunate. Quinn excels as the villainous Brasiliano, and O'Hara is funny the more she gets riled up about the amorous Hawke. Happily, this 83-minute movie never wears out its welcome.
