Flynn is absolutely charismatic in the title role. Never realised how dominating his physical presence is as well as his captivating personality! He just relishes the role. What a great James Bond he would have made 25 years or so later. Olivia de Havilland later fought the studio that forced her to play limiting roles like the one she plays here but she is wonderful with Flynn. Director Curtiz puts it all together excitingly, hardly slowing the pace. His lighting of night scenes is particularly memorable.

This film tells the story of Dr. Peter Blood, who becomes a pirate after an unfounded accusation of treason to the British Crown. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film has a screenplay by Casey Robinson and stars Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.Its probably one of the best known films of Flynn's meteoric career, who owes part of its fame to swashbuckling films where he played heartthrobs and heroes. Good collaboration with Olivia de Havilland, used to be the damsel in distress, ensured the popularity of the film, which remains very popular today. The story is not bad, although the script, very simple and naive, is not trouble-free. Pirates movies were in fashion, with these maritime outlaws being seen in a romantic and imaginative way.The performance of the two main actors lived up to public expectations, which was greeted with a great job. The rest of the cast did not disappoint, keeping the film quite high level. The very theatrical performances and forced poses were in fashion during this period and should be seen that way. That was how the film was made, and this is part of the charm of this movies. The scenarios are good and try to recreate the seventeenth century ships. The special, visual and sound effects are the state of the art.

. . . who leads a charmed life. Whenever his tail gets caught in the wringer, Wash Day is suddenly cut short. If he pokes Victory in one eye, she gives him a wink with the other. If it was his turn to be drawn and quartered, he'd beat Mel Gibson at rock-paper-scissors to swap places in line. He's not unlike CANDIDE, plus the nine lives of a cat. The only thing mitigating CAPTAIN BLOOD's success is that most of his key battles are won over the French, which isn't saying much. But BLOOD plays down to the level of his competition, prevailing against all comers, as a Zorro of the seas. His pirate crew is about the most docile bunch you'd ever run across, at least as far as he's concerned. He can do almost no wrong in their eyes, whether it's frittering away a fortune in booty on his own private beauty, or leading a suicide foray on her behalf (the exact same ending, with the two same actors--Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland--that Warner Bros. recycled a couple of years later to close THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE).

Peter Blood(Errol Flynn) was well named, seeing much blood in his duel careers as doctor/surgeon and pirate/privateer. Like the unlucky Dr. Mudd who tended to Lincoln's assassin: Booth, Blood was the victim of guilt by association from treating a political dissent considered dangerous by the James II administration. This began a series of events that culminated in his becoming the most feared pirate/privateer of his age. Barely escaping the hangman's noose, Blood is commuted to slavery in Jamaica. There, he is fortunate to be bought by the daughter (Olivia de Havilland, as Arabella) of Colonel Bishop, who is impressed with his openly defiant attitude , combined with good looks and skill as a doctor. Blood uses his relatively privileged position to plan a mass slave escape. Fortunately, a Spanish privateer arrives to save an apparently busted escape attempt. His party become heroes in capturing the Spanish ship and turning it's cannons on the loaded landing craft. However, they mock Bishop's suggested disappointing reward, and sail off to become the terror of the Caribbean, sacking English ships, as well as those of other nations. Thus, Blood is on his way to becoming a roguish version of the ideal Renaissance man. Flynn's long hair and lack of facial hair enhances his image as a youthful rebel, openly contemptuous of all political and economic elite, whether English, Spanish or French. But, he's no brutal pirate king, exemplified by his regretted short -term partner Captain Levasseur(Basil Rathbone). His crew is composed of former political dissidents, not brutal thugs. He enforces a chivalrous code of conduct toward victims of their plunder, institutes an article of rights and privileges, and even provides dismemberment benefits(with a humorous pseudo case). Much of the fascination with sea pirates is that they often constituted a striking example of direct democracy and communalism in an age of leadership and wealth largely by birthright. They justified their profession as robbing the rich, who had achieved their wealth by effectively robbing the poor and Native Americans, or exploiting slaves and indentured servants. This film was released during the 'Great Depression', when successful bank robbers were often idolized, in a world of haves and have nots, and cities run by corrupt politicians and criminal gangs. Flynn's subsequent blockbuster "The Adventures of Robin Hood", also released during 'the Depression', focused on a similar theme of resistance against political and economic repression. Blood and Robin even manage to change their outlaw image into heroes; in the present case by defeating Spanish and, later French, attempts to sack Port Royal. In both films, this official change in status is proclaimed by a new king.In contrast, Flynn's second sea pirate/privateer film: "The Sea Hawk", released in '40, cast Flynn as being loyal to Queen Elizabeth, plundering only Spanish ships and towns. Spain was characterized as plotting to conquer England and then the world: a clear allegory to the then current threat of Nazi Germany. Flynn's final sea pirate film" "Against All Flags" , released in '52, lacks these political overtones. Again, Flynn's character is a loyal member of the British navy, charged with bringing piracy under control. With Maureen O'Hara playing a spitfire pirate captain, it comes across as a feminist promoting film, in the vein of the then contemporary "Anne get your Gun", "Calamity Jane", "Comanche Territory" and "Montana Belle".Clearly, Blood is largely modeled on a combination of Henry Morgan: England's most celebrated privateer, and the rather chivalrous pirate captain Black Bellamy. Like Blood, Morgan did ally himself with a French pirate for a spell, was eventually pardoned by the king, and was appointed lieutenant governor of Jamaica.Blood, the superhero, was not quite prefect. He and his crew spent a spell in the pirate haven of Tortuga, indulging in its fleshy and liquid diversions, and forming a later regretted alliance with the French pirate Levasseur. Eventually, the 2 pirate leaders fought a rapier duel over the fate of the captured Arabella. Also, Blood was threatened with mutiny when he ordered to sail to Port Royal, where the English fleet lay. However, he handled this situation expertly, and didn't meet the fate of Bligh, in 'Mutiny on the Bounty", released earlier that year. Flynn could be accused of overacting in many of his scenes. His exaggerated enthusiastic gestures and speech often seemed more in keeping with a silent film. However, on the whole, I believe this exaggerated animation adds to the appeal of the film.The English aristocracy, as exemplified by the judge who sentenced Blood, the governor of Jamaica, and Colonel Bishop, was characterized as being generally effete, as well as arrogant. However, Lord Willoughby, played by Henry Stephenson: the bearer of good news for Blood, is characterized as a kindly, understanding, father figure.While there are some good exchanges between Olivia and Flynn, their relationship would be more convincing in "The Adventures of Robin Hood"