The Master of Ballantrae
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Movie Reviews of The Master of Ballantrae
Movie Review: Jamie Durie, the Master of Ballantrae, is not a man to let close to your wife, your daughter or your gold
Summary: 4 Stars
The Master of Ballantrae just might have worked as a sprawling period swashbuckler if...the Master of Ballantrae, the eldest son of the laird of Clan Durie who fights for Bonnie Prince Charlie and loses, hadn't been such a self-centered clod who let his love of gold, wenches and adventure get in the way of honor, wisdom and trust, and if...Errol Flynn had been ten years younger. At 44, he looks 54, and often a puffy and tired 54 at that. If he were younger, he might have convinced us that the selfish and impetuous Jamie Durie would sometime soon in the movie find something honorable to do that would make us root for the romantic and dashing fellow. Looking in his mid-fifties, however, Flynn resembles an aging, petulant rake, and we know it's unlikely that there is any chance of a charming good guy emerging from the husk.
Robert Lewis Stevenson doesn't help. His Master is unredeemably and emotionally selfish, even though a dab hand with a sword, at piracy, with the ladies and with holding a grudge. No man in his right mind would place anyone he loves in the self-centered path of Jamie Durie. Flynn doesn't have much of a chance. It's clear Flynn's rapscallion, romantic, swashbuckling days have long gone by.
The story of the Master of Ballantrae bears some resemblance to Stevenson's novel. A toss of a coin determines that Jamie, the Master, will fight for the Stuart restoration when Charlie Stuart arrives from France to try to wrest the throne away from the Hanoverian King George II. As the elder brother, Jamie will inherit the Durie title and estates. The year is 1745. Jamie's younger brother, Henry (Anthony Steele), will support George. This way, whichever side wins, Clan Durie will have backed the winner. Henry is everything Jamie is not. He's conscientious, honorable and dull. And when Charlie loses, Jamie has to hightail it out of Scotland. Penniless, more or less, he encounters another rogue, Colonel Francis Burke (Roger Livesey, in a rollicking performance, and made up to look more of a drunk than Flynn), and off they go on the adventures of wenching and piracy, fighting and guffawing that make up most of the movie. Jamie never forgets, however, that he has a score to settle with Henry, for by now, thanks to jealousy and treachery, Henry has become the Master of Ballantrae and the heir to Clan Durie. If Jamie can't have the title, then when he sneaks back to Scotland he wants the woman who goes with the title, plus a good deal of money. He's more than willing to kill Henry to get all this.
Much of the movie was photographed in Scotland and looks great. Jack Cardiff gets the credit. The screenplay is often a bawdy, rag tag braggadocio of ripe dialogue credited to Herb Meadow with additional dialogue by Harold Medford. There is a rousing sea attack, some full-bodiced wenches in Tortuga, a fine, mannered dandy of a French pirate captain and a rouser of a Flynn sword fight. Unfortunately, it's obvious to one who looks closely that Flynn's fencing double is getting more screen time that Flynn during the fight. Even so, the story is something of a downer, the tale of a man who could never have enough, who kept close his resentments, who never forgot and who never learned. Well, maybe he learned a little at the end...if he listened to his great, true and only friend, Burke: "Not much time to remember all the girls you've known, all the laughter you've heard, all the gold you've spent, and all the plans you had to spend more. The places we've not seen, Jamie! The things that lie about the world! The fun of it!" Perhaps, but the happy end is about as abrupt and startling as suddenly opening a boiled haggis.
Roger Livesey, a fine British actor, would have overshadowed Flynn, in my opinion, if he hadn't carefully modulated bits and pieces of his performance. Burke is a dangerous rogue, but, unlike Jamie Durie, he's likable. To see Livesey at his very best, watch him in those three classic movies he starred in for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I'm Going and A Matter of Life and Death.
If we want to remember Errol Flynn in his sad decline, let it be in that unremembered Western shot cheaply in 1950 and not promoted by the studio, Rocky Mountain. Flynn's prematurely aged face brings authenticity to a Confederate officer who, with his small group of men, decides to act with honor and to accept the consequences. Flynn could act when it suited him.
The DVD color transfer is adequate, but only a first-rate restoration will do justice to all that gorgeous scenery.
Movie Review: The Master of Swashbuckling.
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Master of Ballantrae" is a very entertaining historical adventure, with the greatest swordsman in filmdom, Errol Flynn.I certainly did not buy this DVD because I expected an 89-minute film to be faithful to the Stevenson novel. I wanted fun and adventure with one of my favourite stars, and I wasn't disappointed.
At the same time, this is not Flynn "at his peak"--for that, wait until the end of September when Warner Bros. release "The Adventures of Robin Hood" ( with hopefully "Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk" in the not-too-distant future ! ). By the 1950s, Errol's "wicked, wicked ways" had taken their toll. In "Master", he is visibly older and heavier--but--it's still Errol Flynn ! He still exudes star quality--charisma--immense charm. As an actor, he has several intense scenes and certainly holds his own with a solid British cast.
The plot moves quickly--Bonnie Prince Charlie is back--the Scots battle the English, with Flynn on the Scottish side--Scottish dreams die with many men on the battlefield--our hero must flee Scotland before he is arrested and hanged, but not before an apparent betrayal by his own brother ( Anthony Steel )--escape to the Caribbean and adventures with pirates--return to Scotland for the woman he loves, and to settle old scores.
Jack Cardiff's colour photography is a big plus, especially on-location scenes in the beautiful Scottish highlands. While Flynn commands our attention, let's not forget a strong supporting cast. Roger Livesey acquits himself well in an atypical role, as Flynn's roguish, Irish sidekick. Anthony Steel is fine as Flynn's brother--he was a popular star in Britain in the 1950s, and with his looks ( a bit like Mel Gibson ), it's surprising that he did not become even more famous. There is one casting weakness--Beatrice Campbell, as Flynn's "true love" doesn't register at all--that Flynn's character would go through so much trouble to "reclaim" her, stretches credulity more than a little.
As far as "late" Flynn films go, this is likely the best--mix in some injustice, a nasty villain or two, and give Errol a sword--what more do you want ?
The DVD is nice--the colours are pretty decent for a 50-year old film, with some haziness here and there--the sound is mono--a few extras include shots from the film, the cast ( no details ),and four Flynn trailers.
If you like old, classic adventure films, this is a good one--try it !
Movie Review: THRILLING SWASHBUCKLER - NOT STEVENSON!
Summary: 4 Stars
Upon its release, "The Master of Ballentrae" was considered a massive undertaking and huge gamble on the part of Warner Brothers Studio. Their star, Errol Flynn's lavishly perverse lifestyle had caught up to him in such a way as to prevent any close up photography except for some occasional snippets shot through a thick filter. Shot in Italy, Scottland and Wales the resulting film was a huge hit in Europe but a widely regarded dud in the U.S. Set aside the title if you're a fan of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel because this movie in no way follows any part of the original book's plot. As a stand alone film however, it is a rather inviting piece of confection with Flynn doing his swordplay and slick one liners on lavish sets and with the brilliant photography of Jack Cardiff much to his benefit. Warner Home Video gives us a nice looking DVD transfer of this would be masterpiece. Edge enhancement does crop up now and then but nothing that will terribly distract one from enjoying the film. Colors are rich and nicely balanced. Blacks are deep. Age related artifacts are kept to a minimum. Over all, a clean visual presentation. The audio is mono but very well balanced and nicely restored.
EXTRAS: a photo gallery and some other toss away stuff.
BOTTOM LINE: This is an Errol Flynn movie - perhaps "the" Errol Flynn movie of the 1950's. It's overblown handling of the subject matter is in tune with the 1950's need for bigger entertainment. But at 89 min. and minus the author's original intent, I only recommend this movie to die hard Flynn fans. But hey, Warner Brothers - how about giving us a few of Errol's truly memorable classics on DVD - "Charge of the Light Brigade", "Dodge City", "Captain Blood" and "They Died With Their Boots On" come to mind.
Movie Review: HIGHLANDER ROGUE PIRATE - NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN FLYNN
Summary: 4 Stars
Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling tale is given the royal Hollywood treatment as Errol Flynn plays Ballantrae Castle's Jamie Durisdeer. A courageous Highlander turned pirate to gain riches for his beloved home. A costume adventure that leaps out at you with it's breathtaking color and rousing score. Flynn is not as young here as he appeared in earlier outings such as, "The Sea Hawk" and "Captain Blood," but he's as entertaining as ever and top notch in his sword fighting scenes. Flynn is to wed his true love, however, his brother, played by Anthony Steel, is in love with her too. As the story progresses, Flynn gets betrayed to the British, and believes it was his own brother that did it. Beatrice Campbell and Yvonne Furneaux play Flynn's love interests. Once again Warner Bros. has done an exceptional job transferring the film to dvd, it looks amazing. I highly recommend this movie, as well as the "Errol Flynn Signature Collection" box set, which contains five great movies and a documentary of Flynn's career. The swashbuckler's "Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk" are included here, plus a fine period piece, "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex," co-starring the legendary Bette Davis. I also recommend the 1952 Stewart Granger adventure, "Scaramouche," En garde!Movie Review: A Good, Poorly Known Swashbuckler
Summary: 4 Stars
Errol Flynn was the master of swashbucklers and this one is a good example why. He slashes a swath through Scotland, down into the Caribean and back to Scotland again. The action takes place in the highlands, aboard pirate ships and in exotic parts. It involves love lost and lovers scorned. Brother is pitted against brother and treachery plays its part. It has all the elements and makes the most of them.
Flynn plays a Scottish noble. When the Jacobin rebellion reignites for the climax, the noble family hatches a plan for its own security. One son will fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie and the other will remain loyal to German George. That way, whichever way the rebellion goes, the family's title will remain safe. Flynn plays the elder, Jacobite son and his side loses. A personal betrayal makes the situation even more tenuous. Flynn has to flee the country for his life. The rest of the story concerns his ability to return to his love, and seek vengeance for his betrayal.
The action is pretty constant is this one and well done. The obligatory swooping around on available rigging, drapes etc. is present as is the swordplay. It's a winner.