Der Freibeuter

The exciting story of two brothers, Scottish noblemen whose family is torn apart by the Jacobite rising of 1745 , rallying all the nobles and chieftains of all the Scottish clans supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie . Bonnie Prince Charlie raises his royal standard on the 19th of August 1745 and claims the crowns of England , Scotland and Ireland in front of a gathering of Scottish nobles and chieftains . The Jacobite Rebellion has begun . During the succession debacle, the House of Stuart received the support of their Catholic subjects , while King George II of the House of Hanover had the support of the Protestants . Catholic France supported the House of Stuart's claim to the English , Scottish and Irish thrones. And there took place Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culludon . Flynn plays as the forceful Jacobite Jamie Durrister , the heir to Scottish title who sets off wearing the white cockade, the symbol of the cause , and he gets involved in a rebellion with Bonnie Prince Charlie against the English Crown , then the riot fails . Flynn heads for the west Indies where he and his partner and faithful servant (Roger Livesey) undertake several adventures . As Jamie accompanied by his new friend Irishman Francis Burke find themselves on board a smugglers ship . Both of them amass quite a fortune through piracy . As he becomes a pirate and fights against the French Capt. Arnaud (Jacques Berthier). Meanwhile, Jamie winning ways in fair ladies . Jamie eventually returns to Scotland where he finds that his brother has taken over his title as well as his longtime sweetheart . The outrageous Master Jamie is torn between vengeance and brotherhood , versus his brother Henry Durie (Anthony Steel) who has more traditional values and social wiles . The enmity between the fraternal rivals and the love, for both , of the stalwart Lady Alison (Beatrice Campbell) is also a main theme .

This is an amusing rendition based on vintage book , set in 18th century Scotland , during the Jacobite Rebellion ; as the plot revolves around what happens after the brothers toss a coin to see who joins Prince Charlie and who remains to oversee the family estate . The screenplay may not be entirely correct in detail but the portrayal of the Jacobite Rebellion is both very accurate and insightful , surprisingly good for a Hollywood film . Colorful flick developing deeds about battle of Culludon and subsequent events with superb cinematography in Tecnicolor by Jack Cardiff and powerful score by William Alwyn . This classic story of romantic adventure , filmed in location , comes to life enriched by the brilliant photography , as the color of the Scotland's fields is stunning and being freely based on historical facts . A good clean fun with a legendary Scottish adventurer against the British army , the Red Coats . It is a fun adventure movie that certainly hits the mark ; being plenty of action , thrills , brilliant costumes and catching score ; all meld together under William Keighley 's fine direction along with a frankly excellent support cast . Combination of overwhelming battles , and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . Master of swashbuckling , Flynn could happily have found a better vehicle for his faculties than this entertaining rendition . Flynn's sword flashes as often as his smile . Well played by Errol who starred various ¨Sword and Swagger¨ films and was superstar of Warner Brothers swashbucklers . Although Errol isn't nearly at his most agile and deft style . Errol Flynn was 43 when he made this movie , but his wild lifestyle had diminished his health and made him less able to perform his own stunts , as he had in earlier films . Previously , Flynn made his best swashbucklers and played successes as ¨Captain Blood¨ , ¨Adventures of Robin Hood¨, ¨The prince and the pauper¨ , ¨Sea Hawk¨, ¨The private lives of Elizabeth and Essex¨ , ¨Gentleman Jim¨ . Flynn also performed some Westerns as ¨Dodge City¨, ¨Virginia City¨, ¨Santa Fe Trail¨, ¨They died with their boots on¨, ¨San Antonio¨, ¨Silver River¨ , ¨Montana¨. And wartime movies as ¨Objective Burma¨, ¨Norhern pursuit¨, ¨Dive Bomber¨ , ¨Edge of darkness¨ , ¨Desperate journey¨. Errol Flynn's last film for Warner Bros before he was released from his contract in 1952 , he had been with the studio for 18 years . Nevertheless, Flynn's riotous life had put him long past his peak swashbuckling days , as this movie unfortunately demonstrates it , and the 43-year-old Errol was generally felt to look too old to play the dashing young hero .

The Scottish Highlands are a treat for your eyes in glamorous Technicolor similarly to recent TV series ¨Outlander¨ . Being luxuriously shot by Cardiff who also directed some pictures and including a sensitive as well as thrilling musical score . The movie was well made by William Keighley who shot Noir Films : ¨Each dawn I die¨, ¨Ladies they talk about¨,¨ The Street with no name¨, ¨G men¨, ¨Bullets and ballots¨ ; Costumer : ¨The prince and the pauper¨; Drama : ¨Green pastures¨, comedy : ¨The bride came COD¨, ¨the man who came to dinner¨, ¨George Washington slept here¨ and adventure : ¨The Master of Balantry¨ . However , this film would be a failure and panned by critics ; it is , nowadays , best considered . The flick will appeal to adventures buffs .

Other retelling about this popular novel are : TV movie 1984 by Douglas Hickox with Michael York , John Gielgud , Ian Richardson , Timothy Dalton , Nickolas Grace , Finola Hughes , Ed Bishop , Brian Blessed , Nick Brimble ; TV series , 1975 , with Brian Cox , Julian Glover , Brigit Forsyth , Fulton Mackay and TV series , 1962 , with John Breslin ,John Cairney ,Hilary Thomson .

I wasn't expecting too much of this later Errol Flynn vehicle, especially as it was taking on one of my favourite authors, my fellow-countryman Robert Louis Stevenson. However, while some of my fears were justified, on the whole I was well satisfied with this irreverent, knockabout swashbuckler.

It probably helps that it's years and years since I read the novel plus the movie also gained big "brownie-points" with me for not calling my countrymen "Scotchmen" and basically by filling up any pauses in the story with big action set-pieces, so that any gripes I may have had about authenticity and truth to source evaporated.

On the down side, there's no question that old Errol was getting on a bit, especially for this type of part. He seems far too old to be his brother's brother, if you follow me, never mind the rakish playboy figure he cuts at the start of the movie. That said, he's still undoubtedly a handsome man, in reasonable shape and still able to leap aboard a pirate ship or engage in a sword-fight to the death with almost the old panache. He's well supported by Roger Livesey who hams it up royally as an Irish adventurer (does anyone in this movie speak in their native dialect?).

On the debit side are devices like the stentorian-voiced announcer who makes "voice of God" interjections it seems every 15 minutes, the complete lack of suspense at Flynn's two supposed early demises (as if...!) and I can't resist saying it after all, the complete lack of even one authentic Scottish accent - Flynn doesn't even try. (I've checked the cast-list and not one is Scots-born!)

But with Jack Cardiff's sparkling photography (every frame seems bathed in an almost Rubens-ian like golden-light), some good if not "Robin Hood" - vintage sword-play and similarly good if not "Captain Blood" - vintage action on the pirate-ship, the movie proceeds with the pace of a page-turning Stevenson novel and before you know it you're at the finish as Flynn, Livesey (and Beatrice Campbell as his lover Lady Alison) evade the English Army's hangman's rope (hurrah!) and make their dramatic escape over the hills and far away.

A bit two for the price of one then, pirate action coupled with a historical-costume swashbuckler. Personally I rather enjoyed it and will consciously now not avoid, as I have been doing, Flynn's post-war work. More "used-to-be" than "has-been" and there is a difference.

Flynn, though pickled and clearly the worse for wear, gives a fine performance here. In fact, his haggard features compliment his role as a defeated war veteran. You`ll see little of the humour and athletic prowess of Flynn`s early movies, but it`s a grand experience none the less. The supporting cast are fine, especially Livesy. But the leading lady is not up to Flynn`s standard. Olivia should have made a comeback for this one. That said, Flynn does engage in some obviously stunt-doubled sword play. However, he is neither as humorous, mischevious or as boyish as he was before. 8/10

In the early 50s, the major Hollywood studios produced many movies in Europe, as it was cheaper to make 'quality' films there, utilizing foreign labor. IVANHOE, QUO VADIS, and ROMAN HOLIDAY were a few memorable titles shot overseas, and when the WB chose to make the last of Errol Flynn's films for the studio, THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE, in England, no one was happier than Flynn, himself. His career grinding to a halt, his finances in disarray, he had left America with creditors at his heels, finding that in Europe, he was still considered bankable, and his name still had marquee value. He hoped that starring in a swashbuckler (only his second since 1948's ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN) might revive his career, and open doors as he began to freelance. Unfortunately, years of self-neglect had taken it's toll on his appearance and energy, and even the most careful of lighting would no longer create a youthful illusion. At 44, Flynn showed all of his years, and lacked the acrobatic grace that had made his earlier swashbucklers so memorable.

Very loosely based on a Robert Lewis Stevenson novel, with elements of CAPTAIN BLOOD thrown in for good measure, Flynn is Jamie Durrisdeer, the hedonistic eldest son of a Scottish lord, who, after a coin toss, leaves to fight alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie, while his younger brother, Henry, 'plays nice' with the British, in order to save their estate. After the Scottish army is defeated, he finds himself a fugitive, allies himself with Irish mercenary Col. Francis Burke (a scene-stealing performance by Roger Livesey), and sneaks home to borrow money to flee to France. After a tearful reunion with his lady love (Beatrice Campbell, who was certainly no threat to Olivia de Havilland as a Flynn leading lady), Jamie awaits brother Henry's arrival, with funds, on the coast...only to be betrayed, barely escaping with his life. Burke takes the wounded Jamie onboard a waiting ship, only to be informed that the destination is the Caribbean, not France. The pair had been shanghaied!

After a series of events very reminiscent of CAPTAIN BLOOD, Jamie becomes a successful buccaneer, defeating a French rival in combat. Single-mindedly on a mission of vengeance, he returns home to Scotland to confront the brother who had 'betrayed' him...

At a brief 90 minutes, the pace never falters, and the cinematography, by Jack Cardiff, is rich and vivid (and so impressed Flynn that he hired Cardiff to film and direct his 'pet' project, an adventure film about William Tell...which was, sadly, never completed, as Flynn went bankrupt).

While THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE was certainly not of a caliber with Flynn's best swashbucklers, it was undeniably the best film that the WB had assigned him to since THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN. Unfortunately, the reviews were lukewarm, at best, and the film was largely ignored.

For all intent and purpose, Errol Flynn was 'washed up' in America. He would not make another American film for four years...a sad state of affairs for a man who, just a few years earlier, had been the toast of Hollywood!

The Master of Ballantrae is one of those films that can be enjoyed on its own merits, providing that viewers don't spend the entire duration comparing it to the book by Robert Louis Stevenson.

As an adaptation of The Master of Ballantrae, the film will disappoint as the book's story is almost changed beyond recognition, the characters are reduced to stereotypes (though thankfully still likable ones that are enough to make the story still engaging enough) and the tragic elements of the story are sidelined. However, viewing it on its own terms, while nowhere near one of Errol Flynn's best films, it is decent with its fun and charms.

Starting with the good points, and there are a good many here, what definitely stands out is the vividly colourful cinematography, which captures the elegant costumes and handsomely rendered settings perfectly. William Alwyn's music score is appropriately rousing and bombastic, it's no Korngold but it suits the film very well and adds a lot to it. Smart, witty scripting, some slick action (including the very amusing pirate scenes) and an easy-going chemistry between Errol Flynn and Roger Livesey are further things to like, as are the more than able direction and the generally fun and thrilling second half. In the supporting roles, Roger Livesey really comes to hugely enjoyable life in the type of role associated with Alan Hale, and the rest of the cast do credibly, including lovely leading lady Beatrice Campbell.

For all those good things however, The Master of Ballantrae also has its faults. Despite his gallant charm, twinkling eyes and dashing smile, Flynn is not in his best form here, he looks out of shape from his drinking and fatigued and the action lacks his usual enthusiastic energy. He does handle the more dramatic scenes reasonably well though. Didn't care for the narration either, the news report delivery felt out of place and it wasn't very necessary either and ground the first half to a standstill in places. More show and less tell would have made things better. The first half has a good deal of fun and charm but the second half is noticeably crisper in pace. And while one shouldn't expect another Adventures of Robin Hood or Adventures of Don Juan climax, the climax here was rather anaemically choreographed and lacked excitement.

All in all, decent with a lot of good merits but a little disappointing for Flynn and Stevenson fans. 6/10 Bethany Cox