San Antonio

While not the best of Flynn's westerns, San Antonio offers appealing players a lavish budget, and plenty of action. It was the Christmas offering from Warner Bros., and, perhaps due to the returning G.I.'s, the highest grossing film Flynn ever made (in its original release). Some good music helps, as does the chemistry between Errol and Alexis Smith. Raoul Walsh is uncredited for some of the direction, and I speculate the action scenes are those he worked on.

San Antonio is directed by David Butler and written by Alan Le May and W. R. Burnett. It stars Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Paul Kelly, S.Z. Sakall, Florence Bates and Victor Francen. Music is by Max Steiner and cinematography by Bert Glennon.

It's always interesting to compare Errol Flynn's Westerns, his work in a genre he was not overly fond of. Depending on your Western genre proclivities of course, there's a mix of the old fashioned type, where Errol flirts and is heroic, or the more serious ones where his heroism is underplayed. San Antonio is the former.

Plot has Flynn as Clay Hardin, who is the man who can prove that town impresario Roy Stuart (Kelly) is the man responsible for the rampant cattle rustling going on in the state. There's agendas gnawing away in the plot, romantic dalliances that bring the delightful Alexis Smith into prominence, and of course there's frothy comedy light relief - the proviso here is if Sakall and Bates' thing doesn't irritate you?

Flynn is ace, athletic with a handsomeness that's rarely been bettered in Hollywood, to which here he's on lovable rascal form, playing off of Smith with appealing skill. Smith is a strong foil for her leading man, holding her end up in both stern characteristics and comedy angles. While it's always great to find Kelly in a villain role, here getting his teeth into it for much viewing reward.

Unfortunately this really could have done with a better director, the blend of drama and comedy seemingly uneasy in Butler's hands. The big denouement between hero and villain is a damp squib, which is a shame as we are in the ruins of The Alamo, a poignant piece of architecture that positively demands a more extended and vigorous finale. Elsewhere, Glennon's photography is pleasing if lacking in exterior splendours, and Steiner's score will sound familiar to anyone already familiar with his work.

Gloriously pretty, vibrant and colourful, it's well weighted with good production values and a solid cast, but as fun as it is it does lack some urgency ingredients to be great. 7/10

"San Antonio", directed by David Butler must have been a vehicle for the handsome, and debonair Errol Flynn, who could do nothing wrong during that period of his career. Warner Bros. went all out to make this film that has a little bit of everything to please the fans of the Western genre.

The surprise of the film was Alexis Smith, who was at the height of her beauty at the time. She makes a wonderful Jeanne Starr, an entertainer, who is the center of attraction among the men one sees in the film. Not only was she a gorgeous woman who blended well with her screen partners, in this case with Mr. Flynn.

The supporting cast does good work under Mr. Butler's direction. The adorable S. Z. Sakall is wonderful as the conductor of the orchestra in the saloon where Jeanne plays. Also, Glorence Bates, an accomplished character actress appears as Jeanne's maid, Henrietta. Also in heavier roles Victor Francen and Paul Kelly do wonders with their evil roles.

"San Antonio" has kept its wonderful colors. Max Steiner's musical score also helps the action.

I noticed that "San Antonio" was nominated for two Oscars and won none.The first it deserved i.e. Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color. Yes indeed, that saloon bawdy house was done impeccably,rich and lavishly. The second nomination was unwarranted--Best Music, Original Song "Some Sunday Morning" Ray Heindorf (music), M.K. Jerome (music) & Ted Koehler (lyrics. You can go crazy from that song. Every time a stagecoach moved, it moved with it in the background. EVERY TIME. THE WHOLE PICTURE. Then what do you think Alexis Smith, the saloon chanteuse sings? Right--same thing. And after she's done, what does a male quartet sing? Right again. It's not a bad tune but OVER and OVER and OVER....Good Grief!

The film's about the wild wild west of the mid 1800s. So my question is this: Errol Flynn has an English accent; S.Z. Sakall has a Hungarian accent and villain Victor Francen has a French accent. Now don't get me wrong; I'm neither xenophobic nor bigoted because my own father was a European immigrant but he didn't wear a ten gallon hat and carry a Colt .45 either. What do Europeans have to do with a story of the rootin' tootin' shootin' wild west? Sorry but Mr. Flynn who speaks like someone out of Oxford doesn't belong with the tumbleweed crowd.

The plot is all about revenge as are so many films. There is a quasi-romantic angle of course because of the gorgeous Alexis Smith who was one of Hollywood's great natural beauties and quite surprisingly, a very good job is done by John Litel who is Flynn's best friend.

I rated the film a 6 because it's neither great nor rotten; has excellent color and holds your interest. One thing--they showed too many cattle and not enough Alexis Smith.

Good and handsome Western , though trite script , it stars an excellent Errol Flynn , about usual conflict about cattlemen . Set in a post-US/Mexico war San Antonio de Bejar location from the freeway in which takes place a strong confrontation among leaders of the cattlemen . Here Hardin (Errol Flynn) is opposed by a local rancher as well as rich cattleman , Stuart (Paul Kelly) . While other cattle barons attempt to keep their cows from nubbing away at the far grass . Now Hardin as a tough person trying to calm the conflict between cattlemen and homesteaders . Gorgeous dance hall performer Jeanne Starr (Alexis Smith) along with her manager (S.Z. Sakall) arrive in San Antonio under contract to play at a Saloon as a singer for Stuart (Paul Kelly) and Legare (Victor Francen) but she is clearly smitten with the good-looking Hardin . When the army is called away , Hardin and his followers are left on their own to defend themselves . Meanwhile , Hardin has taken one of Stuart's tally books that clearly proves he was selling cattle that didn't belong to him .Strong Men . . . Brave Men . . . Real Americans - and their Women! Adventure of the Century ¡ America's most glorious adventure ¡

It deals with the classic cattlemen feud and it gets Western action , shootouts , a love story , street showdown gunfight and being quite entertaining . There is a love story when Flynn falls for an explosive girl working in a dance hall who turns out to be a domineering woman turning over a new leaf on meeting the good guy . This relationship between Hardin/Flynn and Jeanne Starr/Alexis Smith turns out to be very enjoyable romance and she quickly decides that Hardin has a much better name than other suitors but keeps them apart , then the violent conflicts emerge . It's a medium budget film with nice actors , technicians , production values and pleasing results . Including a breathtaking battle beween Errol and villain Kelly at the finish . The film is totally set in San Antonio territory , there took place The Alamo Battle , it was the first of the major territories in Mexico frontier , it was a booming depot , including cattle drives and shipping some Longhorns and meat markets . With the numerous presence of homesteaders the towns prospered , stabilized and grew , its lawabiding citizens decided to discourage the troublesome cattle trade with his transient cowboys and early requested the cattlemen to drive their herds elsewhere . Well played by Errol Flynn who starred various ¨Sword and Swagger¨ films and was superstar of Warner Brothers swashbucklers . Errol is still nearly at his most agile and deft style . This was Flynn attempting to pick up where he left off in 1941 when a series of war films succeeded the superbly organized Westerns and swashbucklers that made him his name . Errol Flynn was 40 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¨. And wartime movies as ¨Objective Burma¨, ¨Norhern pursuit¨, ¨Dive Bomber¨ , ¨Edge of darkness¨ , ¨Desperate journey¨. Flynn's subsequent vehicles at Warner Bros confirmed the beginning of his decline . Nonetheless , the hand of filmmaker Michael Curtiz who made almost all Errol's best films before their wrangling grew too much for either man to take , is sorely missed .Flynn is well accompanied by a good support cast , such as : Paul Kelly , Victor Francen , Florence Bates , Monte Blue , Robert Barrat , Pedro De Cordoba , Tom Tyler and special mention for the always likeable S.Z. Sakall .

It contains a glowing good Technicolor cinematography from two magnificent directors of photography : Bert Glennon and William V. Skall . It packs a thrilling and moving musical score by two greatest composers Max Steiner and Erich Wolfgang Korngold , the latter uncredited . The motion picture was directed in sure visual eye and with action enough . The yarn well produced by Robert Buckner/Jack L. Warner was professionally directed by David Butler . David was a craftsman who directed several Westerns . He was a good craftsman who directed all kinds of genres with special penchant for comedy , musical and drama . As he directed : April in Paris , Tea for two , Playmates , Doubting Thomas , Caught in the draft , The story of Seabiscuit , Lullaby in Broadway , The princess and the pirate , Captain January , The road to Morocco , and Westerns as : San Antonio and his greatest hit : Calamity Jane .