Duello a S. Antonio

Once it was established that ERROL FLYNN could fit the mold of a western hero (even with his Australian/British accent), his studio wasted no time in putting him through the paces of several westerns, the best of which was DODGE CITY ('39). By the time he did SAN ANTONIO, all the western clichés were pretty well used up, so what we have here is a routine storyline that gives Flynn a chance to play another one of his suave western heroes who romances the local dance hall girl (ALEXIS SMITH) so we get a chance to hear a couple of pretty tunes along the way.

It's a shame that Warners had so little faith in Alexis' singing prowess that they dubbed her voice for the musical interludes. She went on to become an accomplished dancer/singer on Broadway in the years ahead. Nicest number is "Some Sunday Morning" which actually got an Oscar nomination as Best Song.

The usual cast of competent Warner contract players is evident once again: John Litel, S.Z. Sakall, Paul Kelly, Tom Tyler (wasted in a small role), Florence Bates and Victor Francen. Conspicuously missing is Alan Hale, who usually played Flynn's sidekick.

With a jaunty score by Max Steiner (who borrows his own title theme from DODGE CITY), this is the kind of western you've seen many times before, but enhanced by some of the nicest Technicolor and set decorations to be seen in any Warner film of this period.

Errol Flynn fans will enjoy it as one of his lesser excursions into the western genre. Fast moving and breezy entertainment.

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 .

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 a lively movie, with a lot going for it: two very attractive leads who look good together, beautiful Technicolor, enjoyably unsubtle and melodic Max Steiner score, good villains. It's a Saturday-afternoon kind of film, best accompanied with a bucket of buttered popcorn. The script isn't inspired, but it moves, and the big fight sequence toward the end is quite spectacular and well choreographed, and made me really appreciate the contributions of stunt players in this kind of film.

Alexis Smith is gorgeous and well-costumed, if a bit reserved, and gets to lip-sync two very pretty songs. There was always something very identifiable about Warner Bros. orchestration for musical numbers--a cheeky brassiness. Errol Flynn is characteristically cheeky in his own slightly self-mocking way, as when he carries on a conversation while interspersing it with bits of a romantic song, also strumming a guitar. Florence Bates does a reprise of her "mentor to the female lead" from "Saratoga Trunk." Victor Francen and Paul Kelly make a good, hissable pair of bad guys.

After a layoff of four years from the American west, Errol Flynn returns to the western genre in a stylish film about post Civil War Texas and a man looking for some justice for himself and his fellow cattle ranchers. Errol's been in exile in Mexico, but he's back now with the evidence against cattle rustling Paul Kelly who is the local boss of the San Antonio area.

Flynn makes it to San Antonio and in the process hooks up with entertainer Alexis Smith and her two retainers Florence Bates and S.Z. Sakall, a pair of the biggest scene stealers that the movies ever had. Smith is appearing at Kelly's saloon there, courtesy of his partner Victor Francen for whom she worked back in New Orleans. Francen's an ambitious sort and wants to cash in Kelly's other businesses besides the saloon. So we've got two villains working their own agendas at cross purposes whom Flynn has to deal with.

Errol Flynn did a total of eight westerns, but only San Antonio got any kind of recognition from the Academy. San Antonio was nominated for two Oscars, for Art&Set Decoration for a color film and for Best Song with Some Sunday Morning which Alexis Smith sings in a saloon scene. The song is a good one, Dick Haymes had a record of it that sold quite a bit back in the day.

All the cast had to keep on their toes with both Florence Bates and S.Z. Sakall in the cast. Especially 'Cuddles' Sakall. Part of the plot involves Sakall witnessing the murder of Flynn's friend and ally John Litel and being intimidated by the bad guys. With his eye rolling and fractured English, Sakall is at his best in San Antonio.

For the traditional western fan there's enough gunplay and fights to satisfy anyone. Flynn has a nice triangular shootout with both Kelly and Francen at the Alamo ruins, each man trying to get the other two for their own reasons. I say ruins because the chapel had not been restored yet as a historical monument as it is now in downtown San Antonio.

As for the film, San Antonio is a most satisfying western for both fans of the genre and Errol Flynn.