Captain Blood (1935)

Up that rigging, you monkeys! Aloft! There's no chains to hold you now. Break out those sails and watch them fill with the wind that's carrying us all to freedom! 

Peter Blood is a physician with the unfortunate luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He treats a patient involved in the Monmouth Rebellion, attempting to overthrow the of King of England and gets caught up amongst the rebels. For his involvement by association he's branded a traitor and sentenced to death. His fate is commuted though when the king is persuaded to sell the prisoners into slavery for profit and thus begins the long descent for Blood who protests his innocence at every opportunity, imagining every man shares the same scruples as himself. It's only upon arriving in Port Royal and encountering Arabella Bishop and her father the governor that Blood comes to realize the permanence and inherent danger in his situation. Arabella grows attached and does her best to help him but his pride gets in the way and when given the opportunity for escape and revenge he takes it, becoming the pirate of the title.

This was the movie that really introduced Errol Flynn to the world. Before this he had only played bit parts, non-speaking and supporting roles. This was his first starring part in America and boy what an entrance it was. He was charismatic and energetic, his big smile and bright laugh lighting up the screen. And there's no doubting the chemistry between him and Olivia de Havilland, despite the lack of development for her character.

The film also stars Basil Rathbone as a rival pirate captain and there's a great 'swashbuckling' scene between the two. Rathbone was actually a recreational fencer in his free time so if a real fight had broken out he would likely have wiped the floor with Flynn.

As well the film benefits from an epic sweeping soundtrack by Erich Korngold, lending some majesty to scenes with a thinner budget. It also gives the film a fighting chance against another swashbuckler of better quality made in the same year "Mutiny on the Bounty" though the latter would beat it out for Best Picture.

One complaint would be that the film is rather feast or famine when it comes to pacing and plot. The good parts come in waves and with the film nearly three hours long it can drag at times. This leads to a lack of tension and even Flynn can't distract from this. Though the film received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing and Best Sound Editing there were better naval films made in the same year which makes this feel like a diet pirate movie.

Thank you, Jeeves - PG Wodehouse

”You know, the longer I live, the more I feel that the great wheeze in life is to be jolly well sure what you want and not let yourself be put off by pals who think they know better than you do."

Bertie Wooster has become enamoured of the banjolele but is getting nothing but grief from his neighbours and his valet Jeeves. After a severe disagreement about the instrument causes Jeeves to leave his service, Bertie departs for the country to practice in peace. He gets caught up in the affairs of his good friend “Chuffy”, current employer of Jeeves, and manages to accidentally get himself engaged to the woman “Chuffy” loves. Madcap hijinks ensue, leaving Bertie to fend for himself without the stalwart advice of his gentleman’s gentleman.

This is the second Wodehouse book I’ve read and the first full-length novel. I had high expectations and to my disappointment found that it didn’t measure up to ”The Inimitable Jeeves”. I don’t know whether it was the fact it was written more than ten years later or that it was a full length story rather than many short stories but I actually found myself getting bored with the story. It wasn’t bad per se, it just wasn’t very good. There were long stretches where I thought the diction and dialogue could have used punching up and the whimsy that I had so enjoyed before was missing. There were several things I found off-putting, not least of which was the continued reference to blackface and racist terms that not only severely date the book but also leave a sour taste after I’d finished the book.

That’s not to say there weren’t enjoyable parts in the book. There were some great lines Bertie spouted off at random, echoing Wodehouse’s genius.

”He uttered a coarse expression which I wouldn't have thought he would have known. It just shows that you can bury yourself in the country and still somehow acquire a vocabulary. No doubt one picks up things from the neighbours -- the vicar, the local doctor, the man who brings the milk, and so on.”

"I hadn't heard the door open, but the man was on the spot once more. My private belief, as I think I have mentioned before, is that Jeeves doesn't have to open doors. He's like one of those birds in India who bung their astral bodies about--the chaps, I mean, who having gone into thin air in Bombay, reassemble the parts and appear two minutes later in Calcutta. Only some such theory will account for the fact that he's not there one moment and is there the next. He just seems to float from Spot A to Spot B like some form of gas.”

I think the main complaint and problem is the Jeeves-Wooster balance is missing. The best part of these books is the back and forth between Bertie and his valet. Usually Bertie’s done something foolish and Jeeves must reel him in to point out the error of his ways. For a large part of this book the two are separated. Granted Bertie sneaks over to ask Jeeves’ opinion on occasion but Bertie is mostly left to fend for himself, therefore creating a very bland story. It’s fries without ketchup, cake without icing, toast without jam, etc. The two of them work best together. I also found the fact that the entire plot hinged on the banjolele being a hated instrument very annoying. Surely there was another way to get Bertie out to the country without ditching Jeeves. Perhaps they could have disagreed with something after reaching the cottage?

Ultimately I think I was spoiled by "The Inimitable Jeeves" which I previously reviewed. It was just better overall so if you are looking to read a Jeeves & Wooster book I would suggest that one.

Rating: 2.5/5