They Died with Their Boots On

Starring:Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, Charley Grapewin, Gene Lockhart, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Ridges, John Litel, Walter Hampden, Sydney Greenstreet, Regis Toomey, Hattie McDaniel, G.P. Huntley, Frank Wilcox, Joe Sawyer, Minor Watson, Addison Richards, Robert Schoenhut Sr., Steve Darrell, Russell Hicks
Director: Raoul Walsh, B. Reeves Eason, Robert Clampett
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

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Errol Flynn is one of those names that define movie stardom. Chiseled good looks that stopped just short of being preposterous. A brash and jaunty manner that charmed men and women alike. Whiffs of bad-boy scandal offscreen that only enhanced his legend (not for nothing did "In like Flynn" become a national catchphrase!). And enough marquee-worthy titles that in memory's ear ring like classics.

Flynn's stardom wasn't on a par with the richly ambiguous artistry of Cary Grant, or the deep, enduring heroic legacy of John Wayne, or the indelible character work amassed by Flynn's Warner Bros. contemporaries Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, and Edward G. Robinson. Still, this most celebrated of Tasmanian devils was a one-of-a-kind, often raffishly entertaining icon of Hollywood in the '30s and '40s who played a big part in making the golden age glow. And for most of us, to say "swashbuckler" is to conjure up Flynn's wolfish grin above a rapier, director Mike Curtiz's wall-filling shadows of dueling men, and the symphonic, trumpet-filled music scores of Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Stardom came swiftly. After two small-part assignments at Warners, the studio awarded Flynn the title role in Captain Blood (1935)--in retrospect, a sort of rough draft for his most beloved movie, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938; not in this collection). The hero, an Irish-born physician wrongly convicted of treason during the reign of King James, is sentenced to a life of slavery in Jamaica. In short order he's charmed his new master's niece (the bright-eyed Olivia De Havilland, Maid Marian-to-be) and contrived an escape with his rebel comrades to become lusty, albeit passionately populist, buccaneers. The film's budget was clearly limited (there's a stark absence of horizons in the tropic and seagoing scenes), but director Curtiz's camerawork cunningly evokes the ever-present tilting and rolling of life aboard ship. Much-Oscar-nominated, the movie certified Flynn as the Douglas Fairbanks of the sound era--even in blond tresses and without what would become his signatory mustache.

If Captain Blood became the Flynn-Curtiz prototype for swashbucklers, The Sea Hawk was the last, luxury model off the line. Warners was always wired in to the zeitgeist, and this 1940 movie about English privateers saving Queen Elizabeth's island nation from the Spanish Armada does double duty as an in-Der-Fuehrer's-face allegory of the looming world war. No blank horizons here, and every wall sports a towering map of a world ripe for conquest. Slickness is all: Claude Rains and Henry Daniell are impeccably devious diplomats, and Sol Polito's black-and-white cinematography shifts into sultry sepiatone when the Sea Hawks sneak off to the tropics on a transatlantic espionage mission. (As for Flynn's mission, his swashbuckling would hereafter be confined to contemporary war pictures for the duration.)

He also saddled up for some lively Westerns. Dodge City (1939) is a knock-down, drag-out barn-burner in brassy Technicolor, with Flynn as a trail boss reluctantly turned town marshal. Curtiz directs yet again, with flair if not necessarily historical conviction, and the presence of Robin Hood costars Olivia De Havilland and Alan Hale (Little John) is virtually mandatory by this point. Ripe villainy is supplied by Bruce Cabot and--substituting, perhaps, for the un-frontier-worthy Basil Rathbone--the fox-faced Victor Jory.

They Died with Their Boots On (1942) is filled with spectacular Civil War and cavalry action, though its hagiographic treatment of George Armstrong Custer should set historically enlightened viewers on the warpath. Nonetheless, it features Flynn's most interesting performance in the collection. Whereas Curtiz was the ideal director for the star in boy's-own-adventure mode, Raoul Walsh elicited more nuanced work from him (see especially their wonderful Gentleman Jim, not included in this collection), and the scenes between Flynn and Olivia De Havilland achieve a tenderness that deepens with each reel. The magic-hour cinematography is by veteran John Ford cameraman Bert Glennon.

And that--apart from a new documentary feature, The Adventures of Errol Flynn--leaves The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939). Sad to say, that doesn't leave much. Bette Davis (taking the role Flora Robson played in The Sea Hawk) and Flynn (as the English knight the not-so-Virgin Queen loved but feared as a rival) have zero chemistry; she delivers a mannered performance only a Bette Davis impersonator could love, and Flynn demonstrates how stiff he could be (no pun intended) when clueless about his material. In fairness to both, the movie is a static adaptation of a very repetitious and declamatory Maxwell Anderson play. Its inclusion here is notable only as a vast technical improvement on the long-ago VHS release. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Errol Flynn Signature Collection.......2007-06-08

I have loved Errol Flynn movies since I was a girl.He is the best looking pirate ever and in Robin Hood the green tights!Cowboy movies are great too!

Errol Flynn deserves more professional recognition than the Academy ever gave him........2007-05-21

My favorite here is "They Died with Their Boots On". Yes,the history is all wrong, but watch as Flynn takes Custer from a prankster West Point plebe to a brave and focused military leader. de Havilland's acting is, again, superb. Her entrance scene is great comic timing. The chemistry between de Havilland and Flynn is jarring here, as each must have felt this was to be their final pairing on screen. Flynn's climb to her balcony and their embrace is reminiscient of their love scene in "Robin Hood." The Custer-Libby farewell is almost painful to watch. The intimacy of that scene makes me think I should not be watching. As de Havilland (Libby) places his belt around Flynn's (Custer's) waist, he looks at her with such longing and sadness. This is more than acting, as this pair brings their film and personal relationship full circle. Why doesn't Warners show these movies on the big screen instead of the slasher movies that are released every year between the Oscar broadcast and the summer block-busters? I think they would bring in a large, multi-age audience.

An excellent addition to any video library.

They don't make'm like this anymore.......2007-05-12

If you like old movies then buy this boxed set. Here is the original action hero. After all these years he's still cool as hell. Great movies in this set at a very good price.

Great Gift.......2007-03-15

I bought this product as a gift for my mother. She loved it.

Flynn flies again.......2007-03-04

Once again, Warner Brothers have done a great job issuing 5 excellent films of the magnetic Errol Flynn. For a ten year period, from 1935 to 1945, Flynn reigned highly at the box office before his personal life began to effect his work and appearance. These films are all from his peak.

- "Captain Blood", made in 1935, is a stirring swashbuckler which launched his stardom and his screen partnership with the beautiful and talented Olivia de Havilland.
- "Dodge City" from 1939 is an all encompassing Western with all stops pulled out. Bar room brawls, beautiful vistas of wide open spaces, a steam train chase, a cattle stampede and more in glorious technicolour. Flynn was not a natural western star with the accent but plot contrivances allow for that.
- In 1939, "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" was really a Bette Davis vehicle and Flynn flounders against Davis's intensity.
- For 1940, the long awaited follow up to "Captain Blood" appeared. "The Sea Hawk" is superior in every way including Flynn's growth in self confidence.
- Made in 1942, "They Died with their Boots on" is a fictional tale of General Custer and Flynn is his usual heroic self but not really convincing as a real historical figure. This was his last film with an overweight De Havilland and their relationship is very moving here.

The prints are excellent but "Captain Blood" shows some wear and tear. Michael Curtiz masterfully directed all but "Boots" when Flynn would no longer work with him. Raoul Walsh took over and maintained the standard. In every film, Flynn's sense of humour and charm come through and 4 of them benefit from the presence of de Havilland. The supporting casts are outstanding. The DVDs each come with a worthwhile featurette about the films, theatrical trailers and some have short films and cartoons. Best of all, the outstanding documentary "The Adventures of Errol Flynn" is included. This benefits from the appearance of his daughter, two of his wives and de Havilland to add authenticity to the story and squash some of the more absurd rumours about him. The story by De Havilland on the set of Robin Hood is hilarious. The films have not really dated because of their period settings and those in technicolour look great.

Average customer rating:

Onions & Tea Leaves?
Ignore the Historical Flaws: Solid Drama
A romantic pastiche that stands the test of time
The Legend of Custer and the 7th Cavalry lives on
A Gourmet Popcorn Movie

They Died with Their Boots On
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Arthur Kennedy , Charley Grapewin , and Gene Lockhart
Director: Raoul Walsh , B. Reeves Eason , and Robert Clampett
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Dodge City
Captain Blood
The Sea Hawk
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Adventures of Robin Hood (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0007OY2OY
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com essential video

Bert Glennon, who shot Stagecoach and seven other John Ford classics, has given this Raoul Walsh biopic of George Armstrong Custer a burnished glow--an evocative interplay of raw sunlight and elegiac shadow like no other vintage Warner Bros. Western. Glennon's artistry and Walsh's trademark gusto sustain enthusiasm even as the screenplay beggars belief. The flamboyant Custer (Errol Flynn), rushed into Civil War service straight from West Point, did get promoted overnight to general and establish a spectacular record for "ride to the guns" leadership. However, Custer as defender of Indians' rights--to the point of willing his own Last Stand so he could accuse corrupt Indian Commissioners from the grave--is historical rewrite of such sweeping chutzpah as to shame DeMille. Flynn and Olivia de Havilland make an even more appealing couple than usual, and the big supporting cast is unflaggingly energetic above and beyond the call of duty. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Onions & Tea Leaves?.......2007-06-14

I love our country and the excellent military establishments that has come along way to being more disciplined than back in Custers' days of skull-dabbery and malicious exploits!

"You can take glory with you"! Sounds like a very accurate portrayal of another false one that will cause confusion and trickery like this, Son of the Morning character seen in Gen. George A. Custer.

Good intentions are the surest road to hell and a lot of people were blinded by his deception.

Ignore the Historical Flaws: Solid Drama.......2007-04-20

When filmmakers decide to take actual events to place them on the screen, they face the difficult decision of to what extant they will tinker with the truth to score some dramatic points. In the case of THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON, the producers totally abandoned any semblance of truth to present a vision of the life and death of General George Armstrong Custer that was then fully resonant with the burgeoning militarism of 1941 Hollywood. I know that it is difficult for current moviegoers to possibly envision an artistic elite that supports and glorifies traditional American values, but back in pre-Pearl Harbor days, political correctness meant flag waving, not flag burning. What Hollywood wanted was a flashy dashing hero who could be both charming and heroic at the same time. In Errol Flynn, America could see a distorted version of the egotistical and megalomaniacal glory hunter that Custer truly was, but Flynn's interpretation played down that part of him and emphasized an altruistic side that is so breathtaking in its centrality to Custer's film persona, that movie audiences could see in Flynn-Custer a hearkening back to the frontier hero that America was to need to buttress itself for the looming war. Director Raoul Walsh essentially films a vastly entertaining war cartoon that allows Flynn to pair with Olivia DeHavilland to maintain a love interest that forms the background for the many action scenes. And what action scenes there are. Flynn is seen attacking Confederate positions in cavalry charges with more than a little tongue in cheek. But in the second half, the mood and tempo change when Flynn takes his militancy out west to fight Indians. The smiling Flynn of the Civil War becomes the serious Flynn of the Far West. As Custer, Flynn is prepared to sacrifice his entire 7th Cavalry to save the greater body of troops of his commander, General Terry. The climactic massacre at the Battle of the Little Big Horn shows a more megalomaniacal side to Custer than what Director Walsh probably intended. In the hours preceeding the battle, Flynn's facial expression and voice well indicate a man who is stoically resigned to die merely for a higher cause. When the film's villain, played by Arthur Kennedy, asks him why he is doing this, Custer replies: "For glory or to hell. It depends on your perspective." My perspective was that Custer chose both at the same time. It is this odd pairing of wildly divergent viewpoints that make this gross distortion of history an entertaining film--even if I had to wonder whether Custer cared a hoot about the 198 troopers under his command.

A romantic pastiche that stands the test of time.......2007-02-25

If one is looking for an accurate history of Custers life this is not the movie for you. However it it a wonderful film that totally stands the test of time. When ever I see it it makes me laugh one minute, and move me to tears the next. It is very powerful. Raoul Walsh as director is excellent.
It is a movie full of action,comedy, drama, pathos and romance, only in the way the golden age of Hollywood could have portrade it.
Especially is the unforgettable last scene of De Havilland and Flynn. It was the last time they would ever work together. These two people though never personally involved truly adored each other. The electricity of their performance is proof to that, and one of the most heart rendering scenes ever made on film.
Buy it, Just seeing Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland together is worth the price of the DVD

The Legend of Custer and the 7th Cavalry lives on.......2007-02-21

I Know many people remark about the historical inaccuracies of this film, but if it is a history lesson you seek-go to school. This is a movie and an excellent one at that. True, many of the characters represent real people, but as I said it is a movie. It has good writing and a well acted plot. Most of all, it has Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHaviland in their last appearnce together. As was typical of Flynn's movies, you can expect humor, romance, and a whole lot of action. Look for Anthony Quinn as Geronimo. Enjoy this for what it is, an Errol Flynn movie, not a history lesson

A Gourmet Popcorn Movie.......2006-10-15

"They Died With Their Boots On" is a classic gourmet "popcorn movie" that film students should study, so as to understand that movies made solely for entertainment purposes (even if the historical facts are fudged quite a bit) don't need to be dumbed down for the masses to enjoy; that they can be brilliantly made; and if they are approached in an artistically creative way, will be appreciated and enjoyed for years to come (Spielberg KNOWS this!).

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