Dodge City

Starring:Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale, John Litel, Henry Travers, Henry O'Neill, Victor Jory, William Lundigan, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Bobs Watson, Gloria Holden, Douglas Fowley, Georgia Caine, Charles Halton, Ward Bond, Cora Witherspoon, Russell Simpson
Director: Michael Curtiz, Tex Avery
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)

Average customer rating:

Errol Flynn Signature Collection
Errol Flynn deserves more professional recognition than the Academy ever gave him.
They don't make'm like this anymore
Great Gift
Flynn flies again

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Lionel Atwill , Basil Rathbone , and Ross Alexander
Director: Michael Curtiz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007OY2PS
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

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:

THE ESSENCE OF WESTERN
Enjoyable but not quite a classic
The western thar inspire all the great westerns
THE WESTERN ALL THE REST TRIED TO COPY
The Rich Man's Roy Rogers

Dodge City
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Ann Sheridan , Bruce Cabot , and Frank McHugh
Director: Michael Curtiz , and Tex Avery
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

THE ESSENCE OF WESTERN.......2007-06-20

In opposition to some of the reviewers here, I consider DODGE CITY as a masterpiece. You can find here in 104 minutes a summary of almost every themes found in the western cinematographic genre. For instance, the main theme of DODGE CITY describes the clash between civilization, symbolized by the railroad, and the lawless western territories, then the efforts of the good people to impose the law in Dodge City. Peripheral themes such as the resentments created by the Civil War, the beginning of the creation of cattle empires or the whole problem of pioneering are also handled in DODGE CITY.

All these themes are somehow engulfed in the superb metaphor created by Michael Curtiz that starts with the competition between the iron horse and the stagecoach at the beginning of the movie and ends with the final shooting between Flynn and the villains. In the first scene, Errol Flynn clearly belongs to the wild west and proudly rides on the side of the railroad while, during the last scene, the same Flynn manages to kill the villains, who are on horseback, by shooting at them from the train. It's a brilliant idea that summarizes this indispensable movie.

A DVD zone your library.

Enjoyable but not quite a classic.......2007-05-29

Dodge City doesn't hold up as well as other Errol Flynn classics, partially because the film seems to be trying a little too hard to throw everything into the mix, with the through line of the story suffering as a consequence. In many ways it's really just a B-movie with A-movie production values, glorious Technicolor (albeit somewhat inconsistent in the new DVD due to the mastering problems with the old three-strip system elements) and a great supporting cast, and never quite catches fire the way it should despite being more than entertaining enough.

Still, the DVD does include among its plentiful extras the superb Tex Avery cartoon The Shooting of Dan McFoo, so I didn't feel shortchanged. Also included is the original trailer built around colour footage of the film's Dodge City premiere, a retrospective featurette 'Go West, Errol Flynn,' short historical drama 'Sons of Liberty,' brief newsreel extract and a trailer for Jimmy Cagney Western The Oklahoma Kid.

The western thar inspire all the great westerns.......2007-02-25

Yes some may say corny and over the top and dated ...Shoot outs cattle stampedes, salloon gals,
but this was the very 1st high budget western that every one tried to copy ever after. Plus it'ds an Errol and Olivia flick... and it has enormous charm. what more can one ask for AAAA+ go buy it. You know I did.

THE WESTERN ALL THE REST TRIED TO COPY.......2006-09-29

When Errol Flynn was asked to be a cowboy in a western, at first he thought Warner Brothers was kidding. After all, he was the ultimate swashbuckler. Could he really trade in his sword and bow for a six-shooter and be believable?

The movie was DODGE CITY and the director was Michael Curtiz (Casa Blanca). Curtiz was known for big, sprawling, explosive productions that pulled out all the stops and left you breathless. That's just what he did in DODGE CITY, and it is magnificent.

DODGE CITY is the story of the town that men like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday made famous. It was a town that was the epitome of the Wild West at its wildest. There was no law and order. The big cattle companies came there to sell their beef, and, once there, the cowboys saw it only as a place to have a good time. So, it was no place to raise a family.

Into that town come two cowboys on a drive - trail boss Wade Hatton (Errol Flynn) and his sidekick Rusty (Alan Hale - Gilligan's Island) - and what they find is blatant murder and robbery by the man running the town - Jeff Surrett, played by Bruce Cabot, who holds a grudge against Wade for turning him in for poaching. Ann Sheridan plays Cabot's floozy girlfriend, and Olivia de Havilland plays Abbie Irving, one of the members of a wagon train that accompanied Wade and his men on the trail. While on the trail, there was an incident between Wade and Abbie's drunken brother that ended in his death. Now Abbie, too, has a grudge against Wade.

This film has everything: a cattle stampede, a race between a train and a stagecoach, a barroom brawl, several attempted hangings, lots of shootouts, a runaway wagon, an Indian attack, a train wreck - one exciting event after another, and most of them the first time ever on that scale, and in color. This is the film that all the others copied. When it premiered in the present day Dodge City, it was the biggest premier of any film to date.

You gotta see this one cowboys and cowgirls. And, would you believe it: you can buy it now as part of the Errol Flynn Collection on Amazon for only $29.97 (that's six films for less than $5 each) - or, by itself for $9.97. When I put this one into my DVD player, I have to admit I had my doubts about ol' Errol pulling it off - but he's great, and the movie is magnificent. They don't get much better than this.

Waitsel Smith

The Rich Man's Roy Rogers.......2006-05-18

The blazing success of Errol Flynn's first Western shows why the Australian actor became "the rich man's Roy Rogers." Released in 1939, "Dodge City" is a sagebrush spectacular in Glorious Technicolor -- featuring a memorable cast, Max Steiner's signature score and the definitive barroom brawl. Director Michael Curtiz keeps the action moving with his customary flair. Another fine example of Warner Bros. craftsmanship.

MONTANA with Errol Flynn (Terra Proibida) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC Region 1 Format-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

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MONTANA with Errol Flynn (Terra Proibida) (High Quality Import Edition-NTSC Region 1 Format-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Manufacturer: Classicline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)
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THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE with Errol Flynn (A Carga da Brigada Ligeira) (Import Edition-NTSC format-Region 1-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

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Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, fully licensed DVD manufactured in Brazil. NTSC format. Playable on any North American DVD player. High quality full screen color image. Original English dialog with optional subtitles in Portuguese. Portuguese subtitles do not appear unless turned on and they can be easily turned off. The following review appears in the Internet Movie Database: "Flynn is bringing sheep into cattle territory, where he is received with bullets. In order to go to town he passes as a peddler and falls in love with Alexis Smith (great as always). This is an agreeable and lighthearted western, at a certain moment Flynn and Alexis Smith even sing!!! There is a good color cinematography, although not as good as in "San Antonio", which besides this one and "Dodge City" were the only westerns Flynn did in color. Ray Enright was quite good at making westerns he could make them in quantity and with quality (Kansas Raiders, The Spoilers, Return of the Bad Men) The story here is much better than in "San Antonio", Borden Chase has to his credit some of the best westerns like Winchester 73 and Red River but Flynn was getting older and not so ideal for the character he plays."

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE with Errol Flynn (A Carga da Brigada Ligeira) (Import Edition-NTSC format-Region 1-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Average customer rating:

Good if great quality is not important

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE with Errol Flynn (A Carga da Brigada Ligeira) (Import Edition-NTSC format-Region 1-Playable in North America)(Adventure)

Manufacturer: Classicline
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

Brand new, factory sealed, fully licensed DVD manufactured in Brazil. NTSC format. Playable on any North American DVD player. Full screen black and white image. Original English dialog with optional subtitles in Portuguese. Portuguese subtitles do not appear unless turned on and they can be easily turned off. The following review appears in Amazon for the VHS edition: "Reviewer: Robert S. Clay Jr. From the standpoint of history, artistic license abounds in this classic adventure movie. In fairness, the filmmaker posts a disclaimer of the historical veracity of the film right at the beginning. Errol Flynn is at his flamboyant best as dashing English officer, Geofrrey Vickers. He vies with his brother (Patrick Knowles) for the love of Olivia DeHavilland. C. Henry Gordon is evilly conniving as Surat Khan, leader of the fictional Suristan faction. When England cuts off his money, Surat Khan wages war against the British interlopers. After Surat Khan massacres non-combatants at the garrison of Chokoti (sp.?), India is too hot to hold him. In typical Hollywood fashion, the action shifts to the Crimea at Sebastopol where the British face the Russians at Balaklava Heights. Vickers, still burning with anger over the massacre of innocents, discovers this and he forges orders for the Light Brigade to attack. Under the direction of Michael Curtiz, the slam-bang action sequences of this movie provide memorable thrills. As the lancers charge into the face of roaring cannon, to the right of them, to the left of them, in front of them, quotes from Tennyson's poem appear on screen. The shot of the fallen lancer still holding aloft the billowing Union Jack in his lifeless hand is great imagery. "When can their glory fade?" Filmed in glorious B&W, this classic action/adventure film is a good example of the quality product of the Warner Brothers film sutdio at its Depression Era height. Enjoy the old fashioned fun."

Customer Reviews:

Good if great quality is not important.......2006-08-15

This review is for the Brazilian edition only. Overall, this movie transfer is OK if you are not a stickler for very high quality transfers and need to have this DVD now. It does not seem that Warner Brothers is going to release any more Errol Flynn titles anytime soon. It is in English and you can turn the Portuguese subtitle off. It is not a high quality transfer and it skips a lot throughout.

All that being said, this is one of Errol Flynn's early and best action movies during the early part of his career. It is a fictionalized account of the famous charge of the British lancers and in my opinion a lot more interesting than the later version with Gielgould which although more accurate historically, the action is terrible. Flynn is at his best and the movie direction is excellent.

I give the movie 5 stars, the video transfer 2 to 3 stars. If you can wait for Warner Brothers to release it, I suggest that you wait. If not, it is not too bad. The seller I bought it from was excellent.

Average customer rating:

The Joy of Life
Starring: Harriet Dodge , and Lawrence Ferlinghetti
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