The Sea Hawk finds Errol Flynn in full on swashbuckling mode. He re-teams with The Adventures of Robin Hood director Michael Curtiz and Robin Hood co-stars Alan Hale and Claude Rains. If only The Sea Hawk had spent more time on his character's adventures and less on talking this would have truly been a movie about "Robin Hood of the sea."

Flynn plays a British pirate captain named Thorpe who only robs from the Spanish as they are threatening war with England. As the movie opens Thorpe attacks a Spanish ship. He rescues the British slaves used for rowing and meets the beautiful Maria. He steals her jewels but gives them back in a gesture of good will which of course sets them on a path to fall in love.

The Queen of England then sends Thorpe on a mission to South America where the Spanish are busy blundering the local's gold. Thorpe gets caught and in turn is made a slave. He eventually escapes back to England where he discovers some important information that Maria must help him get to the Queen.

Made during the onset of World War II, The Sea Hawk does not shy from then current political issues. Hitler's Third Reich was growing in Europe and this movie comments many times on it. King Phillip of Spain obviously represents Hitler when he has this piece of dialogue as the movie opens, "The riches of the New World are limitless, and the New World is ours - with our ships carrying the Spanish flag on seven seas, our armies sweeping over Africa, the Near East, and the Far West; invincible everywhere ... but on our own doorstep. Only northern Europe holds out against us; why? Tell me, why?"

The final scene in the movie has The Queen of England giving this speech, "And now, my loyal subjects, a grave duty confronts us all: To prepare our nation for a war that none of us wants, least of all your queen. We have tried by all means in our power to avert this war. We have no quarrel with the people of Spain or of any other country; but when the ruthless ambition of a man threatens to engulf the world, it becomes the solemn obligation of all free men to affirm that the earth belongs not to any one man, but to all men, and that freedom is the deed and title to the soil on which we exist. Firm in this faith, we shall now make ready to meet the great armada that Philip sends against us."

The fun of The Adventures of Robin Hood was Flynn apparently having the time of his life fighting the oppressive Prince John. His cocky charm and swagger made for a great roguish hero. The Sea Hawk is too dramatic and over done with political innuendos. There are several good action sequences but at over two hours long it drags in many places.

↑Back to Top↑