Sunday, October 28, 2018

Movie review - "The Fighting O'Flynn" (1949) **1/2

Douglas Fairbanks never quite regained his pre war popularity (such as it was) after the war though he gave it a go. This is an enjoyable swashbuckler which he also produced and co wrote so its a Fairbanks movie. It really needed to be in colour and could have done with a stronger cast and maybe more action.

Patricia Medina is okay but her role is a gift - a lively courtesan - that a really good actress would have made sing. Richard Greene is competent but he's one of those actors you forget are in the movie even while watching him - that's mean, I'm sorry, but it's kind of true. Helena Carter is lively as the lady who falls for Fairbanks - I liked her.

A bit of action. The best bit was Doug sword fighting while really drunk. It has novelty with an Irish hero - the Irish hero is fighting for the British against Napoleon though.The film was a bright spirit.

Random thought - Fairbanks only made a few swashbucklers. He started with two classics though:
1) The Prisoner of Zenda
2) The Corsican Brothers
3) Son of Sinbad
4) The Exile
5) The Fighting O'Flynn

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