The Adventures of Errol Flynn (2005) (TV)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

David Heeley

Writers:

David Heeley (writer)
Robert J. Jordan (writer)

Release Date:

5 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A documentary about the life of Errol Flynn, with recollections from friends and family. |

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Ian Holm	...	Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rudy Behlmer	...	Himself
Jack Cardiff	...	Himself
Delmer Daves	...	Himself (archive footage)
Olivia de Havilland	...	Herself
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Himself
Nora Eddington	...	Herself (archive footage)
Deirdre Flynn	...	Herself
Errol Flynn	...	Himself / Various Roles (archive footage)
Burt Reynolds	...	Himself
Vincent Sherman	...	Himself
Joanne Woodward	...	Herself
Patrice Wymore	...	Herself

Runtime:

USA:87 min | USA:90 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Top Hat Productions

Movie Connections:

Features In the Wake of the Bounty (1933)

One of the best bios on Flynn...shows another aspect of the man and his life...

This is an interesting and very informative, entertaining way to spend time learning about ERROL FLYNN. Aside from some penetrating comments from two of his ex-wives (Nora Eddington and Patrice Wymore), there are some frank and very supportive comments on the real Errol Flynn (if anybody really knew him) from his most frequent co-star, Olivia de Havilland. It is the first time she has openly revealed anything about the deep love and affection Flynn and de Havilland had for each other.

In addition, some very interesting comments by Richard Dreyfuss, who became a Flynn fan at the age of eight and gives what seem like spontaneous, off the cuff comments that seem unrehearsed and genuine. Daughter Diedre expresses the wish that others knew more about the quieter, family man side of Flynn that is obscured by all the tales of his womanizing. It seems that his real interest lay in writing, but although he wrote two novels (neither a great literary success), he lacked the discipline to achieve his literary ambitions.

Not easy to understand why anyone asked Joanne Woodward and Burt Reynolds to make contributions. Neither of them was a close confidante of the actor nor ever worked with him. Seems strange to hear them talking about him and contributing little to our knowledge of him without any first hand experience.

The film clips, revealing Flynn in all his charismatic glory (especially during the height of his career) are generous and always stimulating, reminding us how great his screen presence was--a combination of athletic grace and classic good looks along with acting ability that was often underrated.

Any fan of the actor will appreciate this documentary. It has style and content and the kind of assurance about its subject that will endear it to Flynn's fans. If nothing else, it serves to remind us that he was one of the most dashing actors of the silver screen and, when teamed with Olivia de Havilland in those great adventure-romance classics, he had no peer.

While it does deal with some of his unsavory exploits (such as the rape trial), it does not exploit them and instead shows us another, more sensitive side of Flynn that has been missing in most biographies of the actor.