Ross Alexander

Alexander did a great job with Jeremy Pitt, and that's even more apparent to me after reading the book of Captain Blood. Pitt literally jumps off the page in this movie. Whether it's his "bright alertness" during times of hope or when he's meant to be moving in a "cringing, furtive manner, like an over-beaten dog" while a slave. I was actually pretty astonished at how genuine his fear and suffering seemed to be. I know this was a difficult time for him personally in real life, still that's no guarantee of a good performance. But some actors just know how to skillfully wear it on their sleeves.

"Whoever he is, this Torch is dangerous...He has a sense of humor!" (Son of Monte Cristo, 1940)

I couldn't agree more. As I was watching the film his face jumped out at me. From his asking Dr.Blood to come tend to an injured man at the beginning to every time Blood and he talked, when he was in shackles, or given orders aboard ship, he stood out. I made a note to look up who played Pitt and I'm glad I did.

What a sad story. He would have been a star had he been born in a different time.

It breaks my heart every time I see him in a movie. One of my favorites, he was so beautiful and talented. I grew up and lived in the same areas he lived his tragic life after moving to California to act. It haunts me. But even today he might be afraid to live openly...politicians and clergy are still using the existence of LBGTQA (?) people to scare voters and worshippers....monsters still target and murder them... ISIS has taken to attacking gay men on the street in Asia and in nightclubs in America. Presidential candidates continue to campaign on agendas to deny them civil rights that we take for granted based upon religious beliefs of other people who are free to live their own beliefs but thinking they should be able to impose them on others. When will everyone let go of their backward concepts and live their own lives, accept the choices other people make? How can anyone believe a loving god would seek to harm people based on how they were born, who they love? It makes no sense....