MovieChat Forums > Captain Blood (1935) Discussion > O/T- - Flynn,s son

O/T- - Flynn,s son

posted 17 years ago by direwolf09
11 replies | jump to latest

Great film. I believe it was this film that pushed Errols son, Sean , into a an acting career that he just couldnt handle because of his fathers big success, he just wasnt as talented as his dad and the masses were disapointed. However, he had the adventurous genes,and the good looks that his father did. Sean, tried the acting route without much success, & did some films that were small time in Europe in the 60,s.
Eventually, realizing that this wasnt for him he became a freelance photographer and writer for a French mag. during the 60,s- traveling around Vietnam ,going places that no-one would even think about going to get pictures and stories.
Sean once said (after trying to film another Caption Blood film years after his dad, that it was a big mistake).His fellow war-correspondants knew of his famous dad, and although he tried to keep it from the soldiers ,of course it got out.
In 1970,he and a another friend and writer (Dana Stone)jumped on thier bikes and headed into Cambodia to get the scoop on Nixons lastest attempt to escalate the conflict. They were never seen again and were presumed captured and later killed.
Maybe this has nothing to do with Capt. Blood "The Movie"- but Sean ,the son of great actor & icon Errol ,shoulnt be forgotten.

To read more about this amazing Flynn, who was deeply affected by his dad & his dad expectations- - Google up his name. I find it interesting that Errol for whatever reason sweep the story of his sons brief live under the rug, when in fact he was the real hero to Errols Hollywood hero.
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***- If you,ve seen "Apocolypse Now"- the character that is played by Dennis Hooper is suppossed to be Sean,or at the very least based on him.

[–] BlueGreen 17 years ago

Wow, that is interesting...
Thanks. ;)

[–] americaspac 17 years ago

Errol Flynn died in 1959. How could he have swept his son's heroism under the rug. Also, why do you say the young Flynn is a hero? Since he disappeared we don't know the manner or reason for his death or how courageously he met it. Errol Flynn put himself into danger many times, including his being a freelance correspondent during the Spanish Civil War when he was in the middle of the fighting.

[–] NoirDamedotcom 17 years ago

I caught that too, but I assume it was a typo and he meant Errol's FANS. It is true that relatively few people know about his son's real life derring-do.

As for his supposed heroism, personally, I do value the people who risk their lives to report about conflicts and repressive regimes, such as Ernie Pyle and Margaret Bourke-White. It's fortunate for us, and history, that some people are willing to risk their lives to chronicle what's going on in the world.

There is evidence that Flynn's son was likely killed by the Khmer Rouge.

It's not easy being the son of a famous movie star, especially if he's a "man's man". One of the few people who seems to have done well in the situation is Rock Brynner, son of Yul.

www.NoirDame.com/blog

[–] angery20 17 years ago

Sorry to disappoint but Errol Flynn's stint as a war correspondent was pretty much a publicity stunt. He showed up in Spain had a meet and greet press conference and then partied for a couple days and took off.
That's covered in "George Seldes, Witness to a Century"

Sean Flynn was heroic in the way that war photographers often are, getting pictures or film at great risk to themselves.
He was well liked by the other correspontents in the Vietnam theater.
"The cat from Hue" John Laurence
There are other memoires by Vietnam era corespondents that mention him but that's the only one I can remember with direct reference to Sean Flynn.

[–] ChrisL138 17 years ago

Actually, I believe Dennis Hopper's character in Apocalypse Now was based on Sean Flynn's good friend, Tim Page.

If you read Michael Herr's(another reporter friend of Sean and Tim) excellent Vietnam book "Dispatches" you'll find a lot of insight into Flynn and page.

I give that book my highest recommendation.

Cheers.

[–] direwolf09 16 years ago

Yes Tim was a close friend of both Sean& Dana- Tim was wounded so many times, by his account he,s lost track of all the operations he,s had to keep him together.

Last I read he,s living in California doing some short writings- - a few recently were in the New Yorker. Ive also read he has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, - I have to admit I dont even know what that is.

God Bless Him

[–] brisw28 15 years ago

Asperger's is a high functioning form of Autism where one has a hard time knowing how to act in any kind of social situation- particularly a lack of empathy towards peers. At this point in time, so many people have Asperger's that you don't often hear of people being diagnosed with it... especially at an older age. Most people have some amount of autism in them but these individuals are the ones that most people who lack the knowledge just think are "weird" or even mean if they lack empathy and as some kids would say: "socially retarded". Like most people with high functioning forms of autism, people with Asperger's usually have a topic or thing that they know EVERYTHING about or a specific skill that they know how to do extremely well. This is probably writing for Tim.
Sorry that I know everything about this... my mom's a teacher and I grew up hearing alot about this. As time has gone on I have learned how to immediately tell someone has Asperger's just by hearing them talk and interact with people.

[–] marktayloruk (2378) 2 years ago

I have it myself. Sean was his father's son in every way.

[–] [email protected] (1636) 17 days ago

It wasn't a publicity stunt, read his autobiography.

[–] direwolf09 15 years ago

Sorry about the typo, I meant to says Flynns fans swept his story under the rug.
I guess your right, he did put himslf in danger many times -including the 6 day Arab-Israeli War in 67. I guess because I witnessed so many heroic actions back then , I threw around the word "hero" without thinking. Thanks for your take on him & Happy Thanksgiving to you

regards,
DW09

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli

[–] [email protected] (1636) 17 days ago

I don't think you've read much about Errol's backstory. Likely Sean also read his father's 2 autobiographical works and his 1 semi- autobiographical book, and sought out adventure as his father did before coming to Hollywood. The gene may already have been embedded within but likely, also an attempt to get closer to his father who died at the young age of 50. Sadly, Sean died even younger.

Physically, Sean was good-looking, with his father's height, broad shoulders, width, face shape, cleft chin and smile. But I think facially he looks more like his mother who was a beautiful French woman. Errol himself took his looks and character from his mother than his father, he got his father's height.