Best Movie Ever?
I think so.
shareBest pirate movie, IMO.
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MovieChat Forums > The Black Swan (1942) Discussion > Best Movie Ever?
I prefer the Errol Flynn pirate flicks to this.They all have the same plot pretty much.The Black Swan isn't a bad movie but it definitly rips off themes from Captain Blood.
"Give them nothing, but take from them everything."(300):3/9/07
Great movie but, much as I like the Black Swan, Blood and Sea Hawk are better (and that is just looking at the best pirate movies ever).
share"The Black Swan isn't a bad movie but it definitly rips off themes from Captain Blood."
I know you wrote this over three and a half years ago, but I still felt compelled to comment on this statement. You do realize that Captain Blood and The Black Swan were both written by the same author, Rafael Sabatini? If you take some time to read his books, which are very good in my opinion, you will notice that many of them are pretty similar and have a lot of the same recurring themes.
And it's 2 years later now, but I'll chime in - The Sea Hawk (1940) and The Black Swan have almost nothing to do with the novels on which they're "based," so I don't think it's Rafael Sabatini that causes their similarity as much as Hollywood conventions.
(And I also have read lots of Sabatini, & in fact am having a lot of fun as I start rereading them after 3 decades - I collected a bunch when libraries were discarding in the '70s & '80s, and now have others via Project Gutenberg.)
Bold statement. Good for you. My favourites always change, but my top three is static: Vertigo, Repulsion and Citizen Kane.
This is a very fresh selection though. I probably would not have wanted to see this film if it were not for your post. A film professor once told me that a sign of good criticism is that it makes you want to see the film (whether it is for the first time or for review). Ergo, you managed to write an effective review in six words.
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A definite top five in pirate movies, although, "Captain Blood" is still my favorite.
sharesame here, I watched Pirate of the Carribean first before I discover this movie, though I think Pirate of the Carribean is a good movie, really only because of Johnny Depp. I like this movie more, I especially think Maureen's Character is much better than the POTC's Elizabeth Swan.
Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress.
Vertigo is an overlong, boring paean to Hithcock's latest -- at the time -- mannequin, Kim Novak. Citizen Kane, on "Greatest Pictures" lists since these lists became fashionable, is Orson Welles's paean to himself. Repulsion -- well, the title speaks for itself. So much for this list.
shareI prefered The Sea Hawk to Captain Blood, except it lacks Olivia de Havilland, who is the greatest actress of all time, but The Black Swan would have to be the best. After all Captain Blood is nearly two hours, and shows its running time, The Black Swan is one of the few films I have bought on DVD that I was thankful that I bought, its such a great movie, and its not even 85 minutes long! Olivia de Havilland and Maureen O'Hara personify the two types of attractive women, the pretty lady-in-distress and the fisty colleen who can take care of herself!
Let's face it, Basil Rathbone said that Ty Power could duel Errol Flynn into a hat! He was amazing!
Not only could Power outduel Flynn, but in real life he was the true fighting man, a decorated WWII veteran while Flynn sat it out (supposedly from a medical condition but we all know how easily studios arranged stuff like that if the star agreed to it.)
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Flynn was an alcoholic drug addiction had gonorrhoea recurrent malaria and emphysema.
shareOlivia the best actress of all time!? Excuse while I throw a little from laughing so hard! She ruined every Flynn movie she was in. Very average looking and her "acting" is just pitiful. She certainly did have talent. For sleeping with the right men to keep putting her in films. Yeeuch, case closed.
shareI think Jacques Rivette's 'Noroît' is the best pirate movie ever, but it kinda transcends the definition...
Agreed that 'Sea Hawk' and 'Captain Blood' were better than this, although Curtiz was capable than much better. Fritz Lang's 'Moonfleet' had its charm... but again, we're not talking about a vintage offering from such a master. I guess the pirate genre isn't destined to bear any masterpiece, unless it's something completely unconventional.
As for 'Black Swan', I don't think it's that good even by the standards this kind of film should be judged. Plot is rather uninteresting, the Power-O'Hara relationship disturbing, the excellent cast not used to its full potential.
Bold concept. Ran, Taxi Driver, the Godfather, Blade Runner, the Searchers, the French Connection, Das Boot...the Black Swan is a better film than these. I can't agree, but I do admire such a brave statement
shareIt's my favorite pirate movie - so much better than today's "Pirates of the Caribbean" stuff. The scenes with O'Hara & Power sleeping in the same cabin on the ship - super sensual without having any nudity! Imagine that! Subtlety is infinitely more interesting than in-your-face crudity.
shareNo, it is not the best movie ever (at least for me), but it is definitely superior to the POTC features, which borrowed aplenty from this film.
shareIt's my favorite pirate movie - so much better than today's "Pirates of the Caribbean" stuff. The scenes with O'Hara & Power sleeping in the same cabin on the ship - super sensual without having any nudity!
by - suel41452 on Sat Nov 10 2007 16:38:27
POTC definitely lifted alot of elements directly from this movie but it deserves its dues. The movie was inspired by the theme park ride and the ride was a result of films like this. The sustained interest in swashbucklers was definitely influenced by the vast numbers of kids who went to Disneyland and were mesmerised by the Pirates of the Carribean ride, decades before the film was released. I think it's nice that there was a swashbukler made for a new generation and a new century.
And on the subject of the cabin scenes with O'Hara and Power....amazing. Modern movies have got nothing on this!
...and absolutely no chemistry between the two romantic principals.
by - Rheli on Mon Aug 24 2009 00:00:40
What movie were you watching? share
It's a fun movie, with two great stars and a raft of fine character actors, including the always watchable Laird Creager (who died very young). But to call it the greatest movie ever is, well, laugahable. It wouldn't be in my top five hundred, possibly not even 1,000 (there are a lot of good movies). As for better pirate moves, off the top of my head I prefer Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, and Burt Lancaster's tongue in cheek The Crimson Pirate (another movie cannibalized by POTC). I also like The Princess and the Pirate more, a fine and funny spoof. I do agree that The Black Swan is purer, simpler, and better than the ridicuously overstuffed POTC (though the first two movies have their charms).
shareBest Movie Ever? No, but I did enjoy it immensely!
"She is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me!" Mr. Darcy
Its def the best pirate movie, I'm not a huge fan of Flinn, those are okay too..but this one is my favorite.
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I might not say it the best film ever and I like the Adventure of Robin Hood but I think I would to pick the black Swan over Robin Hood..
Maureen O'Hara, Ireland Best Actress. Got Maureen O'Hara and Julie Andrews autograph 2008!
Poorly written dialog, poor direction of it and absolutely no chemistry between the two romantic principals.
shareRheli - Did you watch it past the point where Maureen conks Tyrone on the noggin with a rock? I thought they developed a lot of chemistry by the end!
shareI cheered for Maureen O'Hara in that scene. Good for her! I like Jamie, but he definately had it coming.
I just wish she would've played a little more hard-to-get at the end since he kidnapped her, held her hostage, and all. But what the hell? It just made the movie and character more interesting.
Are you talking about "The Black Swan"? I found the dialogue (most of it) to be very clever and witty, especially compared to the lame dialogue of action movies today when people *try* to be funny (yeck) and fail miserably.
Also there is great chemistry between O'Hara and Power. Two sexy powerful actors playing interesting characters, with one reluctantly giving in to passion and pursues the other, who willingly gives in to passion the other. How can there not be great chemistry?
The direction though... Well, it's not the best, but it's such a fun movie. I don't care.
I wish they did make films like this now but they haven't got the talent.
I'd like to.use today's technology to change some of these old movies by giving the Hays Office a good smack in the eye!