There's still plenty of amusing detail to savor – the subject matter ofthe Napoleonic Wars is treated as farce most of the time and, in fact,there's quite a bit of slapstick involved (to which Skolimowski'stechnique is happy to oblige via numerous camera tricks, pretty muchthe sole link here to his early Polish films) – and, accordingly, allthe performances are broadly delineated: Peter McEnery is a pompous yetlikable ne'er-do-well hero; Eli Wallach is a buffoonish (and gay)Napoleon; while Jack Hawkins has a whale of a time (which, alas,happened very seldom in the films he made following the tragic loss ofhis voice) as the flustered leader of a bandit rabble who have adoptednovel means of torture and execution, and are even dressed in Klan-typegarb!

Apart from asides to the audience, McEnery also engages in a constantlyinterrupted duel with British officer Mark Burns – with whom he alsospars for the affections of beautiful and fiery Spanish countessClaudia Cardinale. John Neville is the Duke of Wellington in his lastfilm for almost 20 years (when he achieved some latter-day notoriety,in another tongue-in-cheek fantasia no less, with the title role ofTerry Gilliam's THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN [1988]). RizOrtolani contributes a suitably jaunty, yet frequently rousing, score.

Unfortunately, some of the film's visual impact was inevitably lost inthe pan-and-scan version I watched (taped off Cable TV); originallyshot in Panavision, I wouldn't mind owning this in its proper AspectRatio on DVD…

2) I saw this movie this morning and I must say it does not deserve one star.Iadmit, this movie is not exactly a CLASSIC per se but it has its share offunny moments. I’m not much of a fan of OLD movies but this one has charmtoit. You have the lovely Claudia Cardinale of ‘Once Upon a Time in theWest’fame and Eli Wallach in this movie…good cast and an alrightmovie.

It’s supposed to be an adventure/comedy and sees to be more alongside thegenre of Comedy more than anything. It’s funny but not downright hilariousin parts and the adventure seems more comical than serious.

Eh, not bad. **+/****

3) I don't think this movie is much to get excited about either but Idon't agree that the "easily entertained" are stupid or that theyshould be "ignored" because of some perception of same, valid or no. Ialso think that when being dictatorial rather than critical which isthe proper tone for a review, one should know the difference in meaningbetween "fitfully" and "fittingly." When it comes to stupidity, let hewho is without etc…. I have seen more than one film which I thoughtwas "stupid" but rarely do I think that people who disagree with myopinion are "stupid" simply because they like something I don't. I amalso uncomfortable with the notion that their right to be entertainedis predicated on their personal taste.

4) I've only seen half this film on late-night TV so I can't be sure ifit's really good or not. The bit I did see was charming. McEnery isfabulous as the Conan-Doyle hero, Cardinale is as lovely as ever andEli Wallach hams beautifully.

There's lots of running about deserty parts of Spain and amusing asidesto the camera by Gerard, including the perfect way to get your bootsoff.

There are also very weirdly filmed (and plain weird) sequences that putthis film far above other silly 1960s "romp films" (is that a genre?).The best example is a stunning slow-mo bit where a bandit with his headpopping up in the middle of table is killed William Tell fashion by hispreposterously debonair chief.

I'd love to see the rest but it hasn't got a DVD release (I don't thinkit even had a VHS release) and is very rarely screened on telly. Likeat lot of Euro-productions, it's uneven, often badly dubbed and wasprobably panned at the time, with most people involved having forgottenabout it (or trying to forget about it). Perhaps it's a great"undiscovered" comedy film. It's at least worthy of a bit moreattention.

And what happened to Peter McEnery? He was great in this and as MrSloane. The results on this site show he's been condemned to TVmini-series for 25 years.

5) The Adventures of Gerard is a somewhat silly romp set during theNapoleonic era featuring that career-went-nowhere semi-sexy Brit PeterMcEnery. McEnery is exceptionally handsome in a rakish kind of way –in this movie, he always looks slightly unclean, like a 1970s pornstar, sporting as he does the cheesiest of mustaches. But he keeps atwinkle in his eye, and his physical comedy is well-polished. He has areally nice body from the waist up, but the skinniness of his legs isreinforced by the military uniforms he wears in this movie, which areextraordinarily high-waisted.

McEnery as Gerard plays some kind of messenger, a low-ranking Frenchofficer ferrying missives among the regiments of the French armyoccupying Spain. Hilarity ensues, mostly involving Claudia Cardinale asa sexy Spanish lass doing her best Sophia Loren imitation, with poutylips and unkempt tresses. At one point, she is (thinly) disguised as aboy, but McEnery sees through her disguise (how could he not?!) andproceeds to seduce her (how could he?!). See what I mean about hilarityensuing? Spain itself looks like the Old West as envisioned by SergioLeone. And the movie will win no Oscars for Sound Effects Editing. Iswear you can visualize the sound guys clapping coconuts together inthe booth, timing their clangings to the fourfold footfalls of theequine cast.

This is a fun film. With its tongue-and-cheek dialog ("The Emperorhimself approved my mustache!"), none-too-subtle sex humor, vigorousvisual gags, hairbreadth escapes and coincidences, broad stereotypes(the English and their tea! and there is a whole fox-hunting sequence),and the time-honored technique of directly addressing the camera (whichis a technique I like, when done well, which it is here), it is agenuine hoot. And McEnery has a subtlety about him. He can do a lotwith a twist of his mustache or a raised eyebrow. He does sexy-stupidreally well. Look for that all-purpose ethnic Eli Wallach as Napoleon.

6) Except for the easily entertained, who should always be ignored fortheir obvious stupidity, this film is a lumbering bore. McEnery issaddled with the hideously written title character who annoys one andall from the first scene to the last. He is that old standby: theoblivious vainglorious military schmuck. The adventures he engages inare more like antics, with lots of frantic activity in a vain attemptto provide humor. But Gerard is such an unwavering clod that he becomestiresome very quickly, yet you're stuck with him until the end of thisfiasco (that is if you decide to keep watching). Cardinale is quitefetching, as always, and Wallach tries as Napoleon, but the script letsthem all down. The story is some dull nonsense about Napoleon in needof an idiot officer to bring a false dispatch to the enemy to wreakhavoc. Gerard gets the thankless job but becomes an unexpected hero asthe story unwinds. Quite predictable. It all takes place duringNapoleon's war in Spain, but this is NOT something to look at if you'rea fan of the 'Sharpe' series by Cornwell that takes place in the samevenue. This film was barely released, deservedly, and remains fitfullyburied to this day. Hopefully no where near Conan Doyle's final restingplace.

Most of it is about Ted, a rodeo hand, and ‘Bess’, a wild horse that he hastamed and trained. Ted is mostly likable, but pretty dull, and most of theother characters are stock figures. There are really only a couple ofscenes that aren’t routine.

On the other hand, there is some good scenery, with plenty of outdoorshots,and a couple good views of groups of wild horses roaming free. The colorphotography is good, and has held up well. It makes it a mostly pleasantmovie to watch, but it just never really gets going.

2) I'd check "contains spoilers", but this is such a standard story of thewestern ilk that there's really nothing to spoil — guy breaks wildhorse, gives up job to get horse, loses another job for spending toomuch time on the horse, gets injured and loses horse, meets girl butcan't decide between girl and horse…you get the idea.

The action reminded me of The Roy Rogers Show and all the HopalongCassidy and other cowboy movies I watched on Saturday morningtelevision as a kid, i.e., tackling rider off a moving horse, etc.

Star Cameron Mitchell looks like he could be the son of ThomasMitchell, of "Gone With the Wind" and scads of other movies, butthere's apparently no relation.

Judging by plot descriptions, there is also no apparent relationbetween this and the movie, "Gallant Bess" (which I haven't seen) madetwo years earlier, suggesting that this may have been made to re-employGallant Bess, "the wonder horse," and capitalize on her good name,i.e., strike while the horse is hot.

Sidekick Fuzzy Knight, who made nearly 200 movies, plays the GabbyHayes / Pat Brady / etc. role here, even providing some musical breakswith a couple song fragments.

Lovely Audrey Long effectively portrays the girl, the doctor's daughterfor whom the hero falls (reluctantly of course, since here the horse isparamount). Though not overly endowed like a Jayne Mansfield or a JoiLansing, she makes an attractive sweater girl, the sweet kind you'dwant to marry, even if you're a roamin' cowboy.

This 71 minute movie was "squeezed" into a two hour time slot thisafternoon on the i channel (formerly PAX), which means there were aboutfive minutes of commercials for every seven minutes of movie. Shot inCinecolor, as shown here the colors were supersaturated, not washed outor faded like some old movies. But at this saturation level, one canbut wish that they'd been toned down a bit to look more natural.

• The original adventures of Frank Merriwell took place in the 1890s, but for the serial, the writers set the story in the then present day.
• Chapter Titles: – 1. College Hero – 2. The Death Plunge – 3. Death at the Crossroads – 4. Wreck of the “Viking” – 5. Capsized in the Cataract – 6. Descending Doom – 7. Monster of the Deep – 8. The Tragic Victory – 9. Between Strange Foes – 10. Imprisoned in the Dungeon – 11. The Crash in the Chasm – 12. The Winning Play

Instead he's updated to the year 1936 and the character really doesn'tplay well here. For those who don't know Merriwell was a fictionalcharacter created by Gilbert Patten writing under the name of Burt L.Standish. He was a square jawed, clean living, college athlete with novices of any kind who while getting into all kinds of adventures stillmanaged to get back in time to make the winning touchdown, win therace, or hit the home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for goodold Yale. The books were enormously popular in the Theodore Rooseveltera and baseball pitcher Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants wasin that time considered a living embodiment of Frank Merriwell. I'msurprised no one has ever considered a biographical film based onMathewson.

This is a serial, so I'm not expecting the greatest caliber of actingand certainly not even Cecil B. DeMille type special effects. In that Iwasn't disappointed. Donald Briggs plays our firm jawed hero who inthis version after hitting a game winning grandslam homerun, getscalled home when his mother is taken ill. That's a ruse, she's beingharassed by prowlers and she thinks they're after a ring that DadMerriwell left before disappearing two years earlier.

The ring holds the key to a buried treasure and our intrepid hero withhis gang of college chums go searching for it with these mysteriousvillains on their trail. During the course of the Merriwell gets toshow off his prowess in rowing, track and field, and boxing. The climaxin fact involves a football game.

Jean Rogers who played Dale Arden in the Flash Gordon serial is on handas Frank's most chaste girl friend and biggest booster. It's what wasexpected of the all American hero back then in 1896.

It might have gotten a couple extra stars had it stayed in 1896.

2) Enjoyable chapterplay from producer Henry MacRae. A bit slow in spots butoverall a nice job by everyone. Interesting young cast includes Jean ("Dale Arden" ) Rogers and Carla Laemmle. The last few chapters are thebestwith a good use of Universal features stock music in the background.

The story picks up with Jesse returning from Tennessee (the sight of"JesseJames Rides Again"), in the same black hat, waistcoat costume, to Missourito join up with brother Frank. There, without explanation, he changes intoaridiculous looking costume consisting of a really, really wide brimmed hatand chaps that are usually associated with cattlemen. There’s nary a cowtobe seen in this film. Actually it was the practice of the "B" studios todress their characters in costumes that would match stock footage liftedfrom earlier productions. Frank James is garbed in buckskins for goodnesssake.

The story involves the James boys , under assumed names of course, comingto the aid of helpless heroine Noel Neill as partners in her father’s (whohas been murdered by the villains) gold mine. The boys hope to reimbursevictims of crimes that were committed in their name for which they areinnocent. Trying to foil their efforts are "respectable" mining engineerJohn Crawford and his gang lead by George J. Lewis and the usual endlesssupply of henchmen.

I guess seeing Yakima Canutt’s name as co-director (with Fred C.Brannon),I expected more. But the stunts although well done by the Republic stuntcrew, are no different from any of 100 other serials. There are the usualfights, gunfights, and chases but really none of the spectacular stuntsforwhich Canutt was famous.

Rounding out the cast are Stanley Andrews as the heroine’s father, SamFlint as Thatcher the banker who bankrolls the boys, House Peters Jr. asthesheriff, Gene Roth as the Marshal and George Cheseboro as the owner of theGeneral Store. On the other side of the law we have I. Stanford Jolley asacrooked lawyer and Lane Bradford in his first serial as a henchman. In aninspired bit of casting veteran stunt men Dale Van Sickel and Tom Steeleplay characters named "Dale" and "Steele". Steele also appears as twootherhenchmen as well.

Clayton Moore who was about to become TV’s The Lone Ranger plays Jesseforthe second and last time. Boy, no one ever lost so many fights or couldrollout of harms way faster than he. Noel Neill was also about to realize her15minutes of fame as Lois Lane in the Superman serials and later in the TVseries.

2) Adventures of Frank and Jesse James was released in 1948, the same yearas the celebrated hoax of Jesse returning from the dead. Seems some oldcodger out in Missouri, obviously a JJ fan, turned up saying that hewas the real Jesse James and another man was buried in his place.Clayton Moore wears the same outfit as he did in the 1947 JJ RidesAgain, a black frock coat and a flat brim hat. In the 1948 serial, hewears a floppy brim Stetson and bat wing chaps to match the footage ofDon "Red" Barry in the Red Ryder serial. Steve Darrell (Frank James)wore the buckskin outfit of Hal Taliferro, Barry's sidekick in theserial. While Moore may have extricated himself from on screen perilsby rolling aside, his athletic ability in JJ Rides Again saved his lifewhen a burning wagon tipped over too close for comfort. The JJ serialswere not meant to be taken for historical accuracy, just a way to takea familiar Western historical character and change him for Hollywood.Just like the Buster Crabbe Billy the Kid features.

• The list of bands from Grendel’s bogus “Fred’s Condom Factory” company is: – Ellen Aim and the Attackers – Brain of the Scarecrow – Alba Varden – Heather, Corey, Heather Cory and Young – Todd Times Two – Black Plague – 5000 Schizophrenics – Hot Tub Johnny and his Feline Friends – Hamma Waters Sings the Blues – Nine Sisters – Horses on Fire – The Silver Belles – Fred and Ethyl – The Professor and Mary-Ann – The Nakatomi Boys Choir – The Doctor Bellows Funk Machine – The Redheaded Gardner and his Flower Also listed are the songs for the three “Black Plague” albums: – Tatoo (10/3/88) – Your Wow… – The Bio Nude – My Nazi Wench – Suck the Bunny – Hon, I Screwed the Kids – Bruce Poked Maud – Requiem of Paco the Shoe-Shine Boy by Wolfgang Binky – Devil’s Ghost (2/3/88) – Auldbrass Antics – Objectionable Bimbo – Desecrated Diane – Polanski Nursery – Redheads on Fire – Cum to Me, Baby – Requiem of Paco the Shoe-Shine Boy by Wolfgang Binky – Requiem (1/1/88) – I Love You – Suck the Bunny – Teenage Suicide – Hot Juice – Sexual Pudding – Violation
• At least three of the band names listed above feature references to earlier movies produced by Joel Silver: “Ellen Aim and the Attackers” is the band fronted by Diane Lane in Streets of Fire (1984), “Nakatomi Boys Choir” is a reference to Die Hard (1988), as the main location of that story was Nakatomi Plaza, and “Alba Varden” is the name of the South Africans’ vessel in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).
• After many letters of protest from classic-car enthusiasts, the film’s production company said that an actual ‘57 Ford Fairlane was not blown up in the explosion; it was a fiberglass replica body placed on a newer Ford chassis.
• Maddie Corman’s character is named “Zuzu Petals”, a reference to It's a Wonderful Life (1946). In that movie, George Bailey’s daughter, Zuzu, had brought home a flower she had got at school. She show’s it to her father and complains that some of the petals are falling off. He puts these in his pocket. Later, when he “has never been born”, he reaches into his pocket and Clarence the Angel, says, “They’re not there.” “What?” asks George. “Zuzu’s petals.”
• Director Trademark: [Renny Harlin] [Finland] Finlandia Vodka
• While reviewing dailies, Fox was so impressed they offered director Renny Harlin Die Hard 2 (1990) immediately. He began shooting that film while this one was in post-production.
• Renny Harlin used his own Ferrari in the beginning of the film as the car in which the blonde twins are picked up.
• Fairlane comments about being banned by MTV. Andrew Dice Clay really was banned for life from MTV in 1988 (the “lifetime” ban was lifted several years later).
• As with most films featuring stand up comics in the lead role, there are bits of Andrew Dice Clay’s routine in the film. This includes moments like asking the two guys in the club “What’re names? Neil and Bob? Or is that like what you do?” The blabbering noise he makes after he leaves Johnny Crunch’s radio station the first time. And referring to his genitals as “Stanley The Power Drill”.
• Howard Stern auditioned for the role of Johnny Cruch at Clay’s insistence.

• Continuity: The Kid’s shoes when he’s sitting on the beach chair at the end.
• Continuity: The level of juice in the blender.
• Continuity: The level of juice in the mug Coleen Sutton drinks from during her visit.

• Continuity: Jazz is thrown sideways through a window, but on the next shot, she is going head first.

2) The Adventures of Ford Fairlane looks pretty much at the Diceman at hisstand-up comedy best. But, this time, he has a character and is a rock androll detective. As usual he is the offensive Dice. Off-color, crude, andfor me (a rabid Dice fan) utterly dead pan funny. But though I find AndrewDice Clay to be a good actor, many people might see this movie and thinkthat he is just using this film as an excuse for people to see his stand-upact. Well, like the film, the opinions are two sided. You either love theDiceman’s comedy, or utterly hate it. I’m going for the upper. Greatcomedy and entertainment in this block-buster that rocketed Dice. A+

3) Sure there is crude humor, but it’s *Dice Clay*. He is who he is. Thisactually seemed cleaned up a bit for him. Mr Rock and roll detectivegets to investigate the death of Vince Neil. You throw in PrecillaPresley, Gilbert Godfried, Ed O’Neill. That is a recipe for just funny.*Very funny*, lots of good one liners, very quotable. Then again, Ievidently have the mental capacity of a dead hamster. If for nothingelse, it is a definite watcher for fashion don’ts. Yes we *really* diddress that way in the late 80’s early 90’s, it was very "Rock andRoll", we thought we were cool. Though now I can’t imagine why…Excellent time-period comedy. It’s a re-watcher.

4) This movie always cracks me up. I should note that I’m SO not a fan ofAndrew "Dice" Clay, I think his stand-up shows suck, big time. Buthere, he’s simply fantastic as Ford Fairlane, the Rock’n RollDetective, who mostly gets paid in the form of gifts or memorabilia.

Dice’s jokes here work perfectly each time, one quotable line afteranother ("so many assholes, so few bullets", "you’re a poet and didn’tknow it", "talking with Zuzu is like ************ with acheese-grinder, slightly enjoyable but mostly painful" to name a few).The film never takes itself seriously, yet somehow keeps it from evergoing into slapstick territory.

Supporting actors do well also, Presly is always a stunner, WayneNewton gives his best ever performance as Fairlane’s nemesis and EdO’Neill is a riot as a former disco singer turned detective. RobertEnglund gives a rather amusing performance as a very inept crook who’sultimate fate is nothing short of hilarious.

Finnish director Harlin directs with a sure hand, everything in thetechnical department in tip top shape and it’s very visually stylish attimes. The Adventures of Ford Fairlane is definitely not for everyone,but it’s not only for die hard Clay fans, since I sure as hell ain’tone of them. But I think he’s perfect here and the film is very funnyand comes highly recommended by me.

5) There’s profanity. Lots of it. PC is out the window! It’s derogatory towomen. And I can’t help but love it. Taking into account the heavilypolarized views it’s safe to say that you will either hate it or you’ll loveit. Middle road is very unlikely. But rest assured, IF you love it, themovie will probably make it into your top 10 easy. And after all, that’s notall that bad a chance to take.It’s not for everyone – I wouldn’t recommend it for a romantic evening withyour girlfriend. Maybe with your wife .. But give it a try. You might nothate it.

6) Andrew Dice Clay, now THERE was a man who was ahead of his time, If he camea decade or two later he would have been heralded as the acting equivalentof say, Eminem.. You know except with talent. OOOOH! Hey is this thing on??Anyways this movie is greatness & one of my "guilty pleasures". So manyquotable lines. So many great cameos. I heard Roger Ebert HATED thismovie..yeah Ebert, I F#%^ed him OOOOH!! Seriously go see this movie… NOW,snapperhead.

My Grade: B+

DVD Extras: featurette; Billy Idol music video; theatricaltrailer

7) This movie is one of the funniest ever, period. What can you say? The roleof Ford Fairlane really suits the Dice. Great dialogues, great story,greatmovie. Un-believable! I have seen this movie numerous times and it’s stillrocks. This is funnier than every other comedy out there, be it AmericanPie#1324 or clone-how-many of Monty Python. Great.

FF reminds me much of Howard Stern’s flick – you had those that bash itwithout ever seeing it! Just like Howard’s bio – FF is excellent. Itslike reading an adult joke book – just that it’s up on the big screen.

Clay’s acting is better than Stern’s. He really knew what he was doingand has great screen presence. This movie SCREAMS for a sequel.

Buy it. I just got my copy at HTTP://committed.to/bestdeals You can’talways find it in stores but Blockbuster does have it from time totime.

It is a film that is easy to watch. No thinking required. Chill on thecouch with some buds and get goofy.

Enjoy!

9) My friends and I watched this film around about 1993/4 and thought it wasthat crap, it was funny! I think its definitely a guy movie as it goeslowerthan a rattle snake gonads. Some of the lines are bizarre like ‘bensonhearse piece of shit. I have no idea what it means but its sounds funny inthe context of the film. Women will hate it as it is very male chauvinist.You either love this film or hate it. I personally loved it, very easy onthe brain cells.

10) The title of my post says it all for the ratings this movie received. Imeanless than a 5?? This movie is in the cult classic section in every videostore I go to! Sure this movie was harsh and witty while poking fun at themusic industry of the late 80s/early 90s. And for those of you familiarwiththe late 80s/early 90s music scene, you’ll remember how chaotic it wasbackthen! This movie is a testament to all the decadent happenings during thattime. Although filled with campy one-liners, an all-star cast, andextremelyvulgar material, it’s a Dice movie after all! That’s how it’s supposed tobe! Granted this movie is not for everyone, it’s still fun to just sitthereand laugh along with the movie’s gags. Offensive maybe, cheesy maybe. Getover it ya wimp!

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

Not easy to understand why anyone asked Joanne Woodward and BurtReynolds to make contributions. Neither of them was a close confidanteof the actor nor ever worked with him. Seems strange to hear themtalking about him and contributing little to our knowledge of himwithout any first hand experience.

The film clips, revealing Flynn in all his charismatic glory(especially during the height of his career) are generous and alwaysstimulating, reminding us how great his screen presence was–acombination of athletic grace and classic good looks along with actingability that was often underrated.

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

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

2) Errol Flynn has always been grist for story mills – his off-screen lifewas as outrageous as his on-screen antics, so it's no surprise that adocumentary about him appears from time to time on Turner ClassicMovies, which owns the Warner Brothers Library.

What made this Flynn story particularly interesting was the input fromthe family, ex-wives Patrice Wymore and Nora Eddington, and daughterRory. They described him as a robe and slippers man who loved his home.That may come as a surprise to some people, but you can't booze andwomanize 24/7, and it's clear from photographs that he loved his threechildren. The documentary fails to mention the death of Sean Flynn,probably because it happened after his father's death.

The other element that puts this biography one step above is theinterview with Olivia de Havilland, who speaks quite frankly about theattraction she and Flynn had for one another and how the romance wasnever to be. de Havilland's affection for Flynn, spoken of soemotionally when she was in the U.S. to receive an award at the time ofher 90th birthday, is an indication that there was more to Flynn thanyoung girls, drugs, and liquor. The classy de Havilland obviously sawsomething special in him, beyond the physical.

The film clips from Robin Hood, Captain Blood and Flynn's other filmsare fun to watch. He was unique in that while other actors didmusicals, dramas, comedies and adventure films, Flynn primarily didadventure films throughout his career. He was a tremendous naturalathlete with great flair and charm, born to play the Robin Hoods andCaptain Bloods. He could have been excellent in comedy, but his attemptdidn't catch on. The problem for Flynn was that while others at Warnerscould act the big roles and play comedy as well as Flynn, no one atWarners was as adept at playing swashbucklers. This frustrated him, asa similar situation frustrated Tyrone Power at Fox, though Power hadmany more opportunities to do different types of films than did Flynn.

The wonderful thing about this documentary is it debunks CharlesHigham's Nazi premise (which had already been debunked) and, as oneposter mentioned already, the homosexuality/bisexuality assertion isridiculous. Flynn's big problem was underage girls. It's certainlypossible that he experimented with the opposite sex under the influence- probably everybody did! Why this is considered noteworthy isanybody's guess.

Flynn was embarking on a career as a character actor at his death, andagain, like Tyrone Power, he would have been happy with the meatierroles that supporting roles offer. Neither man lived to fulfill thatpotential. Flynn had a particular heartbreak in a film version ofWilliam Tell that was never finished and IRS problems. The end of hislife was a sad one for someone with so much charm, beauty and humor.

3) An amusing clip from "The Steve Allen Show" opens this documentary.Spoofing "What's My Line," three mustachioed gentlemen identifythemselves as Errol Flynn: Louis Nye, Don Knotts(!) and Errol himself.This humorous and charming tone continues through the entire show, withrich footage of some of Flynn's best performances.

Interestingly–and refreshingly–the producers include material notonly from Errol's hits–"Captain Blood," "Robin Hood," "The DawnPatrol," "Gentleman Jim"–but some of his very best acting as seen in:

…"Uncertain Glory," where he played a French gentleman thief named"Jean Picard," no doubt a distant ancestor of a familiar starshipcommander…

…"Thank Your Lucky Stars," one of only two films which allowed Errolto do song-and-dance (the other being "Let's Make Up")…

…and "Too Much Too Soon," the dreary story of Diana Barrymore'sspiral into oblivion, but a film redeemed by Errol's haunting andtouching performance as John Barrymore.

About the interviews: some (David Niven, Vincent Sherman) are takenfrom earlier documentaries (by Tony Thomas, if memory serves). In thenew interviews, critics have questioned the appearance of RichardDreyfuss, Joanne Woodward and Burt Reynolds, none of whom, to myknowledge, worked with or even knew Flynn. Yet they bring a uniqueperspective as both fans (especially Dreyfuss) and accomplished actorsin their own right, colleagues who have appropriate credentials torender evaluations of his work.

And finally, it is fascinating to see how the three who knew Errol besthave aged. Widow Patrice Wymore has acquired a silver-hairedstateliness very much like that of Lauren Bacall. Daughter Deirdre, whoof course is older than her father ever lived to be, now looks verymuch like him–sort of the way Michael Douglas only started to resemblehis father Kirk after hitting middle age. And although she looks quitematronly (but about twenty years younger than her actual age), Oliviade Havilland still shows flashes of her delightful younger self. Highpoint: Olivia tells of deciding to get some of her own back by"torturing" Flynn during the making of "Robin Hood," flubbing takeafter take of their love scenes and prolonging their physical contactuntil Errol had "trouble with his tights." Delightful!

The best recommendation for this documentary is simply: it is NOTsuperficial. Viewers unfamiliar with Flynn and his "adventures" willget a full recitation of his virtues AND vices, including thealcoholism and drug abuse that eventually destroyed him, and the rapetrial that, many believe, triggered (or at least exacerbated) both.

Interestingly, the allegations of Nazi involvement on Flynn's part,which originated around 198O, are given the short shrift they deserve,since they were largely based on guilt by association (with HermannErben, who was a Flynn friend years before he, Erben, became aNazi)–and this is done without mentioning the name of the name of theshameless author who published those charges! (I won't mention himeither.)

Curiously, charges made by the same writer that Flynn was a homosexualaren't mentioned in this program at all, probably because his verypublic involvement with women renders such an idea preposterous. Notpreposterous is the idea that Errol was bi-sexual–and if he was, whatof it? This was a man who wanted to experience EVERYTHING, and he gaveit the old college try–entertaining a lot of people along the way,too.

2):
Elmo the fuzzy little red monster wakes up one morning to stick together with his favorite fuzzy blue blanket. Elmo learns a lesson when he refuses to share his blanket with his best friend, Zoe, then loses it in Oscar’s can, where it goes all the way to Grouchland. And now for the first time ever Elmo musters all of his determination and courage and heads off on an action-packed rescue mission that plunges him into Grouch land-a place full of grouchy creatures, stinky garbage and the villainous man alive named Huxley. He asked a kind girl named Grizzy to help Elmo get back his blanket. Grizzy decided she wanted to stop helping because Huxley’s house is on the top of Mount Pickanose which is far, far away. Elmo is now on his own. All the people from Sesame Street come to Grouchland to get Elmo back.

• February 2000: Soundtrack album won Best Musical Album for Children at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.
• Mandy Patinkin was a last-minute replacement for the original actor who was to play Huxley.
• The Sesame Street set was recreated on the EUE/Screen Gems sound stage rather than using the original. The set was built fully raised so that the puppeteers could stand while performing rather than crouching below “street level.”

2) The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland is one of the few films to comearoundthis year that is for the whole family. It can be for the kids becausethecharacters are so likable (especially Elmo played by Kevin Klash) and itcanbe for the parents because they remember the lovable characters they usedtowatch as a child. Along with a good story, great characters, and betterthan good songs, this film teaches kids many things (like sharing andfriendship) and of course the Sesame Street characters are always adelightto see on the screen.

3) I am 21 years old, and I consider myself as a kid at heart. I grew upwatching Sesame Street every morning, and I have always loved Elmo. I tookmy 9 year old sisters to see it and we all loved it. Absolutely nothingoffensive, Elmo is adorable! Looking for his lost blanket, he heads toGrouchland to find it. With some help from his friends, they battle Huxley(comically played by Mandy Patikin) to get the blanket back. Take the kidsto see it- you and them will love it!

4) In 1996, the Tickle-Me-Elmo doll was released and it was an immediatesuccess. This resulted into Elmomania that swept the nation. A TVspecial, a 20-minute segment on "Sesame Street", many appearances on"The Rosie O’Donnel Show" and a movie.

This film does have some good aspects however. There are some veryfunny bits with Ernie and Bert every 15 or minutes to help settle downintense or sad scenes for the children. These are the lead-in to somevery funny jokes:

ERNIE: No movie has a sad ending, Bert.

BERT: Titanic.

ERNIE: Hmmm?

BERT: Titanic had a sad ending.

ERNIE: Oh, come on, Bert! Roll film!

BERT: Gone With The Wind had a sad ending.

Huxey is also a very interesting character. Mandy Patakin can be afunny actor in this film. Especially when he talks about a velvetpainting of Elvis Presly and "West Side Story".

Also, the sets are amazing. Grouchland looks like something that wouldcome right out of a cartoon and almost reminds me of "Ren & Stimpy" orone of those new Looney Tunes shorts Chuck Jones did in the 90’s.

And then, there are the bad parts. I can spend about 30 minutes ofElmo, maybe 40 minutes. But 70 minutes! It’s crazy talk! And the plotis just coo-coo. Elmo goes into Oscar’s can (he is illegally going onprivate property) because his blanket fell in it and then some guytakes it. Who cares if some guy lost his blanket? Who cares about someguy who won’t share? And the absence of Ernie and Bert an the street iskind of unsettling.

Overall rating: 6/10, was good but could have been better.

5) I have seen Sesame Street home videos that are much more enjoyable thanthistheatrical release. My 2 year old daughter loved it though, and I guessthat’s the target audience. The lesson this movie tries to teach is"sharing". I feel that the home video "learning to share" does a muchbetter job.

6) I know I am not the audience for this mess, but even my toddler was boredbyit. The story takes so long being slow and simple, it literally bored meinto a stupor. The songs are instantly forgettable, the TV cast looks illat ease, and the whole thing is shot on a soundstage with a budget thatmight cover my lunch this afternoon. I give this a 3, and hope your childis not turned off from Elmo by this.

7) When Elmo has an argument with his friend over his blanket, the blanketendsup falling into Oscar the Grouch’s trashcan. When Elmo goes to get itbackhe gets sucked into Grouchland where he has his blanket taken by thegreedyand selfish Huxley. Elmo goes after Huxley while his friends from SesameStreet venture into Grouchland to find him.

As the rest of the world do, I love little Elmo. The cuddliest and cutestof the Sesame Street gang, Elmo is hard to dislike and it is fun to spend60minutes in his company. The plot has a nice moral behind it, one of notbeing selfish with one’s possessions, and it delivers it without rammingitdown your throat – in fact younger children won’t even seeit!

What the children will see is a collection of colourful characters who arepretty funny and encourage audience interaction all the way (which I thinkwould have annoyed me in a cinema – but not on video). The action is allvery bright and fun and has dialogue that will please both kids andadults,but without having stuff going low and high – it’s all down the middle andeasy to watch. The musical numbers are all very catchy and mostly quitefun. The Trash Queen’s song is catchy but has a touch of the divas aboutitthat seems out of place, but other than that there isn’t really a bum noteamong them.

The Sesame Street characters are all as fun as usual. Ernie and Bertcouldhave got a little irritating with their interruptions but they carry itoffwell enough. The film is Elmo’s of course and he is so sweet it’s easy togo along with him. Patinkin is a great villain and I enjoyed himimmensely.Williams has a brief role and does OK but doesn’t have too much to dowithherself other than look FABULOUS in a clingy outfit that shouldn’t beallowed in a kids’ movie!

Overall this is a colourful and fun movie, which is easy to watch for bothadults and children. The songs are like the characters – fun andcolourful.It’s all a bit short but it is amusing and well worth seeing if you’vegotyoung children to keep happy.

For any parents of young children who love Elmo and Sesame Street,definitely rent this movie. You and your children will love it.

Elmo loses his favorite blanket down Oscar’s trashcan and must rescue it. Heends up in Grounchland and must rescue his blanket.

Elmo is basically the star of the whole movie but the other muppets andcharacters are around. Adults will love this movie also because there aresome things only adults can understand. But children will also love itbecause Elmo is in it. The movie shows children how to share.

9) Mandy Patinkin was good – too good – our 3.5 year old was quite afraid andthis was a surprise to us in a Sesame Street movie. We will not just go toanother SS movie without checking the reviews first again. A SS movieshould be geared for very young children!

10) This was a happy film concerning the red furball fromSesame St, Elmo and how he learns about unselfishnessfrom the negative example of a "greedy selfish villain"called Huxley, played by Mandy Patinkin.

Elmo loves his blanket but won’t allow Zoe to hold it,and through a series of misfortunes ends up in Grouchland("Positively NO Smiling!") where everyone is very unfriendlyand Huxley (singing "I Make It Mine") is the most selfishof all. Elmo needs to retrieve his blanket from Huxley’scastle and encounters a series of difficulties along theway,including a meeting with the "Queen of Trash", played byVanessa Williams, who teaches him about giving.

I am 22 and I enjoyed it, particularly the musical parts,especially the signs in Grouchland, e.g. a movie theatre"Sharon Groan in Basically It Stinks", and the self-deprecatingcomments about the show – Huxley, "I bet you have a grandold time together just saying the alphabet and counting*all day long*." Grouchland saying – "you look likea million yuks." In jail, some people are told,"you have the right to scream you head off, and ifyou don’t exercise that right, you can have someonescream their head off for you."

Grouchland is like a ghetto, so the producers had to becareful to avoid any racist suggestions at that point (witnessoutcry over Phantom Menace). The background music is aLatin/South American rhythm. Also the Queen of Trash’s dumphas an African/Andean rhythm with the pipes in the background.

More disturbing was the incipient bourgeois mentality displayed;apparently we are supposed to not like the ghetto dwellersor the people who have everything (i.e. the socialist,Huxley).If this film was made in any country except the US,recycling would have been mentioned…

Postmodernist views are also blatantly promulgated inthe Queen of Trash’s song concerning her dump (or creation?)"It’s all about your point of view".

Bert and Ernie often break in and get the audience to"participate". They are very fond of using each othersnames in their conversation, e.g. in just about everysentence. Another strange thing is that Elmo refers tohimself in the third person all the time. But overallthis is funny & a good commentary on commandments 8 & 10

for all ages.

2) 3 separate episodes. We absolutely love this series of MaskedSuperhero/tvland tributes. The stars: Charlie Pellegrino and as hissidekick Frances Lee play roles straight. 1st Episode-Wax Terror,Mastercriminal(aren’t they all) Syphon makes zombies from the victims of hissnack cakes.The look,costumes and story remind one of the best ofclassic Batman(c)television. Hulk Hogan and other masked Mexicanwrestlers who act could learn some stunts from EL and GO. 2ndEpisode-Crimes of Fashion,Think of Pat Bishow being able to controlMTVs House Of Style,ewww. The FOP,is a villain much like any that AdamWest ever socked. In the second episode Bishow also introduces ELsrival from his wrestling days,El Fuerte.El Frenetico is shown,in a…more realistic mode-with Dark Knight weakness issues. Don’t thinkmention was made of the title animated sequences ala Spiderman of ’60sanimation and Chacters have there own theme songs with Words ! 3rd andmaybe finale – Shades Of Crime,at last a little spice withlesbian/heroine overtones. Syphon from the first episode breaks out ofjail with help from Shade(Madoka Raine). See by now,the fans have takento Go(Frances Lee) and her trusty spandex;putting her in danger with aSiamese Catwoman…well,Anime be damned-Buddy ! Guestar thinks this isperhaps one of the best group of films we took a potshot at,Well donePat Bishow and his Asian Goddesses .

3) This is a video that owes the bulk of its existence to the 1966 vintageABC series "Batman." Fans of that show will instantly recognize the setups, the style, the over the top villains and the camp qualities ofthat are mimicked in this series of three vignettes that feature areluctant Latino hero and his Asian sidekick battling three differentquirky antagonists.

It's strictly a no-budget production, but it's so smart and charmingand funny that it actually works pretty well.

Also notable are the fight scenes which are surprisingly good and evenmore realistic than the ones from Batman, not as if that's a challenge.But Frances Lee and Madoka Raine were especially excellent at theircombat, and that gives the film a sense of gritty realism, even as itis camping everything up.

I do wish there was either more episodes or another attempt at a secondmini series of vignettes, as there were questions left unanswered, andimplications left unresolved, some things that never would have (orcould have) happened on the TV-G rated "Batman!" Still if you liked theCamp of the 1960s Dynamic Duo, you have to find a copy of this and viewit!

2) I don’t know why IMDb lists this as a 30-minute movie. I’m familiar withthe 2-minute shorts that aired as filler between Saturday AM cartoons onFOXin 1991-1992. In the mid 90’s, I saw expanded 5-minute episodes and a lotmore in the series on an obscure overnight network feed for independentstations known as Network One (N1). Simply put, live animals were cast onminiature sets with mini props and voice-overs that made this an endearingseries.

Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson fame) is reported to be the voice ofDynamoDuck for both seasons, though he’s more recognizable in season two Dynamo.Perhaps the actor listed here on page one did the first season Dynamo. Ifnot, I don’t know why the voice was either recast or changed. I guessseason two Dynamo needed to sound more Don Adams-ish.

This was a great series that must not fade into obscurity. It became acultclassic in the early 90’s and got buried in overnight showings on N1 inthemid 90’s. It must be brought back to TV and released on DVD. It issuitable for all ages.

2):
In the end of the Seventeenth Century, Don Juan de Marana is repatriated from London to Madrid after a serious diplomatic scandal caused by his affair with a British fiance on the Eve of her marriage with a Spanish noble. The Spanish ambassador in London Count de Polan sends a recommendation letter to his friend Queen Margaret to give an opportunity in the court to rehabilitate Don Juan from the gossips and rumors about his love affairs, and he is hired as instructor of the art of fencing in the Spanish Academy. He secretly falls in love for Queen Margareth but becomes loyal to her and her irresponsible and weak husband, King Phillip III. Don Juan discovers the plan of the Machiavellian Duke de Lorca (that intends to declare war to England and rules Spain. With the support of his friends, Don Juan defends the Queen, the King and Count de Polan against Duke de Lorca and his men.

• Claude Rains was originally cast as the Duke de Lorca.
• At the end of the film, the young woman in the coach asking Don Juan for directions is Errol Flynn’s wife, Nora Eddington.
• Erich Wolfgang Korngold was assigned to score this film when shooting began in 1945 and even sketched some themes. When production was postponed until 1947 (due to Errol Flynn’s illness and other problems) Max Steiner replaced Korngold because, by then, he had announced his retirement from motion pictures. In October 1947 he suffered a heart attack and, in spite of pleas from Leo F. Forbstein, Music Chief at Warners, Korngold refused to return to the studio.
• Warners considered filming this project with Errol Flynn twice previously, on 1939 and 1945. The 1945 proposed production was scuttled by a labor dispute. It was to be directed by Raoul Walsh, scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and co-star Victor Francen and Rosemary DeCamp as the King and Queen, with George Coulouris as the Duke. Only Jerry Austin and Alan Hale survived from the 1945 production, although S.Z. Sakall was also considered for the Leporello role.
• Film editor Alan Crosland Jr.’s father, Alan Crosland, was the director of the original Don Juan (1926), with John Barrymore, who was a close friend of Errol Flynn, the star of this film.
• A 1945 trade publication announced that Claudette Colbert was being considered for a role as a French aristocrat, but by the time this film came out in 1948, that role no longer existed.
• In “The Films of Errol Flynn,” it was alleged that Errol Flynn’s drinking necessitated a good deal of “shooting around” him, but on the DVD commentary director Vincent Sherman says that this only happened once.
• Although Raoul Walsh was originally slated to direct this project in 1945, Errol Flynn had a falling-out with him, and by 1947 Michael Curtiz, who had directed some of Flynn’s greatest early films until he and Flynn had a falling-out, too, was assigned to the project. As production neared, Jean Negulesco replaced Curtiz, but Negulesco bowed out in favor of the film’s ultimate director, Vincent Sherman.
• Frederick Faust (Max Brand) and William Faulkner both worked on early versions of the script.
• With the failure of Errol Flynn’s non-action films Escape Me Never (1947) and Never Say Goodbye (1946), Warners producer Jerry Wald argued that the star should return to a large-scale swashbuckler, especially after Captain Blood (1935), The Sea Hawk (1940) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) had enjoyed recent successful theatrical revivals. Unfortunately for Flynn, this film continued his string of critical and financial flops, and the budgets of subsequent Flynn films were reduced considerably.
• The last of 13 films that Alan Hale appeared in with close friend Errol Flynn. Hale died on 22 January 1950, just over a year following this film’s release.
• The scene when Don Juan (Errol Flynn) is seen escaping on horseback over the castle drawbridge and into the forest through a triangular beam of light shining through the trees is footage taken from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
• Errol Flynn did not wear a wig and let his naturally curly hair grow for the role. The producers were worried about it becoming unruly during the climactic fight scenes, so it was decided that he wear a bandanna.
• Besides footage from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) for Don Juan’s escape into the night – footage also from The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) was used for Don Juan’s entry into London. A ten year younger Errol Flynn can clearly be seen as Essex in the distant shots as he leads his entourage through London to the palace just as Don Juan is doing in the later film

• Continuity: When talking to the ambassador, Don Juan’s earring is on the right ear, whereas for the rest of the movie it’s on the left.
• Anachronisms: In the scene where the ambassador tells Don Juan that he is to return to Spain, the ambassador wears the stiff collar called golilla, an item of clothing that belongs to the reign of Philip IV, which started in 1621. The story of this movie takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, who died in 1603.
• Continuity: When Don Juan stabs de Lorca in their climactic fight, the knife is seen entering under his right rib cage in the area of the liver. In the next shot the knife is squarely in the middle of the sternum in the area of the heart.

After many shameful incidents, Don Juan is forced to return to Spainwhere he discovers a country without life, driven to war, and a King inpetticoat with a dissatisfied Queen…

But, despite of all the court’s intrigues, Don Juan saves the lovelyQueen and the confused King Philip III (Romney Brent) from thetreacherous schemes of a malicious minister, the great Duke De Lorcaand his puppeteers Raymond Burr & Douglas Kennedy…

His farewell scene with the Queen of Spain remembered me "Prisoner ofZenda."

Don Juan, wisely, persuades the Queen that her duties lies with herpeople, and after kissing her, he says: "I shall be the only one whoknew that for a little while there was no Queen."

Flynn had the flair and style to play, with elegance, the charmingmanipulator, gaining admiration through his charisma, talents andabilities, seducing loving maidens, coming against angry husbands,causing a striking impression on the tall, dark, beautiful Queen…

Challenging the mighty Duke De Lorca, he makes his point as the loyaland devoted friend to the crown, when he declared: "Some men prefer theconquest of beauty to the conquest of a throne."

Viveca Lindfors plays a generous Queen who fights for peace and worksfor the welfare of her people… She is brave enough before animpertinent traitor who dreams to be a future king… She is apassionate young woman before Don Juan, her eventual true love…

Robert Douglas played a stupendous villain in many adventure films,crossing swords with great stars (Burt Lancaster, Cornel Wilde andRobert Taylor). As Duke De Lorca, he was a very ambitious minister witha hand of steel… "I’m Spain!, he expressed once… His declarationremembered me Vincent Price in "The Three Musketeers," when he states,in his role of Cardinal Richelieu, "I’m France!"

The duel between De Lorca ("I warned you, Señor, this time I shall cutdeeply.") and Don Juan ("This time, I’m wearing my old clothes.") isexciting and stylish…

With humorous moments displayed by the sympathetic dwarf actor JerryAustin (Don Sebastian) and with a splendid exhibition of youngswordsmen, lovely ladies, secret plots, drinking escapades, swordsclashing, furious fights, and with a great complementary score by MaxSteiner, "The Adventures of Don Juan" is a great entertainingswashbuckler, highly recommended…

2) THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN was intended as something of a 'comeback'film for Warner Bros. resident 'bad boy', combining the heroic elementsof 'ROBIN HOOD' and 'THE SEA HAWK' with Errol Flynn's well-established(by 1948) reputation as a hell-raising womanizer. Unfortunately, thecolor production, Flynn's first swashbuckler in nearly a decade, wasnot a box office hit, but the comic adventure is today embraced by hismany fans as one of his best roles!

It was not an easy film to make, as Flynn's carousing anddisappearances (officially called 'sicknesses') stretched the filming,and forced frequent reshooting. Director Vincent Sherman,cinematographer Elwood Bredell, and editor Alan Crosland often had to'cut-and-paste' snippets of many takes to achieve a decent performancefrom the star, and careful lighting had to be used to play down theincreasingly obvious effects of the star's hedonistic lifestyle. (Theclosing scene, featuring then wife Nora Eddington, was shot nearly ayear before the remainder of the film, and the change in the Flynn'sphysical appearance is clearly evident.) At 38, the star, who alwayshated being called a 'pretty boy' (to the extent that his home had fewmirrors) was aging rapidly.

All this being said, Flynn tried to give the film the best he could. Ithad been a landmark film for his friend/mentor John Barrymore, in thefirst Warners' film with sound, employed for music and special effectsonly, in 1926 (THE JAZZ SINGER would introduce 'talkies' a year later).It reunited him with friend and frequent costar Alan Hale, who, at 56,was still a popular character actor, and whose son, Alan Jr., wasstarting to make his mark around town (he would eventually be bestknown as the Skipper in 'Gilligan's Island'). The script for DON JUAN,in development since 1939, passed through many hands, includinguncredited help by William Faulkner and Robert Florey, with the endresult being marvelously tongue-in-cheek. The score, by the legendaryMax Steiner, became an instant classic, and would be reused, yearslater, in George Hamilton's ZORRO, THE GAY BLADE. This was a filmwhich, despite Errol Flynn's self-destructive lifestyle, had enoughtalent involved to still stand up as one of the better films of the1940s.

The plot involves roué Don Juan, tossed out of England after breakingup a 'diplomatic' wedding (a VERY funny scene), returning home to Spainto find evil Duke de Lorca (the sublimely nasty Robert Douglas)controlling weak King Phillip, and taxing the population to nearstarvation, with only the beautiful Queen Margaret standing in his way.Flynn quickly dispatches a de Lorca press gang, earning the Count'shatred, and the Queen's attention…and Don Juan finds himself trulyfalling in love, for the first time, with the youthful monarch (playedby the radiant Viveca Lindfors). Assigned as a fencing master at theAcademy, the legendary lover draws the ire of the Queen by stating hisfeelings for her, then is manipulated into another disastrousdiplomatic blunder, involving, of course, another woman. On the run, hediscovers de Lorca's ultimate scheme (manipulating the Crown into war),and with the help of the students of the Academy, he must save the Kingand Queen.

Featuring a great early appearance by Raymond Burr (as a de Lorcahenchman), and a stirring final duel between Flynn and Douglas(expanded from the 1926 version, and featuring an astonishing climacticstairway jump, performed by stuntman and future 'Tarzan' Jock Mahoney),THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN is a gloriously adventuresome romp. Sadly,it didn't save Flynn's flagging career, but it certainly has earned aplace among his classic films!

3) If you love swashbucklers, period movies, buddy movies, or Errol Flynn,youmust love this movie. For swashbuckling, you have a series of wonderfulfight scenes, each one convincing, each one a delight. For period movies,the costumes are excellent and the history just accurate enough to beuseful, but not so accurate as to be dull. Flynn and Hale are perfectlymatched foils here, with Hale getting some of the wittiest lines in themovie. And this is Flynn’s perfect part, still ladykiller enough to carryoff the love scenes, still fit enough to persuade as the great duellist.Watch it.

4) They truly don't make 'em like this anymore (more's the pity). ErrolFlynn plays the role he spent his whole life "training" for — Don Juan– in this spectacular Warner Brothers adventure film. There is so muchto recommend this film; it's a shame American audiences didn't respondto it the way European audiences did at its initial release. Flynn doeshis best work in years as Don Juan, ably supported by perennialsidekick Alan Hale and Robert Douglas as the evil Duke De Lorca. Thecostumes are amazing, the sets splendid, the Technicolor never lookedbetter — but to top it all off, the swordplay, choreographed by thelegendary maestro Fred Cavens (Adventures of Robin Hood, The Mark ofZorro) is second to none. From the brief duels with jealous husbands tothe scenes in the fencing academy to the final rapier and dagger brawl(capped by a spectacular leap performed by stuntman Jock Mahoney) thesword work here is awesome. (btw, historical fencing fans should notethe use of Thibaults' Mysterious Circle on the wall of the fencingschool, completely appropriate since this is the Spanish school ofrapier play). Future Perry Mason Raymond Burr has a memorable role asone of the villains in this court intrigue adventure, and VivecaLindfors is excellent as the Queen, but it is Flynn, with his wit,panache and blade skill, who dominates, just as it should be. Forterrific entertainment in the classic Hollywood tradition, take a lookat The Adventures of Don Juan! UPDATE 2/9/07 This film will soon beavailable on a new DVD in the second Errol Flynn collection box set,along with another good Flynn film, The Dawn Patrol.

5) In the end of the Seventeenth Century, Don Juan de Marana (Errol Flynn)is repatriated from London to Madrid after a serious diplomatic scandalcaused by his affair with a British fiancée on the Eve of her marriagewith a Spanish noble. The Spanish ambassador in London Count de Polan(Robert Warwick) sends a recommendation letter to his friend QueenMargaret (Viveca Lindfors) to give an opportunity in the court torehabilitate Don Juan from the gossips and rumors about his loveaffairs, and he is hired as instructor of the art of fencing in theSpanish Academy. He secretly falls in love for Queen Margareth butbecomes loyal to her and her irresponsible and weak husband, KingPhillip III (Romney Brent). Don Juan discovers the plan of theMachiavellian Duke de Lorca (Robert Douglas) that intends to declarewar to England and rules Spain. With the support of his friends, DonJuan defends the Queen, the King and Count de Polan against Duke deLorca and his men.

"The Adventures of Don Juan" is a charming, witty and delightfuladventure full of romance and comedy. Unfortunately the cinema industryforgot how to make awesome movies like this one without the need of sexscenes or gore and sadism. The athletic Errol Flynn is amazing,fighting with foil and seducing the women in the story and theaudiences in the real world, using intelligent and witty lines. Thegorgeous Viveca Lindfors performs a queen with stylish elegance andclass. The traitor Robert Douglas is the perfect villain, withtreachery, ambition and Machiavellism. In the end, this movie is highlyrecommended for the whole family as a great entertainment. My vote isnine.

Title (Brazil): "As Aventuras de Don Juan" ("The Adventures of DonJuan")

6) Errol Flynn, at 38, was not exactly as dashingly handsome as he was in hisearliest triumph (‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’) for his life style hadbegun taking a physical toll on his health. But he looks in good shape (forthe most part, except for some tell-tale closeups) and carries off the rolewith his usual zest, good humor and athletic grace.

He still has a good sidekick in Alan Hale who gets some witty banter withFlynn throughout the fast-moving film. Victor Sherman directs thetongue-in-cheek adventure tale with great style. All of the court intrigueand swashbuckling derring-do is photographed in gorgeous technicolor andaccented by a lush pseudo-Spanish Max Steiner score.Fine bits of villainy supplied by Robert Douglas and Raymond Burr and somehigh spirited romance from women like Viveca Lindfors (at the peak of herphysical beauty) and Ann Rutherford.

For fans of Flynn films, this is one of his best. None of it can be takenseriously, but that’s part of the fun. From the wry opening to the slyclosing scene, this is a pure delight if you’re seeking escapist adventurephotographed in some of the best color cinematography everseen.

7) THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN was the last of the great swashbuckling classicsFlynn would star in.Though Flynn isn’t exactly in his prime here nobody wasever better as the dashing devil may-care swashbuckling hero! Once againFlynn is reunited with his greatest screen sidekick Alan Hale,who is alwaysa delight.Viveca Lindfors plays the Queen with grace and a strong will andher beauty further enhances her performance. Robert Douglas is no Basil Rathbone but he stillmakes a fine villain.The score by Max Steiner is very fast paced andexciting and the duel between Flynn and Douglas is also nicelystaged.All in all this is a truly entertaining adventure with Flynn as dashing andheroic as only he could be!

MY RATING: 9/10

Don Juan really was Flynn’s last big budget extravaganza, and it really isasumptous production. If ever any one was born to play Don Juan then it wasFlynn. Solid support from Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas and Alan Hale.Thefilm is up there with Robin Hood and its a shame that it is not morewidelyseen today. Enjoy.

9) I expected to see Flynn looking out of shape, trying to relive his pastglories in this 1948 film. Instead it turns out that in The Adventuresof Don Juan, not only is our hero still swashbuckling up a storm andalmost as handsome as ever — let's not forget, ten years and manyevents have now elapsed since Robin Hood — but he is also man enoughto laugh at himself along with the audience. The role of Don Juan couldnot be carried off by many actors, and casting Flynn in this role couldeasily end up being farcical. Instead, he pulls off the role withhumour and grace.

And he still looks excellent in tights! More than good enough for me.

10) Like his swashbuckling predecessor Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynntackled the part of Don Juan in his late years, he was 39 when he madethis film for Warner Brothers. Like Fairbanks, Flynn plays an older andwiser famous lover who's getting a bit bored by it all. Not unlike thereal life Errol Flynn.

The Adventures Of Don Juan finds Tirso De Molina's famous lover senthome after a couple of escapades in the newly formed Kingdom of GreatBritain. King Philip III and Queen Margaret give our hero a chance toredeem himself by teaching at the royal fencing academy.

He's up to his neck in trouble soon enough, but not the kind of troubleFlynn's usually in. The first minister Robert Douglas is planning amove against the Queen who he sees as his main obstacle for total powerin the kingdom. And the great lover starts behaving more like SirLancelot and less like Don Juan where Queen Margaret as played byViveca Lindfors is concerned.

Although Philip III was not the great ruler his father Philip II was,by no means was he as big a fool as Romney Brent plays him. The realQueen Margaret who was his Hapsburg cousin did in fact haveconsiderable influence over domestic and foreign policy in Spain.

The Adventures of Don Juan was given a sumptuous production and won anOscar for Costume Design and was nominated for Art&Set Design. I thinkthe film's best asset besides Errol Flynn is Max Steiner's music. AsFlynn films usually are well scored, this one even stands out amongthat group.

The Adventures of Don Juan marked the thirteenth and last film thatAlan Hale made with Errol Flynn. If Alan Hale or Frank McHugh did notappear in Warner Brothers production it didn't seem quite right. JackWarner kept those two guys busiest of all at his studio.

Although Errol was getting older and his hedonistic living was startingto show, the part calling for an older and wiser Don Juan was wellsuited for him. One wishes he'd done the role back in the middleThirties as a young man however.