Errol Flynn | Hollywood Yesterday

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn: Dodge City (1939)

September 19, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn were one of the all-time GREAT movie couples. The talent was off the charts and the chemistry was out of this world. One of my favorite of their movies is Dodge City (1939), a film that really doesn’t get nearly enough attention!

The western was directed by the great Michael Curtiz and also stars Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, and Alan Hale.

You can find Dodge City on Amazon (link to the dvd) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn

Ann Sheridan and Errol Flynn, Silver River (1948)

August 4, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Ann Sheridan and Errol Flynn, Silver River

Ann Sheridan and Errol Flynn team up in the wonderful 1948 western Silver River. I’m not sure why, but the fact that these two had so much chemistry kind of took me off guard. I’m not sure what I expected but I honestly didn’t expect them to be quite THIS good together. I know they’re perfect with other stars and they’re two of my favorites… and, yet, they still blew me away when I first saw them together.

Again, I have no idea why!

You can find Silver River on dvd (Amazon link). It’s really, really good!

Errol Flynn and Maureen O’Hara: Against All Flags (1952)

June 26, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Errol Flynn and Maureen O’Hara, Against All Flags

As you might expect from a HUGE Maureen O’Hara fan, I love swashbuckling movies with a great passion. As a Westerns fanatic, I have always thought of swashbuckling movies as Westerns on Water. Think about it… you have everything but the horses!

Against All Flags stars Maureen O’Hara and Errol Flynn – no stranger to swashbuckling, himself. The 1952 movie was directed by George Sherman and also stars Anthony Quinn, Alice Kelly, and Mildred Natwick.

Is Anthony Quinn outstanding in everything or is Anthony Quinn outstanding in everything?? Answer: Anthony Quinn is outstanding in everything.

BOTD in 1903, The Larger than Life Errol Flynn

June 20, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Errol Flynn, San Antonio (1945)

One of the greatest, most colorful, and certainly most popular actors of all time, Errol Flynn was BORD in 1909 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He often reminds me of another wonderful actor (who also died far too soon), Heath Ledger. The fact that they were both born in Australia is pretty ironic.

One of the things that fascinates me most about Flynn was his ability to (very believably) transition from role to role – oftentimes very different roles! He was just as believable as a swashbuckler as he was a cowboy and just as believable as Don Juan as he was Robin Hood.

“If I have any genius it is a genius for living.” ~ Errol Flynn

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, Dodge City

Errol Flynn is oftentimes a bit of a controversial figure among old Hollywood enthusiasts and film historians. I always hate when anyone devotes time and effort to trying to “knock down” a star who is no longer with us. They contributed to the old Hollywood that we know and love so much – why is it so hard for some people to focus on the positives and leave the negatives in the background… where, of course, they’d prefer their own faults and shortcomings to remain.

I literally encountered a woman once who (after every positive word I said about Errol Flynn), countered with a negative word. I finally just dropped the subject and asked who her favorite was. She said his name, and while I won’t mention it here out of respect to the actor, he had done everything she had just accused Errol Flynn of! When I gently pointed this out, she laughed and said, “Oh I try not to think about any of that!”

Ummm… okay? I am perfectly fine with that. Just extend the same courtesy to everyone else!

Errol Flynn lived life on his own terms, was spoken highly of by his co-stars, and was seemingly adored by his leading ladies. He left us with larger than life performances – none greater than the one of Errol Flynn, himself.

Concluded Below…

Errol Flynn and Maureen O’Hara in Against All Flags

Errol Flynn’s last words were, reportedly (and VERY believably!), “I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Bette Davis in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

May 21, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Errol Flynn, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

In spite of the two making a wonderful film together, Bette Davis had very-much wanted Laurence Olivier for the role of Lord Essex. At the time she didn’t believe Errol Flynn would be right for the role. She was so upset about Flynn being in the role that she and the popular actor didn’t get along and would never work together again.

(Continued Below…)

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

However, according to Bette Davis’ close friend (and, ironically, a frequent co-star of Errol Flynn) Olivia de Havilland, she and Davis watched the film again a short while before Davis suffered four strokes in 1983.

At the end of the film, Davis turned to de Havilland and stated that she had, in fact, been wrong about Flynn, and that he had given a fine performance as Essex.

That he did.

You can find The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the film on Prime Video.

Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, and Errol Flynn, Dodge City (1939)

April 21, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn in Dodge City

Three of old Hollywood’s greatest stars (Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, and Errol Flynn) starred in a 1939 western you don’t hear nearly enough about today – Dodge City. Directed by the great Michael Curtiz, this is one I highly, highly recommend.

When I first saw it, I wasn’t sure how I’d like Errol Flynn (who I’d only known as a swashbuckler and Robin Hood at the time) in a western, but he fit the role and the genre so well, I found myself VERY much wishing he’d made more westerns.

Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, and Ann Sheridan

You can find Dodge City on Amazon (link to the dvd) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland

Dodge City: A Great Western with a Seemingly “Non-Western” Cast (Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, and Ann Sheridan)

December 1, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, and Ann Sheridan, Dodge City (1939)

Dodge City (Amazon link) is a fairly underrated Western, but one that is very, very good. VERY good. When I first sat down to watch the film (a few months back), I had no idea what to expect. For one thing, you don’t exactly associate any of its main three stars with Westerns, do you?! And yet, each one came across as though they were as accustomed to Westerns as horses and cowboy hats.

In a role he handled perfectly, Errol Flynn is the hero (Wade Hatton) in charge of bringing law and order to a wide open town (Dodge City). He has an eye for the lovely Abbie Irving (Olivia de Havilland) but she wants nothing to do with him because he had to shoot her brother.

Really can’t blame her here, can we?

Dodge City Trivia

Errol Flynn’s character, Wade Hatton, was based on Wyatt Earp.
This was the 5th of 9 movies made together by Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn.
The barroom fight (which was pretty darn epic) was the largest ever filmed at the time.
Olivia de Havilland wanted the saloon singer role that went to Ann Sheridan. During this period of time, reportedly, the wonderful actress was uninspired by the roles she was getting. The fact that, during a professionally unhappy time she STILL turned in a wonderful performance shows just how devoted to her craft she was.
Alan Hale appears in this film – it is always fun to see “Skipper” show up in a movie!

You can find Dodge City on Amazon (link to the dvd) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, Dodge City