Olivia de Havilland | Hollywood Yesterday

Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

January 20, 2022 By Joi

Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

Iconic film. Iconic actor. Iconic actress. Iconic film couple. Sums it up pretty well, I’d say… and yet it STILL doesn’t say enough about the magic of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland as Robin Hood and Maid Marion in the wonderful The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). Directed by the wonderful Micahel Curtiz, the legendary film also stars Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette, and Alan Hale.

If you haven’t seen this fun and colorful film, it’s the perfect time for a revisit!

You can buy the iconic The Adventures of Robin Hood on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

The New Year Brings a Few Changes to Hollywood Yesterday!

December 31, 2021 By Joi

Olivia de Havilland, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

First of all, I will be adding a lot more content on the old Hollywood and classic television blog in the coming year.

More reviews of movies and classic tv shows.
More book reviews (biographies, autobiographies, reference books, memoirs..)
More biographical information about the stars and directors we love so much.
More quotes from these stars and directors.
More quotes from movies, radio shows, and classic television shows.
More collectibles for those of us who adore them.
More classic cartoons and animated movies – two personal obsessions that I don’t talk nearly enough about!

More content is a better way to keep the stars’ shining brightly and to encourage old Hollywood friends like you to see their films and read their biographies.

At first I considered stopping the Picture of the Day but, after thinking about it, I’m going to keep it going and simply add more content as well.

Also, about the comments. Blogs have “plugins,” little beauties that help the blogger run their blog more efficiently. One such plugin I used for years helped keep “spam” out of the comments. Unfortunately this plugin simply stopped working and I have been flooded with spam comments – so many that I can’t even see the quality ones half the time! For this reason, I have disabled comments until I can find a new plugin that actually comes to work each day!

In the meantime, if you have something you’d like to tell me, my e-mail address is to the right and on my About page and Contact Page. Also, I am always on my Hollywood Yesterday Twitter Page – if you want to discuss any film or star, I’d love to hear from you! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia De Havilland 1946 Photo Print (Amazon link)

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

December 27, 2021 By Joi

Olivia de Havilland

There are many things in life that baffle me (parallel parking, algebra, the fascination some people have with politics…) but one of the baffling things of all is how Olivia de Havilland was often treated as an “average looking” character instead of the raging beauty she was! Seriously – how many films are we supposed to believe that she was the “less attractive” female or that she was Plan B to a Plan A who had absolutely nothing on her?!

I mean, come on, the lady was ridiculously beautiful!

Olivia de Havilland

The photos here are, of course, from a movie where she did get to be the center of attention and did she ever wear it beautifully!?! The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) was the 3rd of 8 times she co-starred with Errol Flynn… an actor who was absolutely aware of her great beauty!

You can buy the iconic The Adventures of Robin Hood on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn: The Adventures of Robin Hood

December 19, 2021 By Joi

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn

There are many reasons to love The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938, directed by Michael Curtiz) but the main two reasons are pictured above. Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn made movie magic every time they teamed up and this film, their third of eight collaborations, is certainly no exception.

The only thing I dislike about the entire film is Errol’s wig. I realize it was necessary for the character, I suppose… but each time I watch this one, it takes me a while to keep from getting distracted by it!

To be fair, though, I’m pretty easily distracted. Now what were we talking about??

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn

You can buy the iconic The Adventures of Robin Hood on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

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

September 19, 2021 By Joi

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

BOTD in 1903, The Larger than Life Errol Flynn

June 20, 2021 By Joi

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

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

Devotion, Starring Olivia de Havilland, Paul Henreid, and Ida Lupino

April 26, 2021 By Joi

Olivia de Havilland and Sydney Greenstreet

The lobby cards in this post are all from the underrated (yet extraordinary) 1946 film Devotion. The movie was directed by Curtis Bernhardt and boasted a wonderful cast including Ida Lupino, Olivia de Havilland, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Nancy Coleman, and Arthur Kennedy.

The movie is loosely (and when I say loosely, please know this…. I mean LOOSELY!) based on the lives of the Bronte sisters Emily (Ida Lupino), Charlotte (Olivia de Havilland), and Anne (Nancy Coleman).

Olivia de Havilland and Paul Henreid

In the film, sisters Emily and Charlotte both fall for Rev. Arthur Nicholls (beautifully portrayed by Paul Henreid). On top of this drama, the sisters (along with younger sister Anne) try desperately to help their brother Branwell (an artist), who is ruining his future… and life… with alcohol.

Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino, Nancy Coleman, and Paul Henreid

The film is outstanding, in spite of the fact that the script pretty much tells the story it wants to tell. The acting is exceptional, which is exactly what you’d expect from this group of talent.

You can find Devotion (Amazon link) on dvd on Amazon.

Ida Lupino and Arthur Kennedy

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

April 21, 2021 By Joi

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

The Strawberry Blonde: Movies Do NOT Come Any More Perfect Than This One

November 15, 2020 By Joi

Rita Hayworth, James Cagney, and Olivia de Havilland

One of the cutest, most enjoyable, best-written, all around BEST movies ever made starred three of Old Hollywood’s brightest stars: Rita Hayworth, Olivia de Havilland, and James Cagney. The Strawberry Blonde (1941, directed by Raoul Walsh) is one of the handful of films I call a “perfect movie.”

There is absolutely nothing that would keep this film from being called flawless. Many movies come close to perfect… as in thisclose… but they have one or more “throwaway” scenes or “filler” storylines. There is no scenes – not a single one – in The Strawberry Blonde that is a throwaway scene. Not a one.

How remarkable is that?!

Most of us know that, even with our very favorite films, there is a scene or more where… by gosh, if you need more salt on your popcorn, wait for that particular throwaway scene and make your run to the kitchen. The Strawberry Blonde has no such scene from the moment it begins to the moment it (perfectly) ends.

Flawless. Perfect.

Some movies fall short of perfection because of a kink in the casting. Again, that certainly isn’t the case with The Strawberry Blonde.

(Continued Below the legends…)

Rita Hayworth and James Cagney

Rita Hayworth and James Cagney are perfectly wonderful in their roles (as they were in every role they ever stepped into), but… and this is coming from Rita Hayworth’s biggest fan… this film gets its magic from Olivia de Havilland and her mesmerizing portrayal of Amy Lind. The character is written so wonderfully – she’s ahead of her time, feisty, fiery, daring, unique, and deliciously original.

Who in the world could play her other than an actress who was all of those things as well?! Olivia de Havilland was as perfect of a fit in the role of Amy Lind as anyone has ever been fit for a role. She knocked it out of the park and seemed to relish the role.

The only hint of a problem is that we are supposed to believe that Amy isn’t quite as attractive as Rita Hayworth’s Virginia (The Strawberry Blonde). Poppycock! Olivia de Havilland was as beautiful as anyone. Yes, EVEN Rita Hayworth.

The Strawberry Blonde is also perfectly directed – as in every scene, every “extra,” every line, every expression. Raoul Walsh was an extraordinary director and this was one of his greatest accomplishments.

In spite of loving Rita Hayworth as much as any star has ever been loved by anyone, I only fairly recently saw The Strawberry Blonde. I think I, ridiculously, kept putting it off because I didn’t think it’d be too good. Seriously, I looked at the costumes and I looked at James Cagney who seemed to me (THEN…not NOW!) to be out of place and I thought, “I’ll save this one for another time.” I had zero idea it would be as hilarious, colorful, and wonderful as it is.

Halfway through the third scene, I told myself, “Girl, you were a perfect twit to wait this long to see this one!”

If you’ve never seen The Strawberry Blonde… please, whatever you do, don’t be a twit like me and put if off another day. It is outstanding.

You can watch The Strawberry Blonde on Prime Video or add to your private collection and buy the dvd on Amazon!