17 December 2008

Blood in Their Sails (1946)

Blood in Their Sails (1946); Albert J Kelly, dir.

Some genre films don't deserve to be made. Others establish themselves solidly. Still others are held up as exemplars of the genre. But every now and a while, a film comes along that defines the genre, both in its excellence, but also its tone. Blood in Their Sails is one such genre-defining film. From the terrific portrayal of the bearded Captain Torrent (Gilbert Simmons) and British sea commander Admiral Lord Worthington (H Lucas Bentley in his finest role) to the classic dialog ("Cut not my throat, captain, as ye find ye cut yer own." and "Onward, Gentry! The horizon awaits! Stay fast to our course! Courage, man, and steady on!" are the best examples), this 115-minute swashbucklers never fails to deliver. And since it's the first Imperial Studios film in full color, it's vibrant to watch as well. I rate it a solid 83 out of 100.

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