The Sea Hawk

Released Jul 1, 1940

2h 7m

Adventure

List

94%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

As Spain prepares an armada to invade England, British privateer Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn) embarks on a mission to loot Spanish ships. When he captures the vessel carrying ambassador Don Jose Alvarez de Cordoba (Claude Rains), the dashing captain falls for his niece, the beautiful Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall), who settles comfortably in England. Dedicated to protecting British interests, Thorpe heads out to sea on a dangerous expedition that may determine the country's fate.

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Steve D

Too dated and slow to work.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/12/24

Full Review

CodyZamboni

Movie is old school fun adventure with a rousing Korngold score. I loved the awesome, enormous full scale ship sets, and epic battles with hundreds of stunt men. One of Errol's best roles, with an attractive leading lady, and a fine supporting cast, except for the silly monkey. That was annoying and stupid. I liked that that the high spirited adventure scenes are not all fun and games. They are tempered with some brutal ship galley torture, and the choice to film steamy humid Panama sequence in sepia tone.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/07/23

Full Review

ogn d

Once I know an actor is gay it preoccupies my mind and I can't enjoy the movie. My problem. Ol' Errol is GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY! I can't say it's ruined movies by Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, but it's made me look at them differently, and Perry Mason, well maybe he should be call Merry Paisan.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

john m

Swashbucklin. :) :) :)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

johnathon w

Swashbuckling epic at its finest, thanks to a great lead performance and some thrilling set pieces. Errol Flynn is at his leading man best as Cap. Geoffrey Thorpe, a privateer in the service of Queen Elizabeth I fighting against the Spanish Empire. He's commanding in the action scenes though nicely shy when he meets Dona Maria (the lovely Brenda Marshall), realistic since sailors wouldn't see the opposite sex for months if not years at a time. Director Michael Curtiz delivers an epic film, though loosely connected on history and more to due with the context of when the film was made (the Spanish Empire substitutes for Nazi Germany). The opening ship battle is brilliant with the concluding dual at the end one of the best ever filmed. The one downside as that this is mostly Errol Flynn's show, with other actors being overshadowed (unlike "The Adventures of Robin Hood"). Overall, a great, swashbuckling epic that ranks as one of the best of the genre.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Frances H

Nobody could buckle the swash like Errol Flynn! And nobody could write the the music to go with those swashbuckling adventures like Erich Wolfgang Korngold The movie is also co-starred by all the wonderful character actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the excellent Dame Flora Robson does a marvelous job of playing Good Queen Bess, a role at which she had previously excelled in Fire Over England. A great deal of fun is had by all!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/18/20

Full Review

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Michael Curtiz

Director

Errol Flynn

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Brenda Marshall

Dona Maria Alvarez de Cordoba

Flora Robson

Queen Elizabeth I

Claude Rains

Don José Alvarez de Cordoba

Donald Crisp

Sir John Burleson

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Jeremiah Kipp

Slant Magazine

When The Sea Hawk is purely cinematic, it's at the top of its class.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 21, 2005

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Swashbuckler heaven

Rated: 5/5

Dec 13, 2002

Full Review

Peter Freedman

Radio Times

This rip-roaring adventure yarn was made at lavish expense, and, as they say, it all shows up there on the screen.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 4, 2024

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Despite their relationship with each other, The Sea Hawk is the best collaboration between Michael Curtiz and Errol Flynn.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 14, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Checks all the boxes for a seafaring adventure epic.

Rated: 8/10

Aug 14, 2020

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

I don't feel so much emotion with this adventure film by Curtiz, in his tenth collaboration with the mythical Errol Flynn, but I can instantly recognize, despite the lack of dynamism, that it has some interesting characters. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jul 20, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

As Spain prepares an armada to invade England, British privateer Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn) embarks on a mission to loot Spanish ships. When he captures the vessel carrying ambassador Don Jose Alvarez de Cordoba (Claude Rains), the dashing captain falls for his niece, the beautiful Dona Maria (Brenda Marshall), who settles comfortably in England. Dedicated to protecting British interests, Thorpe heads out to sea on a dangerous expedition that may determine the country's fate.

Director: Michael Curtiz
Producer: Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter: Howard Koch, Seton I. Miller
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 1, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2009
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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