Starring: Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains, Flora Robson
Score: 2/4
Tensions are high between Spain and England and privateers are abundant in this 1940 film. Don Alvarez is a Spanish courtier on his way to the court of Elizabeth I, his mission is to pacify the Queen while the Spanish King builds his armada. Elizabeth is reluctant to spend the money to build her own fleet.
However, as Alvarez is traveling to England, with his niece Dona Maria, his ship is captured by the privateer Geoffery Thorpe who is tongue-tied by the beautiful Maria. She despises him but after he shyly returns her stolen jewels, she begins to soften and realize he is good.
Once the Spanish courtiers arrive in England they travel to the palace. Maria becomes a lady-in-waiting for Elizabeth. Geoffery meets secretly with the Queen and proposes a daring plan; he wants to travel to the New World and take a Spanish load of gold and use it to fund England's activities. Elizabeth is dubious of the plan but grants him permission.
Maria must say a tearful farewell to Geoffery as he departs. The only hitch in the plan (unknown to the English) is that the Spanish know Geoffery is coming and they have a surpise for him...
As in the way of most old movies, the sword fights are daring, the women are useless and the costumes are splendid. Brenda Marhsall's Maria is not very interesting, she is the typical female. Of course, everyone has an English accent, even those from Spain. It's a movie for watching on a slow Saturday night
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