The Fighting O'Flynn

In this lively adventure, a daring Irish leader tires to keep Napoleon from invading Ireland. There is some worry that The Little Corporal will attempt to take over Erin. Fairbanks, equally adroit with a saber, a rapier, a shillelagh, or a kiss, does a splendid job in what is almost, but not quite, a satire of Errol Flynn and even Fairbanks himself in THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Fairbanks is traveling to a castle he has inherited when he rescues Carter, daughter of Viceroy Hare, as her coach is being waylaid. Fairbanks leaps from horse to horse, roof to roof, heart to heart, and saves Ireland from the duplicity of Greene, who is Hare's assistant and in Napoleon's employ. Very enjoyable nonsense with lots of derring-do from Fairbanks in the kind of role his dad used to play.

Douglas Fairbanks Junior plays the title role in this Napoleonic era swashbuckler .He is newly returned from the wars against that cantankerous and objectionable Corsican midget ,Buonaparte,and looks forward to revisiting his old haunts in Ireland but is caught up in a plot by the villainous Viceregent ,Lord Sedgemouth (Richard Greene -for once cast as a baddie ,and doing a decent job of it too) .That is not the whole extent of Sedgemouth's depravity however for not only does he wish to facilitate a French invasion of Ireland where the French armies would be joined by Irish rebels but he has set his cap at the fair Lady Bernadetta (the winsome ,is slightly wan Helana Carter) O'Flynn's childhood sweetheart. Much derring do ensues-swords clash and there are secret trysts and much lively if a tad broad,comedy etc.is stirred into the mix Fairbanks seems to be gently and affectionately guying the genre and actors like his father and Errol Flynn are gently satirised -it is worth noting that he also had a hand in the screenplay ,along with Robert Thoeren .

Colour would have been a help as would livelier direction by Arthu Pierson .Notwithstanding,this is a nice fun little movie and most people who catch it would probably enjoy the experience

This film is a semi-comical adventure film starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as a charming, impoverished Irish aristocrat. Fairbanks Jr. has always been sidelined in most critics views. His father was one of the superstars of Hollywood in the high silent period from 1915 to 1929, and even essayed a few interesting sound films. As the heir of the family name, Fairbanks Jr. had to make his own way. He did, but most people still think of his father first when "Fairbanks" and "movies" are mentioned.

Fairbanks Jr. did have some significantly good roles in variety: he was the insane Tsar Peter III in CATHERINE THE GREAT, he graced a number of comedies like THE YOUNG AT HEART, and he could play villains (Rupert of Henzau in THE PRISONER OF ZENDA) as well as heroes (THE CORSICAN BROTHERS). But his competition was the ever available Errol Flynn, Tyrone Power, and David Niven. Two superstars and a up-and-coming actor (later Oscar winner). Fairbanks kept competing and making films (and later television) but he gradually got more involved with diplomatic affairs between the United States and Great Britain, which became his final home. It was his choice, and he did well there too - but it's a pity. He was a better than average actor. To me his best performance (aside from Rupert) is the doctor trying to flee an iron curtain country in STATE SECRET.

He is at his charming best here, stumbling onto a conspiracy led by Richard Greene's Lord Sedgemonth to help a French invasion fleet get settled in Ireland and succeed in resting that country from British control. He also is trying to romance Helena Carter (a stiff aristocrat), and avoid the traps of Greene and his mistress Patricia Medina. All while keeping his charming, easy going manners. Witness the scene where he confronts the French general Otto Waldis, who catches him on a lie, but still continues drinking with him.

The background of the film is true, but forgotten. In 1797 Wolfe Tone, the great Irish patriot, was in Paris trying to plot an invasion by the French revolutionary forces to free all of Ireland (Protestant and Catholic) of Britain. He was working with General Lazare Hoche and the great mutiny of the British fleet in that year would have been the best opportunity. But while France's government debated the plan, Hoche died suddenly. Within a year Napoleon Bonaparte was the leading general, and he was using resources to invade Egypt. Still a small force was sent to Ireland, but got bogged down there and were forced out by the British. Tone tried to start the timed revolt, but it was snuffed out. He was arrested but committed suicide. His leading aristocratic ally, Lord Edward Fitzgerald (the model for Greene's Lord Sedgemonth) was killed when he was being arrested. The revolt still went on, but was put down by the then Viceroy of Ireland, Charles, Marquis Cornwallis (yes, Cornwallis was far more successful in Ireland and India as a soldier and administrator than in the United States). It is this background that is behind the story of THE FIGHTING O'FLYNN.

Until he was well established with his own reputation Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. eschewed playing roles like The Fighting O'Flynn that would draw comparison with his father. In fact his first costume epic was the British Elizabeth Bergner production of Catherine The Great and his was not exactly a swashbuckling role. Later on before World War II with his reputation well established, Jayar as his dad called him did great work in The Prisoner Of Zenda and The Corsican Brothers.

But after the war Fairbanks claimed the Fairbanks swashbuckling legacy with Sinbad The Sailor, The Exile, and The Fighting O'Flynn. Fairbanks also produced The Fighting O'Flynn and did a wonderful job of creating the character of The O'Flynn whose first name like Lieutenant Columbo we are never destined to learn.

As was also well known at the time the younger Fairbanks was the most known Anglophile in America and it would not due to have Fairbanks show the British as the villains, the occupiers of Ireland which they actually were. His rationale for being on the British side was to win the love of Helena Carter, daughter of the British viceroy who at the time though not named here was Lord Charles Cornwallis the guy who surrendered to Washington at Yorktown. But also Fairbanks does not fancy folks like the French and Dutch occupying Ireland either. Remember it was Dutchman William Of Orange who won the Battle of The Boyne and the Dutch were not well loved in Ireland either. And it's a Dutch agent Ludwig Donath who is the main intriguer in the plot.

Donath's fellow conspirator is British Lord Richard Greene who is engaged to marry Carter, but has Patricia Medina on the side. So this guy is a double dealer all around. Fairbanks takes a while to see through him, but of course saves Ireland from the French occupation which other Irishmen in real life like James Wolfe Tone were trying to make happen. The loss of the Irish Parliament was one of the consequences in real life that actually happened.

Fairbanks for me is one of those guys who is so filled with charm and style that I could have watched him on screen as The Fighting O'Flynn for double the running time of this film and begged for more. This man is handy with the ladies, a sword, or even a shillelagh when the situation calls and he has nothing else.

Though the film is full of Irish blarney as they come, The Fighting O'Flynn shows what Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was all about on screen and its delightful entertainment.

For some reason, this film is not available for purchase anywhere. Strange, since so many worthless products are easy to locate. It is sad that this movie is so disregarded, in that this movie is Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s best performance. You could argue that Gunga Din is a better movie, and that is true. Still, Fairbanks' performance as O'Flynn far outshines his work in Gunga Din. He holds together a slim plot line, and has some of the wittiest dialog you will ever find in a movie. O'Flynn's character is a charmer, loved by men and women, and somewhat of a con man. The dialog has many nice touches. For example, O'Flynn knocks unconscious one of the French soldiers (Henry Brandon), who later gets the drop on O'Flynn. In an off-hand remark, O'Flynn says to the Frenchman, "You must have a terrible thick skull." A great touch. Perhaps because Fairbanks was the producer and wrote some of the screenplay, we are getting more than the run of the mill swashbuckler. His pursuit of the almost painfully prim Lady Benedetta (Helena Carter) is full of poetry, romance, and charm, and she even remarks that his words are "…very nimble and very Irish." The supporting cast are all veterans, and good performers. Aside from Helena Carter, Richard Greene portrays excellently the weak and corrupt Lord Sedgemonth. Arthur Shields and J.M. Kerrigan provide great repartee in the lighter moments. Patricia Medina is great as Lord Sedgemonth's paramour, Fancy Free, who "only likes the good life," and says the Lord Sedgemonth must do the right thing by her, "…give me money." Add to this a remarkably good musical score, and you have a great and entertaining movie. It is obvious that this film suffered from a small budget, since it was shot in black and white, and if nothing else, this film screams for color. Perhaps it could be looked upon as a lesson on how to do more with less. Fairbanks, in this film, is every bit of the "presumptuous popinjay" he is accused of being by Richard Greene. You could hardly spend a better 94 minutes.