“So what is your favorite film?”
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
That’s a fair question that I’ve been asked many times. Motion pictures are difficult to ignore in any culture and film stars are often revered as royalty. In fact, I would argue that for many of us movie stars are the equivalent of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />United Kingdom’s Royal family. We love them, we hate them, we ridicule them, we shower them with praise. Celebrities and their all too public lives provide us with voyeuristic opportunities as they either self-destruct or in some way manage to distinguish themselves as the world’s most famous imbeciles. Just ask Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson.
Ah, but the movies themselves are so often magical. I hold steadfast to my belief that Hollywood’s best films were made in the 1930 and 1940s. Of course, every decade has its classics. In recent years I’ve enjoyed THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. That’s a classic series, to be sure. And NATIONAL TREASURE starring Nicholas Cage was a nifty albeit traditional adventure film. I loved CAST AWAY starring Tom Hanks and The two KILL BILL films. BEFORE SUNSET and its sequel BEFORE SUNRISE directed by Richard Linklater and starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reaffirmed my belief that screenwriters could still write meaningful dialogue. Yes, there are some great films out there. But the greatest film ever made? What would that one be?
I decided to ask around and you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the responses were as varied as the personalities that I spoke with. It should be noted that I intentionally avoided asking film critics this question and whenever possible I shied away from what I call “The artsy-fartsy” crowd. I already know what they’ll say: CITIZEN KANE, LA DOLCE VITA, THE BICYCLE THIEF, LA STRADA, BLOW UP, etc. And those sage minds over at The American Film Institute have their own ideas on which films belong on a list titled “The Greatest Films of All Time.”
One fellow told me he loves DIE HARD. A few women mentioned PRETTY WOMAN as their favorite. TITANIC is still fresh in everyone’s mind as a modern masterpiece. Men that love Westerns as I do all said RIO BRAVO is their favorite. Now there’s a classic that’s on my “Top Ten” list. In fact, nobody I spoke with about Westerns mentioned HIGH NOON, but all of them mentioned THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE SEARCHERS. Several mentioned TOMBSTONE. These films are all great and I would certainly include them on a longer list. But I’m still talking about just one film.
THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD starring Errol Flynn is the greatest film ever made. It’s the perfect movie. A great cast, superb script, stunning Technicolor photography, outstanding costumes, inspiring music, and Errol Flynn at the top of his form. What more do you want from a movie?
This is not meant to disparage any of Flynn’s other films, so since I’m on the topic let’s not forget that CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, DAWN PATROL, DODGE CITY, THE SEA HAWK, GENTLEMAN JIM, THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON and OBJECTIVE BURMA are just a few of Flynn’s films that deserve to be called “classics.”
April/May 2008 marks the 70th anniversary of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and I’m celebrating early. Every month until next May I will post an image or two on this site from Sherwood Forest in celebration of 70 years of Errol Flynn as Robin Hood. This year long celebration begins today.
I want to encourage everyone reading this post to find a copy of the DVD and watch it with your family or your friends. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
That’s my rant on that topic.
Keep rockin’ and best wishes always,
Thomas McNulty
— Shamrock
