With a fine score from Erich Wolfgang Korngold and commanding performances from Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, director Michael Curtiz’s Captain Blood swings its way onto 4K thanks to a captivating glow-up from The Criterion Collection, proving that this romantic adventure is indeed a REEL CLASSIC!
Released in 1935, Captain Blood did more than entertain audiences — it rescued a struggling genre and launched two major Hollywood careers. Directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis at Warner Bros., the film arrived at a time when swashbuckling adventures had largely fallen out of favor. Pirate films were considered financially risky in the early 1930s, and the studio took a gamble adapting Rafael Sabatini’s 1922 novel. That risk paid off — spectacularly.
The casting itself has become part of Hollywood legend. The studio tested several actors before selecting the relatively unknown Errol Flynn, who had only a few screen credits. His screen test reportedly impressed producers with his natural athleticism and charisma, qualities that would soon define the swashbuckling hero. Equally important was the casting of Olivia de Havilland, whose intelligence and emotional subtlety balanced Flynn’s bold presence. Their chemistry was so successful that they would go on to star in multiple films together, becoming one of the era’s most beloved screen pairings.
Technically, Captain Blood was ambitious. Warner Bros. constructed elaborate ship sets and relied on detailed miniatures for its naval battles — impressive feats in an era long before digital effects. The rousing musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold was also groundbreaking. Korngold, already a respected composer of classical music, approached the film as if he were writing an opera. His sweeping orchestration helped establish the grand, heroic sound that would later influence generations of film composers, including those behind modern adventure franchises.
The film’s historical setting — late 17th-century England and the Caribbean during the reign of James II — reflects a popular 1930s fascination with rebellion and justice. Although not strictly historically accurate, the story of an innocent man defying tyranny resonated strongly with Depression-era audiences. Themes of honor, freedom, and moral integrity gave the spectacle emotional weight, making it more than just a pirate adventure.
This 4K transfer elevates the film, drawing a new focus to the in the sea battle sequences. The restoration sharpens miniature work and layered effects photography, allowing modern audiences to appreciate the craftsmanship behind the ship combat. What once looked slightly hazy now has depth and dimensionality. Grain is present and natural — not scrubbed away — preserving the filmic texture that defines 1930s studio productions.
Sourced from the best surviving film elements (including fine-grain masters), the 4K scan brings remarkable clarity to Sol Polito’s black-and-white photography. Textures in costumes — the stitching on pirate coats, the sheen of polished boots — now feel tactile. Close-ups of Errol Flynn reveal subtle expressions that older transfers often flattened, and the luminous presence of Olivia de Havilland benefits enormously from improved grayscale balance. Blacks are deeper without crushing detail, and highlights maintain nuance rather than blooming into glare.
Ultimately, Captain Blood helped revive the swashbuckler as a major Hollywood genre and cemented Errol Flynn as its definitive star. Its success paved the way for later classics like The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), again directed by Curtiz and starring Flynn and de Havilland. Nearly ninety years later, the film remains a landmark in studio-era filmmaking — not just for its thrills, but for the bold studio gamble that transformed it into cinematic legend.
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Edition
Home Video Distributor: Criterion
Available on Blu-ray - January 20, 2026
Screen Formats: 1.37:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: LPCM Mono
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A
With this spectacular romantic adventure, a new era of Hollywood swashbuckling was born, as was a devilishly dashing star named Errol Flynn. He brings boundless charisma to the role of an idealistic Irish physician who, declared a traitor to England and sold into slavery in the New World, takes his revenge by transforming himself into the notorious pirate Captain Blood. The groundbreaking symphonic score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, marking the emergence of the Warner Bros. music department as a vital element in the studio’s moviemaking; the spitfire chemistry between Flynn and Olivia de Havilland in the first of their iconic pairings; the rousing naval-battle finale—all come together under the expert direction of Michael Curtiz to form an exemplar of classic film craftsmanship sailing full speed ahead.
VIDEO
The 4K transfer of Captain Blood released by The Criterion Collection presents the film with striking clarity and stability, drawn from a high-resolution scan of the best surviving film elements. Fine detail is dramatically improved — fabric textures, set design, and facial close-ups appear crisp without sacrificing the natural film grain that gives the image its period authenticity.
Contrast is more carefully balanced than in older home-video editions, allowing deep blacks and luminous highlights to coexist without crushing shadow detail or blowing out bright areas. The grayscale range feels richer and more dimensional, which particularly enhances the dramatic lighting in interior scenes and the layered visual effects during ship battles.
Overall, the transfer respects the original photographic character while offering a cleaner, more refined viewing experience that brings new life to this 1935 adventure classic.
AUDIO
The audio restoration on the 4K edition of Captain Blood, presented by The Criterion Collection, preserves the original mono track while significantly improving clarity and balance. Dialogue sounds cleaner and more intelligible, with reduced hiss and distortion that often affected earlier home-video versions. Most notably, Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s sweeping orchestral score gains warmth and presence, with greater dynamic range that allows brass flourishes and dramatic crescendos to resonate more fully without overwhelming the mix.
The restoration avoids artificial modern enhancements, instead focusing on stability and tonal consistency, resulting in a soundtrack that feels authentic to its 1935 origins while offering a noticeably richer and more immersive listening experience.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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The Criterion edition of Captain Blood features an insightful audio commentary that places the film squarely within its historical and industrial context. Film historians discuss how Michael Curtiz’s dynamic staging and camera movement elevated what could have been routine studio adventure into something kinetic and cinematic, while also examining how the production revitalized the swashbuckler genre during the mid-1930s. The track explores Errol Flynn’s sudden rise to stardom, his athletic screen persona, and the importance of his pairing with Olivia de Havilland, along with discussion of studio politics at Warner Bros. and producer Hal B. Wallis’s role in shaping the final film. Particular attention is also given to Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s influential score, which helped define the sound of cinematic adventure. Altogether, the commentary deepens appreciation for both the artistry and the calculated studio gamble that transformed Captain Blood into a landmark of classical Hollywood filmmaking.
Special Features:
With an insightful essay by film critic Farran Smith Nehme, the special features on Captain Blood from The Criterion Collection offer a well-rounded look at the film’s artistic, industrial, and cultural legacy. In addition to the scholarly audio commentary, the edition typically includes newly produced interviews with film historians, archival materials that trace the production at Warner Bros., and discussion of Errol Flynn’s breakout stardom and enduring screen persona. Supplements explore director Michael Curtiz’s visual style and the impact of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s influential score, alongside essays that situate the film within the broader revival of the swashbuckler genre in the 1930s. Together, the features provide both historical context and critical analysis, transforming the release from a simple restoration into a comprehensive appreciation of the film’s place in Hollywood history.
- New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary featuring Alan K. Rode, author of Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film
- Documentary from 2005 on the making of the film
- Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 1937, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Basil Rathbone
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme
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Composite 4K UHD Grade
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MPAA Rating: Approved.
Runtime: 119 mins
Director: Michael Curtiz
Writer: Rafael Sabatini; Casey Robinson
Cast: Errol Flynn; Olivia de Havilland; Lionel Atwill
Genre: Action | Adventure | Swashbuckler
Tagline: THE MOST MAGNIFICENT & THRILLING SEA ADVENTURE EVER FILMED.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Doctor Blood! Doctor Blood!"
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.
Official Site: https://www.criterion.com/films/29013-captain-blood
Release Date: December 28, 1935
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 20, 2026.
Synopsis: After treating a Monmouth rebel against King James II in 1680s England, a young Irish doctor is exiled as a slave to Jamaica where he captures a Spanish galleon and becomes the most feared pirate of the Caribbean.
