Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Against All Flags Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see action-adventure with a great lead performance by Maureen O'Hara

An entertaining action-packed adventure classic of the silver screen, Against All Flags is a must-see picture with great sword- fights and excitement galore. Produced by Howard Christie (Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, A Man Called Gannon), Against All Flags is graced with a story by Aeneas MacKenzie and is highlighted with performances by Erol Flynn and Maureen O'Hara.

A swashbuckling adventure of the high-seas, Against All Flags explores the conflict between a British officer, the head-strong Brian Hawke (Errol Flynn) and the captain of the pirates Roc Brasiliano (Anthony Quinn). Coming in to a conflict with the pirate leader, officer Hawke stumbles into a chance meeting with the gorgeous buccaneer Prudence 'Spitfire' Stevens (Maureen O'Hara) as she takes his side. An unexpected romance begins to brew between them but the journey of the sea might get in the way.

Jealously takes center stage when the beautiful Princess Patma (Alice Kelley) enters the equation in an unexpected way. Swashbuckling adventure ensues but who will be victorious: the do-gooder Brian Hawke or the daredevil pirate Roc Brasiliano? (And who will win the heart of 'Spitfire' Stevens?)

At the heart of the film is the remarkable performances by the leading cast members. The show stopping, scene stealing queen at the heart of it all is Maureen O'Hara. O'Hara delivers in spades: presenting her character as a ferocious kick-ass woman who can blaze through the toughest obstacles around. Without a doubt, O'Hara steals the show and is far and away the most important performer in the film. Errol Flynn provides an admirable supporting part which fans of the actor will appreciate but his role is not as invigorating as what is on screen with O'Hara.

Against All Flags is filled to the brim with fantastic production merits in every regard: the filmmakers certainly assembled a fantastic crew behind-the-scenes. The set decoration by Oliver Emert (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Naked City) and Russell A. Gausman (Phantom of the Opera, Shadow of a Doubt) gives the filmmaking a sense of greater authenticity. There was a clear sense of detail given to the production.

Prepare to be amazed.

The art direction by Alexander Golitzen (Foreign Correspondent, Touch of Evil) and Bernard Herzbrun (Harvey, Creature from the Black Lagoon) also livens things up with a style that rewards viewers with an engaging, beautiful-to-look-at cinematic experience. From top to bottom, the production design manages to make a lasting impression. Then there's the cool score by Hans J. Salter (Incident at Phantom Hill, Follow That Dream) to add some suave charisma to the action scenes. Even the costumes designed by Edward Stevenson (Suspicion, Citizen Kane) deliver some added flair.

Frank Gross (All That Heaven Allows, Operation Petticoat) did an impressive job editing the film and shaping it to the final form. The end result is an action-packed experience that won't let audiences down. There is something to be said about classic cinema that can fit the mold of action- adventure storytelling with ease. It takes a strong editorial oversight to make the pacing and rhythm flow naturally. Against All Flags succeeds in this regard.

Matching the impressive action sequences, the cinematography by Russell Metty (The Omega Man, Touch of Evil) gives audiences a beautiful cinematic treat to look at. The visuals are at the core of the film-going experience and Metty delivers outstanding eye-candy that viewers will be blown away by. The cinematographic style is fun, charming, and original. It helps to pull one in to the story.

Speaking of story: the screenplay by Aeneas MacKenzie (The Ten Commandments, Reign of Terror) and Joseph Hoffman (Arson Gang Busters, The King's Pirate) is one of the best aspects of the film. There is a sense of good character development for each respective leading role. The plot remembers how to have fun, too. The script simply zigs and zags with unbridled energy and makes the film even more enjoyable.

George Sherman (Citadel of Crime, The Cyclone Kid) shaped Against All Flags in to a truly fantastic cinematic package. Sherman helped bring forth the best from his cast (and the crew working from behind the scenes). The action scenes are exciting and the drama feels genuine. Without a doubt, Against All Flags is an under-the-radar classic that deserves to get more recognition for its sheer fun quotient: don't miss it.

Against All Flags Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Against All Flags has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The scan is quite impressive throughout the entire experience. The print is crisp, clean, and only has some occasional specks of dirt on the print: this is a highly impressive presentation that has little in the way of print damage, wear, and tear. Color reproduction also looks quite lovely and well defined throughout the presentation.

Against All Flags Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features a DTS HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless, high-resolution sound mix sounds quite impressive. Given the age of the source elements used for the presentation, the track sounds surprisingly vital and robust. The track does not have any detrimental signs of egregious hiss, crackle, warps, and clicks. Throughout the entire presentation, I found myself enormously pleased by yet another stellar release from Universal and Kino.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Against All Flags Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio commentary by film historian Stephen Vagg

Against All Flags Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:25)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: The World In His Arms (SD, 1:49), Buccaneer's Girl (SD, 2:20), and The Rare Breed (SD, 2:12).

Against All Flags Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What a cinematic treat audiences are in store for with this production: Against All Flags is an action-packed adventure that has something for everyone. The lead performances from Maureen O'Hara and Errol Flynn are worth the price of admission alone. This was a unexpected cinematic delight which has creativity and style throughout. The Blu-ray release features a first-rate video-audio presentation and comes highly recommended for fans of classic action-adventure genre films. Don't miss it.