Almost done reading Captain Blood!

[applecameron]

S/B able to focus on the longer fic, then. Still need a copy of the screenplay!


The film compresses quite a bit in having Arabella and Lord Wade (who comes seeking Blood to offer him a commission, and thus, redemption) captured by Levassuer, and thus have her as the hostage Blood fights for. Also the film ages Wade so that he's too old to compete for Arabella Bishop, where, in the book, he is attracted to her about midway through his mission, and kinda plots against Blood after realizing she's in love with the rogue and not his poncy lordshipness.

Sorry, was just reading the Fellowship "Very Secret Diaries" over at The Council of Elrond. It's affected my vocabulary.

So, the second half of the book is more or less tossed due to the exigencies of filmmaking. This actually changes something important: Blood accepts the commission from King James, mostly to try to redeem himself in Arabella's eyes (and save his men from a fleet belonging to Colonel Bishop). He's not happy at all about James, and when things don't seem to be working out well, abandons the commission and goes back to his pirate fleet around Tortuga.

It would be interested to do a more true-to-text version, perhaps as a miniseries or a la Hornblower. There's some spiffy tactical bits and trickery, and Blood pulls off a keen fireship, even.


Next up, The Sea Hawk!

Comments

Re: I think so too

[melodylemming.livejournal.com]

It's another Sabatini novel. It takes place in revolutionary France. The main character does stints as a lawyer, an actor, and a fencing teacher. There was a movie of it in 1952 that kept neither the plot nor the spirit of the book.

Re: I think so too

[applecameron.livejournal.com]

Dashing rogue type, or a different character?

Re: I think so too

[melodylemming.livejournal.com]

Think Captain Blood not thinking he's cut out to be an adventurer. And even more cynical.