That Forsyte Woman, in my humble view, is pretty weak tea. Flynn isn't Flynn, far too staid and careful (except for one scene where he angers and grabs Garson by the shoulders and gives her a firm shake - what the film in general could use); and typical of Flynn, he thought it was one of his better roles - always the snob, our dear Errol - just because it was based on highbrow literary material. (And Robert "Father Knows Best" Young as the bohemian Lothario is sorely miscast.) You don't need to put a sword in Flynn's hand every time he plays a role, but for God's sake give him a part where he can bring a little FLYNN to bear - and that means his charm and dash and the bracing quality, in whatever form - even as Mike Campbell - that we deserve to expect from a movie in which he appears. All comers are welcome to challenge me on this point.

Okay, dear Kevin, I do challenge you. I love "That Forsyte Woman" very much just because it shows us a different Flynn. You are right, he does not need a sword in his hand every time, and maybe that's what I like - that he does NOT have a sword. I think he has got another sword here, a psychological one, with which he keeps at least me on the edge of my seat, and he plays Soames Forsyte in a way that makes me feel sorry for him. I want to grab him and show him what real love is whenever I watch the film. I imagine it is quite hard to play such a stiff role when your natural temper is the complete opposite of the temper of your role. It was rather easy for Errol to play those dashing, courageous roles with a sword in his hand because that was part of his nature. Soames Forsyte is so very different from him, and he gives an incredible performance as the"man of property". I think that's why he liked this role - because it was different from anything he had played before and because here he could show that he was able to play a character role! Even when I read the book afterwards, I always saw Errol through my inner eye. But maybe I am completely wrong?

Hi Inga;
I second the motion!!! I couldn't have said it any better!

Dear Kevin - I challenge too!
I think sometimes we forget that Errol was an actor (maybe we are all too close to him, we so often just see the man or what we like to see) and as such it is his profession to act. He has to be able to portray any character as this is acting. Evidently, some roles are better suited than others that goes for any actors but the essence is to able to act and he did that extremely well in particular when he wanted to.
As per the script, good or not so good, which he did not write he is absolutely great in "That Forsyte Woman". He portrays the suffering man so well, being this cold, distant emotional crippled English character who can't help himself for what he is, yet inwardly craves for love just as much as any other person, but is unable to give, receive or show love to anybody. Errol is playing a successful business man but a looser in living.
I think we all like to see Errol only in his winning roles, the elegant dashing hero, master of any situation and winning the lady of his heart at the end of the movie. Errol himself disliked these roles and we have to respect his wishes to have wanted to a be serious character actor, sadly the chances eluded him.

Hear Ye - Hear Ye see Flynn as the chivalric hero, the fighter for the under dog, the romantic romancer that what the public wanted to see from him and Warner new it too as it was those movies who brought in the cash and Errol was left out in the cold. If he just cared for the cash he made he would have gone along, but Errol did care, much too much and was unable to find a way out, which contributed largely (plus trial) to the disrespect for himself and therefore his eventual sad demise.
We love our heroes but not enough to let them live!

Bravo ladies! Where are the gentlemen to defend their proud paladin? I am simply of the opinion that pretty much anyone of decent Hollywood caliber could have played Mr. Soames. It didn't demand the special Flynn gifts - so what's the point? Let some serious actor like Russell Crowe play the guy. FLYNN as a personality and type was completely wasted here. And, as I thought to indicate in my original blog, Flynn was basically a snob, scorning the roles that brought him fame and the adulation of secretaries and housewives and pimply teenage kids. He was fixated on dad as role model and thought that anything smacking of mother - i.e. cheap entertainment - was poison. Correct me here, I dare you.

Wow my dear Kevin!
Yes, you are right that pretty much anyone of decent Hollywood caliber could have played Mr. Soames. But Errol played it and extremely well too! No, it didn't demand the special Flynn gifts as you say, but what is your point? He did it, he relished it and he enjoyed it - that's it - and his fans enjoy it to this day!
Russel Crowe, maybe a good actor but couldn't play Soames. He has not that kind of appeal, no stature - distinction, no charisma, no flair, no caliber, and definitely no magnetism.
You see Errol played Soames with flair and his own charisma. He played the cold man so well that the audience felt sympathy for him. He showed the harshness of his character, but in unspoken words through his acting he created a the man one would want to console. Most villains are disliked by the audience, but not this Soames! And that is a good actor!
Errol was never a snob ever and he did not scorn the roles which brought him fame. He just wanted to do different things at different times. He just wanted to grow as an actor. You mustn't forget that this movie was the onlyvehicle Errol was offered to show that he also could play character roles.

Kevin, Kevin, this is not nice at all "adulation of secretaries and housewives and pimply teenage kids."
Errol has to this day very many male fan as he always had. His fans where of all walks of life.
I think you should get a little information about his parental relationship and many things which made Errol.
Surely it is not a crime to love ones father and not the abusive tyrant of a mother. I think you need to read up on Errol's non-existing family life.
I dared you!!!
My best regards,
Tina

Indeed you did, Tina, and I cede you the moral victory - but not your argument.

I favour "That Forsyte Woman" as I've read it was one Errol's favourite roles as he played completely the opposite character to the other roles he had previously.

I just keeping hoping one day soon all EF movies will be on DVD!

Hi Diana;
These are the movies so far produced as a package deal!

Errol Flynn Westerns Collection
Montana / Rocky Mountain / San Antonio / Virginia City

Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1
Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex /
The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2
The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber

Errol Flynn War Movies
Desperate Journey / Edge of Darkness 1943 / Northern Pursuit / Uncertain Glory / Objective Burma

I am always on the TCM website and request and vote for his movies. One should also write little reviews! Anything helps to get our man on board!
Best regards,
Tina

My dear Kevin;
Thank you for your cede to the moral victory - but I also won the argument - ha - and you know it, because you see it just from your point of view, you forget Errol's point of view and he has all the rights here! If you could talk to Errol you most certainly change your point of view.
My best regards,
Tina

Okay, Errol, if you're listening, wherever you are, come and settle this debate. But seriously, Tina, I just find Flynn so lifeless in the role of Soames - no verve, no spark, no nothing.

And that, Kevin, is exactly what this role requires! No life, no spark - a broken man who is not able to love. The complete opposite of what he really was like. But I see, Kevin, we ladies cannot convince you... :-)

And that for me is indeed the point - that Flynn as Flynn is wasted in this role. I think you and I will agree that Flynn brought a certain magic to the screen - so, keeping the metaphor, why would I want to see the great Houdini just performing card tricks?

Because it is the great Houdini, and watching him as such is always wonderful - no matter what he does. The same goes for Errol! Merely watching him is a pleasure, and this even more when he plays a villain and one (like me) likes villains very much!

Dear Kevin, this is Errol!
You wanted to speak to me and here I am!

As you know I was in Vancouver, from there to Glendale it was a sad journey, but now I am in Toronto! I speak to Tina all the time, she is my soul friend and I told her to let you know that I appreciate your sentiment and your conviction very much. Maybe I made a mistake but please believe me when I say "I was yearning so much to do something different, it was eating away within me and therefore – when the opportunity arose I grabbed it!"

I am sure and understandably so, you and most of my fans just loved to see me swinging across the screen and or from the rigging with a sword in my hand or riding over the cannons against all odds to square with the villain. I loved it too; it brought me stardom, fame and fortune. Tell me one person who wouldn't like that - everybody - right! But please give me the benefit of your doubt, I wanted desperately to grow as an actor. I wanted character parts, I wanted to play Shakespeare and many other interesting parts but none where given to me. You mustn’t forget I was under contract and I had to play the parts Warner thought will bring the money. As a contract actor you have no or very little choice. You are part of a system which is close to slavery at least in my days!

There I was a kid in a make believe factory and could not get close to what I wanted, why couldn't I have a chance to fulfill my dream? Yes, I was famous but there was always something missing that fulfilled the man – me!

I thought "That Forsyte Woman" would be a start for me to be taken serious as a character actor! I insisted to play Soames, they offered me the other two male parts, but I wanted to be Soames! Is that a crime? I don’t think so! In a way I thought this was another springboard but we are all wrong sometimes – right?

Have you never dreamed of being somebody else or pursue a different carrier or do something outrageous? Be honest - you did! Listen to the children one day they want to be fireman, the next day an astronaut and on and on it goes. I am no different from these children or any other person! Dreams are what makes us alive!

In closing, I can say only one fitting thing "I am sorry I let you down Kevin", which is in contradiction to a promise I made many years ago "A decent chap never lets his public down", obviously I let you down, please accept my apology!
Please accept me for who I am as I am no different from you or millions of people around the world having all the aspirations, love, hopes, faults, ambitions and what ever make us human!
Sincerely,
Errol

Dear Errol, old boy, your apology is accepted - and as you used to say when you owed someone money, I'm willing to forget all about this if you are. Kevin

Dear Kevin;
You are hilarious! I enjoyed that!
All the best to you!
Errol - Tina

Dear Kevin;
You are hilarious! I enjoyed that!
All the best to you!
Errol - Tina

I know Warner Brothers Studios (WBShop.com) has released two rarer films at this time "Too Much,Too Soon", and one I didn't know was released "Mara Maru". They "Custom Make" the particular DVD, so usually with "Burned" DVDs, they do not play on Older Players.

I'm new to this site. but have been a Lifelong Fan, so I'll add commentary whenever possible, Greetings To All Members!

Hi John and welcome, and thanks for the hint! What exactly does it mean, they "Custom Make" the DVDs? We're happy to have you here, try to make it come alive a little by commenting!

Hello,
From what I understand they "Burn" Copies per Order/Request, onto a DVD from a Video Master/Copy, meaning is not Re-mastered or Digitally-Made. A lot of Older DVD Players might not play these...