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Synopsis: Doctor Peter Blood is wrongfully accused of aiding and abbetting a rebellion against the crown and is sentenced to hang. His sentence is commuted by an avaricious King James, who deports him to the West Indies, where Blood is sold as a slave to a wealthy gentlewoman. Slavery doesn't sit well with Blood, and with his fellow slaves he plots his escape. The opportunity comes during a raid by Spanish pirates. Blood and his companions seize the Spanish pirate ship and embark upon a career as bucaneers. Meanwhile, Blood's former owner, Miss Bishop, is sent to England by her father, who has now become governor of Jamaica. On the voyage home, she is captured by French pirates who are in league with Blood. Blood's partnership with his French opposite number has gone sour, though, and he duels the French pirate captain for possession of Miss Bishop and her companion, an English lord with some surprising news for Blood. King James has been deposed and King William of Orange has pardoned all former rebels. More than that, England is at war with France. As they return to Port Royal to return Miss Bishop to her home, they discover that it is under seige from the French, with the English fleet off chasing Blood and his pirates. Blood defeats the French and is declared Governor, much to the consternation of Colonel Bishop, the governor he unseats. Blood and Miss Bishop live happily ever after.

High Adventure: Captain Blood is one of the liveliest adventures that Hollywood ever produced, populated by a sterling cast of supporting players (including such great character actors as Lionel Atwill and Basil Rathbone at his villainous best) and by the first teaming of Errol Flynn and Olivia De Haviland. Flynn and De Haviland were gorgeous and young in this movie, and provide a classic romance. This was Flynn's first big break. He had been kicking around Hollywood and even the infant Australian film biz for several years, but this was his first chance to shine. Rarely has an actor seized the moment with such pinache. Suddenly, "In Like Flynn "was the watchword of the day. Part of the reason for Flynn's instantaneous success is due to the fact that Michael Curtiz had fashioned a wholly satisfying swashbuckler around him. The film moves along at a brisk pace. It doesn't seem episodic (even though it is--complete with textual inserts) and it stages some terrific action set pieces, from the first duel between Flynn and nemesis Basil Rathbone to the various pirate actions and celebrations. But more than that, the film just plain LOOKS good. The costumes are vibrant and the settings create a fabulous never never land that always convinces because it's what the Spanish Main SHOULD have been like in our mind's eye. The film SEEMS like it is colorful despite the black and white cinematography. It goes beyond the creation of Hollywood glamour: Captain Blood transcends and becomes myth.