''Adventures of Don Juan'' is a 1948 American

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

swashbuckling A swashbuckler is a genre of European adventure literature that focuses on a heroic protagonist stock character who is skilled in swordsmanship, acrobatics, guile and possesses chivalrous ideals. A "swashbuckler" protagonist is heroic, daring, ...

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

romance film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

directed by

Vincent Sherman Vincent Sherman (born Abraham Orovitz, July 16, 1906 – June 18, 2006) was an American director and actor who worked in Hollywood. His movies include ''Mr. Skeffington'' (1944), ''Nora Prentiss'' (1947), and '' The Young Philadelphians'' (1959). ...

and starring

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

and

Viveca Lindfors Elsa Viveca Torstensdotter Lindfors (December 29, 1920 – October 25, 1995) was a Swedish stage, film, and television actress. She won an Emmy Award and a Silver Bear for Best Actress. Biography Lindfors was born in Uppsala, Sweden, the d ...

, with Robert Douglas, Alan Hale,

Ann Rutherford Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the And ...

, and Robert Warwick. Also in the cast are Barbara Bates,

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

, and Mary Stuart. The film was distributed by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

and produced by

Jerry Wald Jerome Irving Wald (September 16, 1911 – July 13, 1962) was an American screenwriter and a producer of films and radio programs. Life and career Early life Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, he had a brother and sons who were act ...

. The screenplay by George Oppenheimer and Harry Kurnitz, based on a story by Herbert Dalmas, has uncredited contributions by

William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most o ...

and

Robert Florey Robert Florey (14 September 1900 – 16 May 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor. Born as Robert Fuchs in Paris, he became an orphan at an early age and was then raised in Switzerland. In 1920 he worked a ...

Plot

Late in the reign of

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

, Spanish noble Don Juan de Maraña is repatriated from London to Madrid, following a diplomatic scandal caused by his dalliance with the British fiancée of a Spanish nobleman. The Spanish ambassador in London, Count de Polan, an old family friend, sends a letter of recommendation to Queen Margaret of Spain. He requests that she provide an opportunity at the Spanish court for the rehabilitation of Don Juan's reputation from the swirling gossip and scandal that have followed him around Europe in the wake of his many illicit love affairs. Accepting her old friend's suggestion, Queen Margaret thus appoints Don Juan as a

fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, ...

instructor to the Royal Spanish Academy, where he is a great success. During his time at court, he secretly falls in love with the Queen but remains a staunchly loyal subject to her and her irresponsible and weak husband, King Phillip III. Don Juan discovers a treacherous plan by the Machiavellian Duke de Lorca, who is holding the loyal Count de Polan as a secret prisoner. The Duke is plotting to depose the monarchs, usurp their power over Spain, and declare war on England. With the support of his friends at court, Don Juan heroically defends the Queen and the King against de Lorca and his henchmen, finally defeating his plan in a duel to death, saving Spain. The queen professes her love for Don Juan, now seeing his many virtues. Despite loving her deeply, more than any other woman in his life, he says that they could never be happy or survive such scandal. Both her subjects and Spain would fare poorly under the sole rule of the king. They both have a higher duty that must be served. Since the queen is the one woman he truly loves and can never rightfully have, he asks that she allow him to leave court and to continue his life elsewhere. She painfully grants him his wish, and he leaves the palace forever to continue his journeys in Spain.

Cast

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni ( Italian), is a legendary, fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. Famous versions of the story include a 17th-century play, ''El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra'' ...

de Maraña *

as Margaret of Austria Queen of Spain * Robert Douglas as Duke de Lorca * Alan Hale as Leporello *

Romney Brent Romney Brent (born Romulo Larralde; 26 January 1902 – 24 September 1976) was a Mexican actor, director and dramatist. Most of his career was on stage in North America, but in the 1930s he was frequently seen on the London stage, on television ...

as King Phillip III of Spain *

as Dona Elena * Robert Warwick as Don Jose, Count de Polan * Jerry Austin as Don Sebastian * Douglas Kennedy as Don Rodrigo * Jean Shepherd (Jeanne Shepherd) as Donna Carlotta * Mary Stuart as Catherine *

Helen Westcott Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman, January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress and former child actress. She is best known for her work in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950). Early years Westcott was the daughte ...

as Lady Diana *

Fortunio Bonanova Fortunio Bonanova, pseudonym of Josep Lluís Moll, (13 January 1895 – 2 April 1969) was a Spanish baritone singer and a film, theater, and television actor. He occasionally worked as a producer and director. According to Lluis Fàbregas Cuixar ...

as Don Serafino Lopez *

Aubrey Mather Aubrey Mather (17 December 1885 – 16 January 1958) was an English character actor. Career Mather was born in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, and began his career on the stage in 1905. He debuted in London in ''Brewster's Millions'' i ...

as Lord Chalmers * Una O'Connor as Duenna *

as Captain Alvarez * Nora Eddington as young woman asking for direction * Tim Huntley as Cecil (Catherine's husband) *

Leon Belasco Leon Belasco (born Leonid Simeonovich Berladsky; 11 October 1902 – 1 June 1988) was a Russian-American actor and musician who had a 60-year career in film and television from the 1920s to the 1980s, appearing in more than 100 films. Musi ...

as Don de Córdoba * David Leonard as Innkeeper * Barbara Bates as Micaela (Innkeeper's daughter) * Monte Blue as Turnkey * David Bruce as Count de Orsini

Production

Warner Bros had a big box office hit in the 1920s with ''

'' (1926) starring

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...

Proposed 1939 film

was linked with a

project as early as the 1930s. In March 1939, Warner Bros. announced ''The Adventures of Don Juan'', starring Flynn, would be one of 48 films made from 1939 to 1940. The studio assigned

W. R. Burnett William Riley Burnett (November 25, 1899 April 25, 1982) was an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for the crime novel ''Little Caesar'', the film adaptation of which is considered the first of the classic American gangster ...

to write the picture after a

John Dillinger John Herbert Dillinger (June 22, 1903 – July 22, 1934) was an American gangster during the Great Depression. He led the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. Dillinger was imprisoned several times an ...

movie he was working on was delayed. Warners stated

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

Priscilla Lane Priscilla Lane (born Priscilla Mullican, June 12, 1915 – April 4, 1995) was an American actress, and the youngest sibling in the Lane Sisters of singers and actresses. She is best remembered for her roles in the films ''The Roaring Twenties'' ...

Margaret Lindsay Margaret Lindsay (born Margaret Kies; September 19, 1910 – May 9, 1981) was an American film actress. Her time as a Warner Bros. contract player during the 1930s was particularly productive. She was noted for her supporting work in successf ...

, Ann Sheridan, and

Lya Lys Lya Lys (born Nathalie Margoulis; May 18, 1908 – June 2, 1986) was a German-born American actress. Biography Lya Lys was born in Berlin on May 18, 1908U.S. Naturalization Records August 7, 1933 to a Russian banker and French pediatrician who ...

would appear in the film, along with five other actresses. Filming would start once Flynn had completed work on ''The Knight and the Lady'' (which became ''

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex ''The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'' is a 1939 American historical romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland. Based on the play '' Elizabeth the Queen'' by Maxwell Anders ...

''.)

Franciska Gaal Franciska Gaal (born Franciska Silberspitz, 1 February 1903 – 13 August 1972) was a Hungarian cabaret artist and film actress of Jewish heritage. Gaal starred in a popular series of European romantic comedies during the 1930s. After attracting ...

was screen-tested for a role. But filming was postponed again, so Flynn did '' The Sea Hawk'' (1940) instead. With the advent of World War II, production of elaborate costume pictures dropped off due to the European market being closed, and Flynn was more commonly found in war films and Westerns.

Proposed 1945 film

The project was reactivated in 1944, with

attached as producer,

Alan Le May Alan Brown Le May (June 3, 1899 – April 27, 1964) was an American novelist and screenplay writer. He is most remembered for two classic Western novels, ''The Searchers'' (1954) and ''The Unforgiven'' (1957).Herzberg, Bob (2008). ''Savages an ...

as writer, and

as director. Flynn was meant to make it after finishing ''

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

''. In January 1945 Herbert Dalmas and Harry Goldman were reportedly working on the script. (The time period of this film would change from Italy of the Borgias in the 1926 Barrymore version to 1620 Spain under Philip III.) In March 1945 Raoul Walsh was announced as director.

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

was sought for the female lead. The proposed cast at this time only included Flynn,

Victor Francen Victor Francen (born Victor Franssens, 5 August 1888 – 18 November 1977) was a Belgian-born actor with a long career in French cinema and in Hollywood. Biography Francen was born in 1888 in Tienen, the son of a chief of police. According ...

(as the King), and

Dorothy Malone Dorothy Malone (born Mary Dorothy Maloney; January 29, 1924 – January 19, 2018) was an American actress. Her film career began in 1943, and in her early years, she played small roles, mainly in B-movies, with the exception of a supporting role ...

from the eventual film. The film was to have started filming in early May 1945 with a budget of $2 million. The studio set for Mexico City used in '' Juarez'' (1939) was turned into Madrid. Flynn did fencing training with Fred Cravens, and

George Coulouris George Alexander Coulouris (1 October 1903 – 25 April 1989) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Coulouris was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, the son of Abigail (née Redfern) anNicholas Coulouris a merchant of Greek o ...

(the intended main villain) did extensive dieting for the role. According to studio publicity, 54 ladies were auditioned to play Juan's eight love interests and the film would use 124 different sets and over 3,700 costumes. Filming was postponed due to difficulty in sourcing costumes (there was a general post-war shortage) and an industry strike that affected construction and painting of sets. On May 9, the decision was made to postpone the film indefinitely, and the actors were assigned to other films.Tony Thomas, Rudy Behlmer & Clifford McCarty, ''The Films of Errol Flynn'', Citadel Press, 1969 p 156-157 Flynn was put into ''Don't Ever Leave Me'' (which became '' Never Say Goodbye''.)

Further development

In January 1946 Warners put the film back on the schedule. Martha Vickers,

, Peggy Knudsen,

Joan Lorring Joan Lorring (born Madeline Ellis; April 17, 1926 – May 30, 2014) was an American actress and singer known for her work in film and theatre. For her role as Bessy Watty in ''The Corn Is Green'' (1945), Lorring was nominated for the Academy Aw ...

and Joan Chandler were announced for support parts. However filming continued to be delayed. Warner Bros were encouraged to re-activate the film again by a successful 1947 reissue of Flynn's earlier starring vehicles, ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia d ...

'' (1938) and '' The Sea Hawk'' (1940). In February 1947

Jean Negulesco Jean Negulesco (born Ioan Negulescu; – 18 July 1993) was a Romanian-American film director and screenwriter.Oliver, Myrna"Jean Negulesco 1900–1993 ''The Los Angeles Times'', 22 July 1993. He first gained notice for his film noirs and later ...

was announced as director. Alexis Smith was to be his co star and filming was to take place after Flynn finished '' Silver River''. Negulesco later recalled the film was "the most expensive and sought-after project on the Warner lot. I had unorthodox ideas about Don Juan: I thought he should have been a victim of women rather than their victimizer. Flynn didn't agree with me at all because he still wanted to be the wonderful guy who jumps out the window pursued by the irate husband saying 'You made love to my wife' and all that." After three months Flynn told Jack Warner he would not make the film with Negulesco. Warner told the director "Johnny I cannot make ''Don Juan'' without Errol Flynn but I can make it without you." Negulesco agreed and Warner assigned him to producer

for ''Johnny Belinda''. By September 1947

was to direct from a script by George Oppenheimer and Harry Kurnitz.

who played the Dauphin in ''

Joan of Lorraine ''Joan of Lorraine'' is a 1946 play-within-a-play by Maxwell Anderson. Plot It is about a company of actors who stage a dramatization of the story of Joan of Arc, and the effect that the story has on them. As in the musical '' Man of La Mancha'' ...

'' was signed to play Philip III. In October

was given the female lead.

Shooting

Shooting eventually began in October 1947. Errol Flynn was suffering from poor health, allegedly from a mild heart condition and recurrent bouts of

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...

. According to film historian Tony Thomas, Flynn drank heavily during the production's shooting. Filming was frequently halted due to Flynn's physical condition and by frequent changes and replacements in production personnel. In January Flynn was hospitalised and was ill for fifteen days, causing production to halt. Flynn returned, but fell ill again and the production shut down once more. On 6 February the production shut down a third time, for a fortnight, because of Flynn's illness. In March it was estimated that Flynn had missed 64 days of shooting. The rising costs concerned Warner Bros about the profitability of the film, particularly as Britain, which was expected to be a major market, recently introduced a heavy tax on Hollywood films, though the tax ended in 1948. In the famous on-screen leap from the head of a long staircase, Flynn was doubled by stunt expert

Jock Mahoney Jacques Joseph O'Mahoney (February 7, 1919 – December 14, 1989), known professionally as Jock Mahoney, was an American actor and stuntman. He starred in two Action/Adventure television series, ''The Range Rider'' and ''Yancy Derringer''. He ...

. In the silent film ''

'' (1926), Flynn's idol

performed a similar leap without a stunt double. At the end of the picture, the young woman in the coach asking Don Juan for directions is Flynn's wife, Nora Eddington. During filming, in November, Flynn signed a new contract with Warner Bros to make one film a year until 1961, of which ''Don Juan'' was to be the first. The chase scene early in the film used recycled footage from ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and is then followed by a grand procession with recycled outtakes from ''

'' (1939), both starring Errol Flynn and Alan Hale. The film is the last of 13 in which Hale and his close friend Errol Flynn appeared together. Hale died on January 22, 1950, just over a year after this film's theatrical release.

Music

The film was originally to be scored by

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in Hollywood history. He was a noted pianist and compo ...

. However, production of the film was postponed until 1947, by which time Korngold had retired from scoring motion pictures. He was replaced by

Max Steiner Maximilian Raoul Steiner (May 10, 1888 – December 28, 1971) was an Austrian composer and conductor who emigrated to America and went on to become one of Hollywood's greatest musical composers. Steiner was a child prodigy who conducted ...

, who incorporated several Spanish songs into his score. The score was adapted years later by composer Ian Fraser for the George Hamilton swashbuckling comedy film '' Zorro, The Gay Blade'' (1981). A portion was also used in two scenes in the film ''

The Goonies ''The Goonies'' is a 1985 American adventure comedy film co-produced and directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Chris Columbus, based on a story by Steven Spielberg. In the film, kids who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astor ...

'' (1985), although in the first scene, it accompanied a TV broadcast of an earlier film, '' Captain Blood'' (1935).

Reception

Critical

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' wrote: "Warner Brothers have generously contributed a production of rare magnificence. The sets and costumes are exquisite—there is no other word ... If for no other reason than to take a look at the splash, we suggest you see this picture. It is something to remember old Hollywood by." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote that out of several recent swashbuckling films, "'Adventures of Don Juan' measures up among the best of them ... The loves and escapades of the fabulous Don Juan are particularly adapted to the screen abilities of Errol Flynn and he gives them a flare that pays off strongly." '' Harrison's Reports'' called the film "trite both in story and treatment", but "should go over pretty well with those who enjoy colorful pageantry with plenty of glittering swordplay and exciting chases."

John McCarten John McCarten (September 10, 1911, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 25, 1974, New York City) was an American writer who contributed about 1,000 pieces for ''The New Yorker'', serving as the magazine's film critic from 1945 to 1960 and B ...

of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' called it "a picture that demonstrates once again that Errol Flynn is muscular as all get out but quite innocent of any ability in the acting line." ''Filmink'' magazine called it "a magnificent return to form for Flynn and one of the best swashbucklers ever made. "

Box office

The film was very successful in Europe, earning $2,607,000. It recorded admissions of 3,763,314 in France, making it the 7th most popular film in the country that year. However, in the US it made only $1.9 million in 1949 and $2,165,000 overall, meaning it struggled to recoup its large budget. From this point on, Warner Bros reduced the budgets of Flynn's films.

Awards and honors

The film won the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Best Costume Design, Color (Leah Rhodes,

Travilla William Travilla (March 22, 1920 – November 2, 1990), known professionally as Travilla, was an American costume designer for theatre, film, and television. He is perhaps best known for designing costumes for Marilyn Monroe in eight of her fil ...

and Marjorie Best) and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction-Set Direction, Color (

Edward Carrere Edward Carrere (13 October 1906 – 19 December 1984) born in Mexico, first hit Hollywood in 1947, making his debut as an art director on '' My Wild Irish Rose''. He garnered his first Academy Award nomination two years later for the Errol Fly ...

Lyle Reifsnider Leif B. Reifsnider (August 11, 1901 – December 9, 1980) was an American set decorator who worked in Hollywood movies from 1946 to 1962. Nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the Errol Flynn swashbuckler ''Adventures of Don Juan'' in 194 ...

Comic book

Norman Pett Norman Pett (12 April 1891, Kings Norton, Worcestershire – 16 February 1960, Sussex) was an English artist who, in 1932, created the famous cartoon character ''Jane'' for the ''Daily Mirror''. Early life Pett was born on 12 April 1891 in Kin ...

drew a comic book adaptation of the film in 1948.

Notes

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures Of Don Juan 1948 films 1940s historical adventure films 1940s historical romance films American historical adventure films American swashbuckler films Films directed by Vincent Sherman Films scored by Max Steiner Films based on the Don Juan legend Films set in the 1600s Films set in Spain Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award Warner Bros. films Films adapted into comics American historical romance films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films