Adventures of Captain Fabian (1951)

A sea captain becomes involved with a servant girl in early New Orleans. She sees him as a way to gain access into wealthy households.

Directors:

William Marshall, Robert Florey (uncredited)

Writer:

Errol Flynn (screenplay)

Stars:

Errol Flynn, Micheline Presle, Vincent Price

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Errol Flynn	...	Capt. Michael Fabian
Micheline Presle	...	Lea Mariotte (as Micheline Prelle/Micheline Presle in New Orleans Adventure)
Vincent Price	...	George Brissac
Agnes Moorehead	...	Aunt Jezebel
Victor Francen	...	Henri Brissac
Jim Gérald	...	Commissioner Germain (as Jim Gerald)
Héléna Manson	...	Josephine (as Helena Manson)
Howard Vernon	...	Emile
Roger Blin	...	Philippe
Valentine Camax	...	Governess
Georges Flateau	...	Judge Jean Brissac
Zanie Campan	...	Cynthia Wintrop
Reggie Nalder	...	Constant
Marcel Journet
Gilles Quéant	...	(as Gilles Queant)

Storyline

In 1860, a New Orleans French Creole maid, Léa Marriotte, is tired of her lowly social status and dreams of being wealthy. She gets romantically involved with wealthy playboy George Brissac whose influential clan controls much of the region. However, George Brissac is engaged to marry rich and spoiled New Orleans socialite Cynthia Winthrop. Wanting to cast Léa aside, George Brissac has her arrested on charges of murder, after a violent confrontation between Léa and house servant Phillipe ends-up with Phillipe being accidentally killed. Léa's fate seems to be sealed after a short trial biased by false testimonies and fabricated evidence. However, she is saved by sea captain Michael Fabian who intercedes in her behalf with the local magistrate. He even buys a tavern for Léa in order to provide her with a source of income and better social status. Nevertheless, Léa is not romantically interested in Michael Fabian. Instead, she continues to pursue the wealthy George Brissac. Her ...

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | psychotronic film | class distinction | social climber | new orleans | 

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Taglines:

The flaming loves ... the fighting fury ... of a swashbuckling captain of a crew of rogues !

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Genres:

Adventure

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Florey directed part of this film, uncredited.

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Crazy Credits

Opening card: "This is a story of New Orleans in 1860. The story of a violent love between a captain of the sea and a creole girl. New Orleans, at this time, was a city of fierce pride. Pride of blood, pride of name, and those endowed with both lived on St. Charles Street."

User Reviews

Say 'goodnight' Errol.

There is a myth perpetuated by film buffs that a film can be so bad that it's good. This is absolute nonsense of course as there is no such animal. Even allowing for the directorial inexperience of actor William Marshall this lamentable opus is just plain bad. The leading lady is Micheline Presle(here billed as Prelle so as not to challenge American viewers) It is hard to believe that she had previously appeared in 'Diable au Corps' and 'Les Jeux sont faites'. Being married at the time to Marshall was probably her excuse although her role as a Creole femme fatale no doubt looked good on paper. Agnes Moorhead and Victor Francen are wasted and Vincent Price's character is so obnoxious as to be almost unwatchable. This was not a happy experience for Price as he was obliged to sue for 'unpaid salary'. The score by Rene Cloerec is atrocious and the screenplay, allegedly written by leading man Errol Flynn, is aimed at the slowest-witted person watching. The professional relationship between Flynn and Marshall was short-lived and doomed from the outset, resulting in a legal dispute over a semi-documentary pacifist piece called 'Hello God'. Watching Flynn in this is a sad spectacle indeed. An actor in his prime who has simply ceased to care. Ten years were to elapse before Marshall was again let loose on a film set and 'The Phantom Planet' is no doubt yet another that falls into the category 'so bad it's good'!

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bloodline

Filming Locations:

Studios De La Victorine, Nice, France

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Corona, Silver Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1