History Film / TheSeaHawk

Sabatini's picaresque novel had [[Film/TheSeaHawk1924 already been filmed as a silent in 1924]], a version that hewed much more closely to the book. The 1940 film was deliberately designed not only as an adventure film, but also as a call to rally to the defense of Britain, then threatened by the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Nazi juggernaut]]. The film was originally intended to end with a shot of England's modern-day battle-fleet; as it is, it ends with a speech by Robson denouncing "ambition of one man" who threatens peace for all -- the parallel between [[UsefulNotes/PhilipII Philip of Spain]] and [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Adolf of Germany]] being all too obvious. It was, indeed, this timely message, delivered before America had entered the war, that caused this film to be ranked, along with ''[[Film/ThatHamiltonWoman Lady Hamilton]'', as one of UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill's favorite films.

Sabatini's picaresque novel had [[Film/TheSeaHawk1924 already been filmed as a silent in 1924]], a version that hewed much more closely to the book. The 1940 film was deliberately designed not only as an adventure film, but also as a call to rally to the defense of Britain, then threatened by the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Nazi juggernaut]]. The film was originally intended to end with a shot of England's modern-day battle-fleet; as it is, it ends with a speech by Robson denouncing "ambition of one man" who threatens peace for all -- the parallel between [[UsefulNotes/PhilipII Philip of Spain]] and [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Adolf of Germany]] being all too obvious. It was, indeed, this timely message, delivered before America had entered the war, that caused this film to be ranked, along with ''Lady Hamilton'', as one of UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill's favorite films.

** Crazy as it might sound, there were real Spanish plans to try and conquer China and use it as a stepping stone and source of strength to do the same to Southeast Asia and India, the so-called ''Empresa de China''. However, the film errs in attributing those interests to Philip himself, or just in painting him as an absolute megalomaniac who wants to Hispanicize the entire world. The real Philip was mainly focused on Europe and not particularly crazy about remote expansionism, especially because, by this point, the influence of the UsefulNotes/SchoolOfSalamanca had turned the whole concept of conquest a morally questionable topic for the Hispanic Monarchy. In fact, Philip of all people had put an official end to Amerindian conquering ventures in 1573, and although he did allow the invasion of China to be entertained before the disaster of the Armada, having been persuaded by churchmen that the Chinese were endangering local Christians, he was still not fond of the idea and preferred to engage in diplomacy and trade with them instead.

''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1940 Creator/WarnerBros {{Swashbuckler}} of {{pira|te}}cy in the age of [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Elizabeth I]], directed by Creator/MichaelCurtiz, and starring Creator/ErrolFlynn, Brenda Marshall, and Flora Robson; notable minor roles were sustained by Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Sr., Henry Daniell, and Creator/ClaudeRains. Though the film took its name from [[Literature/TheSeaHawk the 1915 novel]] by Creator/RafaelSabatini, it featured an almost entirely original screenplay by Howard Koch and Seton I. Miller, based loosely on the life of Sir Francis Drake and the [[UsefulNotes/AngloSpanishWar15851604 story of the Spanish Armada]]. (It shows some influence from the 1937 Armada film ''Film/FireOverEngland'', which also starred Flora Robson, as well as a young Creator/LaurenceOlivier and Creator/VivienLeigh.)

** Portions of the battle scenes are lifted from earlier Warners' silents; the attentive viewer can catch glimpses of Napoleonic ship design and costumes among the 16th century piracy.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''Film/CaptainBlood'', with Creator/ErrolFlynn in a sea epic directed by Creator/MichaelCurtiz. Also arguably to ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood''.

** The film vastly overstates the influence of the Spanish Empire on Northern Africa. At the time, even if the UsefulNotes/BattleOfLepanto had dealt a blow to the Ottomans and substantially reduced their influence in that part of the Mediterranean, Northern Africa was still basically the den of the Ottoman-oriented Barbary pirates, with Orán and Ceuta being the only centers of Spanish strength there.
** Crazy as it might sound, there were real Spanish plans to try and conquer China and use it as a stepping stone and source of strenght to do the same to Southeast Asia and India. However, the film errs at attributing those interests to Philip himself, or just at painting him as an absolute megalomaniac who wants to Hispanicize the entire world. The real Philip was mainly focused on Europe and not particularly crazy about remote expansionism, especially because, by this point, the influence of the UsefulNotes/SchoolOfSalamanca had turned the whole concept of conquest a morally questionable topic for the Hispanic Monarchy. In fact, Philip of all people had put an official end to Amerindian conquering ventures in 1573, and although he allowed the enterprise of China to be entertained before the disaster of the Armada, he was not fond of the idea and preferred to engage in diplomacy and trade with them instead.