That Forsyte Woman

That Forsyte Woman  This is one of the few non-swashbuckling films of Wicked, Wicked Ways Errol and one where he plays a character totally unsympathetic. He does it not merely well but superbly. He could act. Tragically, he was so damn good at using his natural athletic abilities in costume dramas, he never got good roles until he was over the hill. This film made right after the time of his famous sex trial reveals another side of a talented actor. Garson is great as is Robert Young, albeit coming off a bit insipid alongside Errol, playing a foppish socialite. The story of this film is a bit tiresome by today’s standards and drags in spots. It is gorgeously photographed with lush costuming but it’s Flynn who steals the show– without even trying. He was only 50 when he died from a debauched lifestyle. Sadly, his last film, Cuban Rebel Girls, made during Fidel’s revolt, is an abortion and a pathetic tribute to a man, a talented man, who trilled us all so many times in our youth with his panache, elan and verve. But, this little film, made about 10 years before his demise shows he was indeed, an actor and not merely a star.