The Fighting O'Flynn
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Arthur Pierson
Patricia Medina
Richard Greene
Helena Carter
Douglas Fairbanks
Arthur Shields
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In the year 1797, as Napoleon Bonaparte's army nears the shores of Ireland, the Irish poet and mercenary known as "The O'Flynn" journeys to the castle he has inherited. Along the way, O'Flynn comes across a stagecoach that is being robbed by outlaw Hendrigg's men. After foiling the robbery attempt, O'Flynn invites Lady Benedetta, the stagecoach's passenger, to his new castle. Although she initially refuses the invitation, Benedetta eventually changes her mind and instructs her coachman to take her to O'Flynn. Meanwhile, when O'Flynn arrives at the castle he finds the county bailiff, Dooley, waiting to arrest him for the family's outstanding debts. O'Flynn avoids being arrested, though, by telling Dooley that he will lead him to a treasure that is hidden in the castle. Shortly after Benedetta, who, unknown to O'Flynn, is the daughter of the Viceroy of Ireland, arrives at the castle, agents of Bonaparte, posing as lost travelers in the night, appear at the door. The agents have been sent to spy on Benedetta because she is carrying Bonaparte's plans to gain control of England and Ireland, which are to be delivered to her father. Just as the spies are about to attack Benedetta and take the plans, Dooley thwarts their attempt and escapes with Benedetta and O'Flynn. While fleeing, the three are ambushed by Bonapartists, but O'Flynn manages a daring escape. In Dublin, when the plans are safely delivered to the viceroy, O'Flynn is made captain of the Viceroy's army. Later, when O'Flynn discovers that Benedetta's fiancé, Lord Sedgemouth, is a Bonapartist, he engages him in a drunken duel with swords. O'Flynn easily defeats Lord Sedgemouth and vows to continue his pursuit of Benedetta's affections. He also promises to take Castle Knockmore in her honor. Sedgemouth, however, poisons Benedetta's feelings for O'Flynn by having her believe that O'Flynn is having an affair with courtesan Fancy Free. As the battle for the castle commences, O'Flynn, posing as a deserter to the enemy side, is taken to the enemy leader, General Van Dronk. O'Flynn gets the general drunk and later tries to intercept the plans for the takeover of England and Ireland by wearing Van Dronk's uniform and posing as him. The plan nearly works until he is caught by Van Dronk's lieutenant and sent to his execution. The firing squad misses their target, however, and O'Flynn manages to escape to Lord Sedgemouth's quarters. There he enlists the help of Fancy Free to find the attack plans, but Lord Sedgemouth discovers the two and makes an unsuccessfull attempt to shoot O'Flynn. When Benedetta learns that Fancy Free is actually Lord Sedgemouth's mistress, she returns to O'Flynn and kisses him. O'Flynn then accuses Lord Sedgemouth of treason and chases after him. After signalling the approaching Bonapartist ships to reverse course and retreat from Knockmore Castle, O'Flynn engages Lord Sedgemouth in a sword fight, which he wins with help of the Viceroy's troops. Having safeguarded England and Ireland from Bonaparte's attack, Benedetta and O'Flynn kiss.
Director
Arthur Pierson
Cast
Patricia Medina
Richard Greene
Helena Carter
Douglas Fairbanks
Arthur Shields
J. M. Kerrigan
Ludwig Donath
Lumsden Hare
Otto Waldis
Henry Brandon
Harry Cording
John Doucette
Pat O'moore
Tom Moore
Leslie Denison
James Craven
Jean Del Val
Ramsay Hill
Robert Jellison
Guy Kingsford
Nelson Leigh
Colin Kenny
Bruce Riley
James Fairfax
Ben Wright
Boyd Irwin
Maudie Prickett
Heather Wilde
George Leigh
Frank Hagney
David Mcmahon
Dennis Dengate
Don Maccracken
Al Ferguson
Alan Schute
David Newell
Martin Cichy
Walter Depalma
Crew
Hilyard Brown
G. E. Calthrop
Leslie I. Carey
Ben Chapman
Carmen Dirigo
Arthur Edeson
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks
Russell A. Gausman
Bernard Herzbrun
David S. Horsley
Corson Jowett
Ted Offenbecker
Russell Schoengarth
Milton Schwarzwald
David Sharpe
Frank Skinner
David Tamkin
Robert Thoeren
John Waters
Bud Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This film, which was alternately reviewed as The O'Flynn, was the first picture to be produced by the newly-formed Fairbanks Co., Inc. The credits in the viewed film appear at the end of the picture. A February 1949 article in New York Times notes that the picture was completed in a record five weeks time due, in part, to rehearsals done on dummy sets prior to filming and having two units shooting simultaneously. Universal borrowed Patricia Medina from M-G-M for the production.
