Modern filmmakers use computer generated images (CGI) to create an entire palate of special effects, including multi-mast battleships engaged in conflict. Previously, producers relied on miniature boats to show sea battles. But director Frank Lloyd, when he was tasked to reenact a 16th-century naval battle, wasn't going down that little ship route. He wanted--and demanded--real life-sized sailing vessels to film more realistic scenes he felt appealed to a more sophisticated movie audience cinema was attracting in the mid-1920s.
The industry buzz upon the premier of June 1924's "The Sea Hawk" was theaters had never seen anything like it before. The public was amazed with its realistic portrayal of the 1500's nautical world. Word of mouth sent flocks of the curious into the movie houses, making Lloyd's gamble pay off as "The Sea Hawk" became the number one box office motion picture for 1924.
Author Rafael Sabatini was famous for three romance and adventure novels: 1915's 'The Sea Hawk,' 1921's 'Scaramouche' and 1922's 'Captain Blood.' Frank Lloyd, later praised for his Academy Awards Best Picture 1935 'Mutiny on The Bounty' directing, took Sabatini's story about a half-brother setting up his half-sibling, Sir Oliver (Milton Sills), to a murder he didn't commit in order to marry his fiancé. Amidst of all this family-affair intrigue was an exciting seafaring tale. Captured by the Barbary Pirates off the coast of North Africa, Sir Oliver earns the name The Sea Hawk for his skill in fighting and tactical brilliance, rising up the pirate ranks until he's one of the best sea commanders in the world.
Lloyd's team of designers and builders retrofitted five ships to resemble 1500's sailing vessels. He filmed all the ocean scenes off the coast of California's Catalina Island. A film crew and extras numbered in the high hundreds were stationed on the island. A United States Navy destroyer towed the large sailboats to their destinations for filming as well as had the extras come on board to feed them during the day.
When Warner Brothers remade "The Sea Hawk" in 1940 with Errol Flynn, the studio changed the story but reused some of the 1924 nautical battle scenes, so impressive were those sequences, 16 years after they were filmed. The New York Times film critic at the time gave Lloyd's movie a thumbs up, writing "far and away the best sea story that's yet been done up to that point."
The industry buzz upon the premier of June 1924's "The Sea Hawk" was theaters had never seen anything like it before. The public was amazed with its realistic portrayal of the 1500's nautical world. Word of mouth sent flocks of the curious into the movie houses, making Lloyd's gamble pay off as "The Sea Hawk" became the number one box office motion picture for 1924.
Author Rafael Sabatini was famous for three romance and adventure novels: 1915's 'The Sea Hawk,' 1921's 'Scaramouche' and 1922's 'Captain Blood.' Frank Lloyd, later praised for his Academy Awards Best Picture 1935 'Mutiny on The Bounty' directing, took Sabatini's story about a half-brother setting up his half-sibling, Sir Oliver (Milton Sills), to a murder he didn't commit in order to marry his fiancé. Amidst of all this family-affair intrigue was an exciting seafaring tale. Captured by the Barbary Pirates off the coast of North Africa, Sir Oliver earns the name The Sea Hawk for his skill in fighting and tactical brilliance, rising up the pirate ranks until he's one of the best sea commanders in the world.
Lloyd's team of designers and builders retrofitted five ships to resemble 1500's sailing vessels. He filmed all the ocean scenes off the coast of California's Catalina Island. A film crew and extras numbered in the high hundreds were stationed on the island. A United States Navy destroyer towed the large sailboats to their destinations for filming as well as had the extras come on board to feed them during the day.
When Warner Brothers remade "The Sea Hawk" in 1940 with Errol Flynn, the studio changed the story but reused some of the 1924 nautical battle scenes, so impressive were those sequences, 16 years after they were filmed. The New York Times film critic at the time gave Lloyd's movie a thumbs up, writing "far and away the best sea story that's yet been done up to that point."