What is it about actors who excel at certain roles, but long to play very different ones? With all his accomplishment acting the great dramatic parts written by Shakespeare, why did Laurence Olivier attempt comedy with only mixed success in The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)? And why did the famous musical comedy star Danny Kaye take on the very serious part of the elderly Holocaust survivor in the anti-Semitism drama Skokie (1981)?
The same kind of thinking seemed to affect Errol Flynn in 1941. In the space of less than three years (1938-1940), Flynn appeared in a total of seven period films--ranging from The Sisters (1938) to Santa Fe Trail (1940). For his next movie, he apparently longed to put on a contemporary suit of clothes and try his hand at a light comedy role somewhat similar to that perfected by William Powell in The Thin Man series at MGM. He would play Francis Warren--successful investment counselor/ amateur sleuth/ satirical detective story novelist. The narrative was light and breezy, and Flynn got the opportunity to be both charming and funny. He was ably supported by an excellent cast drawn from the Warner Brothers stock company, and Flynn relied heavily on his appealing ability to appear both self-deprecating and at the same time not to be taking himself too seriously. From the final result, it looks like Flynn enjoyed the experience of making Footsteps in the Dark (FITD). Why was the film not the success he had hoped for?
Alas, when the public embraces an actor who establishes a certain image, it will often reject him when he abandons that image in favor of trying to assume another uncharacteristic one. Clark Gable seemingly could do no wrong at the box office when he played "Clark Gable" type roles, but when he chose a very different one in Parnell (1937), his fans expressed their disappointment by rejecting the film. A somewhat similar experience happened to Cary Grant when he made None But the Lonely Heart (1944), Spencer Tracy with his remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) and Fred Astaire in his final large scale musical Finian's Rainbow (1968). Errol Flynn's screen image was carefully crafted through a succession of elaborate costume epics, period dramas and swashbucklers. While he was clearly capable of successfully doing light comedy (he was actually pretty good at it), Flynn's fans seemed to like him less when he acted in such projects as FITD.
Whether he realized it or not, Flynn was nearing the end of his peak years at Warner Brothers. As his popularity began to decline, so did opportunities to broaden his range as a performer. He would just be given one last vehicle to demonstrate his talent in light comedy (Never Say Goodbye (1946)). It is our loss that he did not appear in a greater number of such roles. They probably reflected more aspects of the real Errol Flynn than most of the films that now tend to define his career.
The same kind of thinking seemed to affect Errol Flynn in 1941. In the space of less than three years (1938-1940), Flynn appeared in a total of seven period films--ranging from The Sisters (1938) to Santa Fe Trail (1940). For his next movie, he apparently longed to put on a contemporary suit of clothes and try his hand at a light comedy role somewhat similar to that perfected by William Powell in The Thin Man series at MGM. He would play Francis Warren--successful investment counselor/ amateur sleuth/ satirical detective story novelist. The narrative was light and breezy, and Flynn got the opportunity to be both charming and funny. He was ably supported by an excellent cast drawn from the Warner Brothers stock company, and Flynn relied heavily on his appealing ability to appear both self-deprecating and at the same time not to be taking himself too seriously. From the final result, it looks like Flynn enjoyed the experience of making Footsteps in the Dark (FITD). Why was the film not the success he had hoped for?
Alas, when the public embraces an actor who establishes a certain image, it will often reject him when he abandons that image in favor of trying to assume another uncharacteristic one. Clark Gable seemingly could do no wrong at the box office when he played "Clark Gable" type roles, but when he chose a very different one in Parnell (1937), his fans expressed their disappointment by rejecting the film. A somewhat similar experience happened to Cary Grant when he made None But the Lonely Heart (1944), Spencer Tracy with his remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) and Fred Astaire in his final large scale musical Finian's Rainbow (1968). Errol Flynn's screen image was carefully crafted through a succession of elaborate costume epics, period dramas and swashbucklers. While he was clearly capable of successfully doing light comedy (he was actually pretty good at it), Flynn's fans seemed to like him less when he acted in such projects as FITD.
Whether he realized it or not, Flynn was nearing the end of his peak years at Warner Brothers. As his popularity began to decline, so did opportunities to broaden his range as a performer. He would just be given one last vehicle to demonstrate his talent in light comedy (Never Say Goodbye (1946)). It is our loss that he did not appear in a greater number of such roles. They probably reflected more aspects of the real Errol Flynn than most of the films that now tend to define his career.