Cuban Rebel Girls

Cuban Rebel Girls

Advertising Poster for Cuban Rebel Girls
Directed by Barry Mahon
Produced by Barry Mahon
Written by Errol Flynn
Based on story by Errol Flynn
Starring Beverly Aadland
Jackie Jackler
Marie Edmund
Errol Flynn
Narrated by Errol Flynn
Cinematography Merrill S. Brody
Edited by Alan Smiler
Production
company
Exploit Films Inc
Distributed by Joseph Brenner Associates
Release dates
 25 December 1959 (New York)[1][2]
March 1960 (LA)[3]
Running time
 68 mins
Country United States
Language English

Cuban Rebel Girls is a 1959 semi-dramatic documentary B movie, notable for being the last on-screen performance of Errol Flynn. He stars with his girlfriend of the time, Beverly Aadland.

It was written and narrated by Flynn, who was sympathetic to the Cuban revolution being led by Fidel Castro in its early phase.[4]

Plot

Errol Flynn arrives in Cuba on behalf of the Hearst Press, to do a series of articles on the revolution of Fidel Castro. He notices some changes in Cuba caused by the rebellion.

He checks into a hotel and is contacted by one of Castro's agents, a female, who takes him to a beach resort. He meets a young man who offers to take Errol behind the lines to meet Castro. Flynn flies his own plane, meets the rebels, and files several articles, including one of the Cuban Rebel Girls.

The movie then goes into the story of two American girls, Beverly and her friend, Jacqueline, whose brother Johnny (Beverly's boyfriend) is fighting for Castro in Cuba. The two girls decide to visit Cuba.

They take $50,000 raised by American friends of the revolution to be used to buy guns. They visit Key West and then fly to Cuba.

Cast

Production notes

Release

Rights to the movie were bought by Joseph Brenner Associates. Brenner described the film as "an authentic and non political background drama."[7]

Critical Reception

The New York Times said "Flynn and his associates provide little that is entertaining, artistic, or informative in this largely static, jerry-built independently made adventure... Mr Flynn cannot be blamed for giving the appearance of being very, very tired throughout these phlegmatic proceedings."[1]

The Los Angeles Times said the:

Only interest this picture could possibly have is that is happens to be the last performance by the late Errol Flynn before the movie camera. That, and the fact that it gives the public a chance to see Beverly Aadland for the first time. Both are disappointing... The storyline is weak and poor direction and editing merely add to the confusion. The remainder of the cast is inconsequential and their acting, if it can be called that, is on a par with the over-all production, which is uniformly bad. It is a sad ending to one of the most flamboyant actors of our times.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Article 4 -- No Title" Weiler, A H. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y 26 Dec 1959: 7.]
  2. ↑ Of Local Origin New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 25 Dec 1959: 25.
  3. ↑ FILM OPENINGS Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 27 Mar 1960: E3.
  4. ↑ Patrick Humphries, 'Errol Flynn's Cuban Adventures', BBC News, 10 October 2009 accessed 17 May 2012
  5. ↑ Flynn's Friends A-Feudin' Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) [Chicago, Ill] 17 Sep 1959: c14.
  6. ↑ Errol Flynn Retires From Party Squabble: ERROL FLYNN Smith, Jack. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 17 Sep 1959: B1.
  7. ↑ 6 FOREIGN FILMS TO BE IMPORTED: Features Are Acquired by Around the World Group -- Comedy to Be Screened By HOWARD THOMPSON. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 30 Sep 1959: 32.
  8. ↑ Alexander Nevsky' Remains Great Classic Mulcahy, Frank. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 05 Apr 1960: B8.

External links

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