Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]Restored under the auspices of Martin Scorsese, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman stars Ava Gardner as the siren of a small Spanish town, the type of woman men kill and die for. She s never fallen for anyone until the arrival of the mysterious James Mason, the actual Flying Dutchman condemned to sail the seas until he finds a woman who would die for him. Featuring stunning color cinematography by Jack Cardiff (Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes).There are few films that can be acclaimed as truly mad, but Pandora and the Flying Dutchman stands rather wonderfully in this category. Its combination of lust and erudition is inspired by mythology but seems peopled by characters from some hybrid novel co-authored by Somerset Maugham and Ernest Hemingway. Pandora Reynolds (Ava Gardner) is a singer in a coastal town in Spain, where her hobby is attracting the devoted love of powerful men made helpless in her presence. (A race-car driver blithely pushes his one-of-a-kind vehicle over a cliff, just to earn her trust.) While fending off other suitors, including a bullfighter, she becomes intrigued by the mystery man (James Mason) whose yacht is moored offshore. Since he is Dutch, perhaps he is related to the mythical, immortal Flying Dutchman? Don’t think it can’t happen in this overheated affair. Gardner and Mason are not at their best (she looks ultra-glamorous, of course), but their movie-star wattage is high. The real star is the Technicolor cinematography by the great Jack Cardiff (The Red Shoes); the throbbing colors are just right for the unreal scenario playing out before us. Writer-director Albert Lewin, probably best known for his Picture of Dorian Gray, had a literary bent, and in this movie that means people are constantly planting their feet and reciting snippets of poetry toward the moonlit sea. Somehow this fits in perfectly with the rest of the delirium. –Robert Horton
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(out of 25 reviews)
Review by J. Kara Russell for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]
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This is one of a handful of films from this period of saturated color and the gorgeous cinematography of Jack Cardiff. Many of these films incorporate within their story and script elements of literature, art, mystery and timeless love that transcends death. This one delivers all.
Ava Gardner’s character is beautiful and untouchable in this film, her heart is as cold as the statues she caresses, her attention as bloodthirsty as the bullfights of her ex-lover… one of many we discover. Her requirements of a lover are that she be given all, and of course, no one can deliver. The story begins in one of these trite vacation atmospheres – playground of the very rich dilletantes. We are told she was a singer – not a very good one by her own admission. We are treated to Gardner’s real singing voice, which is not cultured, but unique and husky (too bad they didn’t let her sing all her own stuff in SHOWBOAT – it’s the right voice for that character). She seems to get by on her beauty, which is immense, and her capriciousness. She is not particularly likable, but she doesn’t pretend to be better than she is, and that is interesting. Then a mysterious boat appears, with a sad handsome man who is working on a painting of Pandora… which bears a resemblance to her.
At this point the movie moves from the mundane into the magical, with tormented love at its most operetic. This movie was an artistic enterprise, with high emotions, high risk. If F.Scott Fitzgerald’s characters interbred with Greek mythology, this is the child they would create. It has some faint awkward moments of voiceover and explanation, but it is magical in it’s look, and moreover, it is, like many other Jack Cardiff films, simply one-of-a-kind. The perfect rainy day movie. Very watchable.
Review by for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]
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This movie is a very deep and philosophical story of the Flying Dutchman. A man doomed to roam the seven seas for eternity unless he meets someone who loves him enough to die for him. There are wonderful quotations from ‘Dover Beach’ and ‘Omar Khayyam’ which say so much. If you want an escape from reality and enjoy well made movies with deep characters then this is THE movie. One of James Mason’s great performances, in my opinion, and a great performance by Ava Gardner. Nothing wooden about it!!
Review by Brian R. Greenhalgh for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]
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The fantasy / romance premise for this film is an interesting one, but the execution of the plot leaves quite a lot to be desired and much of the dialogue is quite lame and stilted. The plot has been covered well by others, no need to add more about that. James Mason’s central character is the best thing about the film. He is extraordinary (as usual). Ava Gardner is very lovely to look upon (although her gowns are far closer to 1951 than to the 1930 time frame), but her acting is rather lackluster (as usual). However, far worse performances are given by Mario Cabre’ and Sheila Sim (extreme under-playing and over-playing respectively). The Spanish location photography is great, as to be expected from the legendary cinematographer, Jack Cardiff. The direction is adequate, but no better. The telecine transfer on this DVD is poor in places, with color timing way off at times (sometimes with a purplish cast) and falls seriously short of what a Technicolor print can deliver. The print this was transferred from has considerable damage at the start and end of reels (can’t be missed with scratches, dirt, and multiple cue marks). There are several splices, most producing a loud pop in the audio. Some simple re-making of the splices or blooping them would have helped a lot. Some scenes are way too dark to easily watch, and generally the picture is very grainy.
Review by for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]
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than the first time I saw it. The new remastered DVD is awesomely clear, color crisp and Ava G as always beautiful.And Leonard Maltin, you said: “Sorry to say, a big Technicolor bore, one of writer-director Lewin’s misfires, about a woman who destroys the lives of all the men around her; then mystical, otherworldly Mason materializes.” … aside from that did you like it? LOL.Not boring, yes about a selfish lady who finds a reason to not be selfish. geeeeee what a concept. Seriously, if you like mystical possibilities, beautiful women, and scenery… buy this, you’ll like it.
Review by for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman [Blu-ray]
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I was almost surprised to see this released in DVD, since it is old and seldom plays on TV. I had made a video copy years ago and have watched it many times. A fascinating story, not the best screenplay in the world, but with parts that are excellent, especially when James Mason is reciting the story of the Flying Dutchman. It may be dated, and the reproduction is not perfect, and the colors are a bit faded, but I am still glad I got my DVD copy while it was available.