Errol Flynn Q & A Book Excerpts Book Reviews

Errol Flynn: The Life and Career
Q & A with author Thomas McNulty

Q: Tell me about the research that went into the book.
TM: I worked hard to keep my facts straight because history is a slippery thing. As you will see I conducted interviews with people that knew Flynn and I read everything I could on Flynn. I also researched the places he lived and visited as many places as I could. I double checked my sources. But even with all of that I know there is more to be said. My book is long and could have been longer.

Q: There are already so many books about Flynn. What makes yours different?
TM: There are several sections that are unique in my book. For example, I was able to reconstruct the comedy routine Flynn performed during his 1944 USO tour. I really enjoyed that. I also paid close attention to the creative and philosophical side of Flynn's nature, more so than anyone has done before. I reconstructed his rape trial rather extensively, and I re-reviewed his contribution to the action film genre. A large part of the book details the historical and cultural events of his life which provides the book a rich historical context.

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This is also the first time this has been done so extensively with Flynn. Each of us is part of a time and place and history should not be ignored. This will be most evident in the third section, which covers World War II. The War played its own role in Flynn's life and legend. I couldn't ignore how the public perception of Flynn changed dramatically during the war. It's really an amazing story. I conducted interviews and solicited comments from some fascinating people in their own right: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Sheb Wooley, Peter Stackpole, Vincent Sherman, Wallace Berry. I even managed to get brief comments via letters from Olivia de Havilland and Janet Leigh. And some of the interviews are rather extensive. There are many details regarding some of the films and some of Flynn's relationships that are clarified and placed in their proper historical context for the first time. And I had to be unflinchingly honest so I made it a point to review the infamous FBI file. The public record cannot be ignored. This was emotionally difficult for me because it is so overwhelmingly negative. Let's face it. We all love Errol Flynn. That's why we are talking about him today. So when considering his life it's difficult for us to accept his weaknesses. We want him to remain forever the perfect hero that he portrayed on screen. To see him as an alcoholic, drug addict and abusive husband is more than a little unsettling. But Flynn himself never shied away from the truth and so I examined every aspect of his life. The point I make in the book is that these faults, which we all share, don't tell the full story. So I emphasized his creative life, which was substantial, and his search for spiritual significance. I like to think I settled some issues so let's get this out of the way now. Errol Flynn was not a homosexual and he was not pro-Fascist and he was not a Nazi spy. But the public perception remains that he was a homosexual Nazi spy and I'm tired of it. Very often when I was writing the book people would say, "Flynn! He was gay wasn't he? And a Nazi spy?" It's nonsense. The facts of Errol Flynn's life are far more fascinating than any of the fiction created by the media. And finally, McFarland has produced a really collectable volume. I chose them as my publisher before the book was finished and I'm thrilled that we reached an agreement. The book is illustrated with rare photos throughout and McFarland's high standard of production is evident in the quality binding. This is a book for bibliophiles and collectors.

Q: This book has a lot of fascinating imagery.
TM: Yes, I wanted to mention that the book is loaded with imagery and metaphors. The poet in me couldn't resist exploring the images of Flynn's life. The first line of the book, "Tasmania is a place of beauty and cruelty..." is a metaphor for everything that follows. And the last line in the book – "A little while later a soft breeze came in from the west that smelled faintly like the sea." – completes the cycle of metaphors. The sea is a reoccurring motif in Flynn's life; so are books and traveling. I felt a strong affinity for the loneliness this man experienced while searching for his creative heart. But all the while I had to maintain a rather straightforward journalistic stance and let the images fall in place. Very often Flynn himself provided some of the images. He had such a gift with words and I used many forgotten quotations from the interviews he did for the fan magazines in the 30s and 40s. Most people ignore those magazines which is a mistake. I found so many gems in Flynn's early interviews. Once he said: "The one thing I hold most valuable is knowledge, and it is gathered here and there, as a bird collects twigs or a dog picks up bones." That's such a beautiful quote and so typical of him.

Q: What do you think of Flynn's acting ability?
TM: He was a great actor and certainly much better than any film critic has ever given him credit for. Flynn was what they call a "personality actor" as opposed to a "method actor." He had style when style was everything. Most of today's actors just don't have any style. Flynn had style, personality, and panache. Hollywood's Golden Age was a truly special time and place and Flynn fit in perfectly. There is a reason why his films remain popular. That was a special era. A lot of the movies today just horrify me. I scratch my head in puzzlement sometimes because so many dishrag actors have become popular. No, I won't name names because this isn't the place to pick on anyone, but I believe people long for the days when stars had that special aura. Time and time again I hear people saying how an Errol Flynn movie helped lift them out of a depression or helped them get through a difficult period in their lives. That fascinates me and it will always be true of his best films, no matter the generation watching them. He had that unique ability to inspire people with his magnetic personality. Name one actor today that can do that. Very few, if any. Ok, I would argue in favor of Jackie Chan, but that's another story!

Q: Do you have a favorite Errol Flynn movie?
TM: The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, and Adventures of Don Juan are the three best swashbucklers in film history. Hollywood will never top those. I enjoy listening to people talk about Flynn's movies because their opinions are so passionate. Flynn evokes this passion in people. I think it's all for the better. Dodge City, They Died With Their Boots On – I could go on. We are fortunate that there are so many good ones.

Q: How does your view of Errol Flynn differ from others?
TM: I think his life story is at once a fantastic tale of adventure but ultimately heartbreaking. I cannot look at a photo of him without feeling a sense of loss. He really did live a tragic life. He had everything, possessed an extraordinary talent as an actor and writer, but never found inner peace or spiritual contentment. But I admire the fact that he never gave up. Errol Flynn was no quitter and he was true to himself until the end. But my God! What a sad story his life became!

Q: What are you working on now?
TM: I have several books underway possibly including a collection of my celebrity interviews. It's an interesting group: Tom Hanks, Jackie Chan, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., David Carradine, Robert Vaughn, Ray Harryhausen. There are so many diverse talents I have had the privilege to talk with. And then I have my literary interviews and this is another talented group: Elmore Leonard, the poet Dave Etter, Loren D. Estleman, Joe Lansdale, Philip Jose Farmer. I might do a book on werewolf films. There are some other projects brewing as well but I haven't decided which I'll pick up next. I have four books sitting on my shelf in various stages of completion so I have a lot going on.

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Errol Flynn Q & A Book Excerpts Book Reviews

Errol Flynn: The Life and Career Q & A with author Thomas McNulty

Errol Flynn: The Life and Career
Q & A with author Thomas McNulty