The Sea Hawk (1940)

Errol Flynn: Geoffrey Thorpe

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dona Maria Alvarez de Cordoba : I'm not in the habit of conversing with thieves. I thought I made that quite clear, Captain Thorpe.

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Why, yes, all except your definition. Tell me, is a thief an Englishman who steals?

  Dona Maria Alvarez de Cordoba : It's anybody who steals... whether it's piracy or robbing women.

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Oh, I see. I've been admiring some of the jewels we found in your chest... particularly the wrought gold. It's Aztec, isn't it? I wonder just how those Indians were persuaded to part with it.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Your ship is sinking, Captain.

  Captain Lopez : Then we shall drown together.

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Brave, but impractical. Now we English are a practical people. I've no intention of drowning with you.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : We've an old proverb in England that says, "Those who sail without oars stay on good terms with the wind."

• [at court, Thorpe explains that he stopped the Spanish ship and freed Englishmen being held as slaves] 

  Queen Elizabeth : So you have taken it upon yourself to remedy the defects of Spanish justice?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Insofar as it lies within my power, yes, your Grace.

  Queen Elizabeth : And you conceive it to be part of your... mission to assault and loot the ship of an ambassador to the court? Captain Thorpe, do you imagine that we are at war with Spain?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Your Grace, Spain is at war with the world.

  [the other Sea Hawk captains and the people in the court murmur approval] 

  Queen Elizabeth : Enough of this! Listen to me, every one of you! Never again will you dare - in my presence - to condone your crimes under the mask of patriotism. No more of such talk, do you hear? And for the future let me warn you... that any unwarranted attack upon the person or property of Spanish subjects will cost the guilty party his head! His head, is that clear?

• [after The Albatross captures the Spanish ship, Thorpe speaks to everyone] 

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Men, from now on both crews will lay aside past differences. Spanish sailors will have full freedom of the decks... with the exception of the powder magazine.

  [his crew laughs] 

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Those of you lately called slaves will have no further duties aboard this ship.

  [they cheer] 

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : If there are those among you who are still for the sea, why we've plenty of berths on this ship for good and willing men. By now you know the purpose of the Sea Hawks... in our own way to serve England and the Queen.

  [all cheer] 

• [after Capt. Thorpe tells the Queen his plan to ambush the Spanish in Panama] 

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Madam, our plunder would be the richest prize ever brought back to England.

  Queen Elizabeth : Could such a plan possibly succeed?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : It would have one chance of success: if the Spanish were taken by complete surprise. Have I your permission to try, Madam?

  Queen Elizabeth : [she paces and considers his plan]  Captain Thorpe, if you undertook such a venture you would do so without the approval of the Queen of England. But you would take with you the grateful affection of Elizabeth.

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Then, Madam, I shall take with me that which I prize above all things.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : You Spanish have a gift for hospitality when your guests are in chains.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Do you realize how few monkeys have a chance to live in a palace? No that's wrong, come to think of it. There's quite a few of you here already.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : For you, Madame. As soon as I saw it, I thought of you.

  Queen Elizabeth : I see the light in it, like a candle in a frosted window. A West Indian pearl, is it not?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Yes, Madame. By some mischance it was on it's way to Spain when I diverted it.