Another Dawn (1937) Errol Flynn Kay Francis Ian Hunter Director-William Diertele

Errol Flynn had become a star when this film was released. The movie is for the most part, a standard melodrama. The presence of Flynn carries the film. Another Dawn does have screen veterans, Kay Francis and Ian Hunter. They play a couple, Col. John Lister and Julia Ashton Wister. They are in a loveless marriage. Julia is also in a desolate piece of the world, a middle eastern desert. This is not a place for her, until her husband’s adjutant, Captain Denny Roark, (Errol Flynn), enters her life.

Julia doesn’t pay much attention to the charming captain at first. It is only when he is seriously wounded in battle, that she sees him in a different light. They begin spending time together. During a moment alone, they share a kiss. It is then that they realize, they are hopelessly in love. Julia finds a happiness she hasn’t experienced, since the death of her first husband.

The lovers fear being found out. They could both lose their standing, Julia in society, and Captain Roark his commission. Their affair is found out by Col. Lister. It has tragic consequences. This results in a realization that some actions, no matter how bad, can yield positive results.

Another Dawn was the title for the movie when one couldn’t be found. This is the title the studio would have on theater marquee’s all the time, when a real film wasn’t running. The movie isn’t bad, it is just that even Errol Flynn, can’t make a flat script better. Flynn does get some action scenes in the movie. One that stands out is his character fighting Arabs, and seemingly beaten. That is until one of his men heroically retrieves a machine gun. This piece of artillery, evens the battle, and sends the enemy into retreat. This movie, with the exception of a romance, is similar to another Flynn vehicle, The Dawn Patrol. It would be a good idea to view The Dawn Patrol, and skip Another Dawn.

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