Errol Flynn was one of the great dramatic actors of Hollywood’s golden era. Known for his swashbuckling characters and his playboy lifestyle, it was less than shocking when his life ended abruptly at age 50 in the throws of a scandal with a 17-year-old ingénue.
The Last of Robin Hood tells the story of Flynn’s final two years and the relationship he had with this young woman, actress Beverly Aadland, as told by her overly-protective yet opportunistic mother.
Writing team Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland helmed the script and also directed the film which stars Kevin Kline as Flynn, Susan Sarandon as the mother and Dakota Fanning as the young actress caught in the middle. ScreenwritingU sat down with the writing team to discuss the difficulties of bringing to light a true story such as this.
Set in Hollywood and New York in the late 50s, this period piece challenged the writers in many ways. They not only wanted to be faithful to the story as it was told through the book published by Aadland’s mother, but to Flynn himself who died the fall of 1959 after a fatal heart attack. Armed with an intense curiosity and a set of audio tapes combined by a journalist who interviewed Aadland’s mother, Glatzer and Westmorland embarked on the adventure of bringing this story to the big screen.
The Last of Robin Hood releases in theaters August 29.
Photo credit: Samuel Goldwyn Films