When customs and excise men arrive at the village of Dymchurch in Kent, they uncover an intricate smuggling network being coordinated by the local parson, Dr Syn. Unknown to all but a few locals Dr Syn also hides a secret past, that he was once the notorious pirate Captain Clegg.
Is it worth your time? If you like black-and-white British cinema from the thirties, you’ll probably have a grand time with Doctor Syn. If you need explosions or a plot that moves like a bullet train, stay away. It’s a slow, foggy little film that feels like sitting in a damp library. George Arliss plays the parson wi...
Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
Roy William Neill
Roy William Neill
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"Is it worth your time? If you like black-and-white British cinema from the thirties, you’ll probably have a grand time with Doctor Syn. If you need explosions or a plot that moves like a bullet train, stay away. It’s a slow, foggy little film that feels like sitting in a damp library. George Arliss plays the parson with this weird, twitchy energy. He’s supposed to be this saintly guy, but you can see the pirate underneath. It’s not subtle. Sometimes he’s staring into the distance like he’s calc..."
Russell Thorndike, Michael Hogan, Roger Burford
United Kingdom
