Hollywood's Golden Age saw an increase in adventure films, several of which hold up well to this day and are just as exciting for modern audiences. Adventure films were popular in the preceding decades in silent films, thanks to actors like Douglas Fairbanks. However, adventure films only continued to gain popularity during the Golden Age of Hollywood, ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s.
Though the adventure genre is incredibly diverse when it comes to the type of stories being told, several of the genre's movies during this time were set in the past. Additionally, many adventure films during the Golden Age were centered around pirates and sword-wielding protagonists.
These films introduced audiences to those who would become prominent actors from Hollywood's Golden Age, including Burt Lancaster, Tyrone Power, and Errol Flynn. The greatest adventure films of the era display awe-inspiring action scenes and memorable protagonists that have allowed them to endure as some of the genre's best all these years.
10 Moby Dick (1956)
Gregory Peck on a boat in Moby Dick
Though John Huston's film may not always cover the scope of Herman Melville's writing, Moby Dick is still an exciting adventure film coming from Hollywood's Golden Age. The film stars Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart as Captain Ahab and Ishmael, respectively, telling the story of Ahab's obsession and desire to get revenge against the titular white whale.
Certain elements of the film's casting have earned criticism over the years, but Moby Dick still delivers a visually striking and immersive film that keeps hold of the audience's attention. Moby Dick manages to gradually build up the tension throughout its runtime, leading to an intense and technically adept confrontation between man and animal.
9 Captains Courageous (1937)
Manuel (Spencer Tracy) and Disko steering the boat with Harvey (Freddie Bartholomew) in Captains Courageous.
Before The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, Victor Fleming directed the adventure drama Captains Courageous. Based on Rudyard Kipling's novel of the same name, and working as both an adventure and a coming-of-age movie, Captains Courageous sees the spoiled son of a business mogul embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
Freddie Bartholomew delivers an admirable performance as the young son, Harvey, and naturally gains the audience's interest in his rewarding character arc. Balancing out Captains Courageous' heartfelt narrative are an abundance of fun action sequences. With its strong performances and stunning cinematography, Captains Courageous holds up well as a film that's enjoyable for all ages.
8 Journey To The Center Of The Earth (1959)
Journey to the Center of the Earth follows a geologist and a group of colleagues as they travel to the center of the Earth, bumping into various antagonists along the way. It has a few weak moments throughout, but it's difficult not to get wrapped up in Journey to the Center of the Earth and have a good time.
More so than the other adventure films mentioned, Journey to the Center of the Earth has a lot of fun, embracing the stock characters, predictable villains, and dated special effects that come with older sci-fi adventure movies. Journey to the Center of the Earth revels in the absurdity of its premise, making for an amusing watch every time.
7 The Sea Hawk (1940)
After movies like The Case of the Curious Bride and Captain Blood, Errol Flynn and director Michael Curtiz reunited once again for the pirate adventure film The Sea Hawk. Centered around England's clash with Spain, The Sea Hawk is filled with espionage and sword fights.
The film sees Flynn's pirate Geoffrey Thorpe make a deal with Queen Elizabeth I in which he attempts to raid a Spanish ship. At the same time, Thorpe begins falling in love with a woman captured amidst the conflict. Like many films from Hollywood's Golden Age, The Sea Hawk has its dated elements, but holds up well a a thrilling adventure film.
6 The Crimson Pirate (1952)
The Crimson Pirate contains the expected thrills and conflicts of a classic pirate film, but is greatly elevated thanks to Lancaster's skills as an acrobat. Lancaster's infectious energy keeps the film's momentum going until the very end. The actor has earned high praise for his performance, being positively compared to silent film star and celebrated swashbuckler actor Douglas Fairbanks.
5 Captain Blood (1935)
Errol Flynn is well-known for his swashbuckler roles during Hollywood's Golden Age, with his breakthrough being made possible following the success of Captain Blood. In the adventure film, Flynn plays Peter Blood, a formerly imprisoned doctor who escapes captivity to become a pirate.
Captain Blood contains all the charm and liveliness of a classic swashbuckler film of the time, which makes up for the movie's weaker narrative and provides the ideal setting for Flynn to show off his skills as a performer. It's no wonder that after Captain Blood, Flynn began to be seen as the next Douglas Fairbanks.
4 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1)
A relatively faithful adaptation of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Richard Fleischer's sci-fi adventure film of the same name is one of Disney’s best. Released when Hollywood's Golden Age was coming to an end, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has everything audiences could want out of an adventure film.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea delivers an appreciated amount of tension, especially during a memorable confrontation with a giant squid. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea follows a master harpooner and his crew as they investigate claims of a monster attacking ships. The crew then meets the mysterious Captain Nemo aboard his submarine, portrayed with great intensity and depth by James Mason.
3 King Kong (1933)
Back and white image of King Kong in the original 1933 King Kong
Differing slightly from the other movies mentioned, King Kong remains an essential adventure film from Hollywood's Golden Age. Today, King Kong is celebrated as an iconic monster movie as it introduced audiences to one of pop culture's most recognizable movie characters and laid the groundwork for the ongoing media franchise of the same name.
Combining live action sequences with stop-motion animation, the best fights in King Kong were seen as groundbreaking in the early '30s, despite their shoddy quality by today's standards. The innovative special effects by Willis H. O'Brien in King Kong have made a significant impact on the film industry, inspiring similar monster movies like Godzilla.
2 The Mark Of Zorro (1940)
Tyrone Power in The Mark of Zorro
First made famous by Douglas Fairbanks in the silent film of the same name, the character of Don Diego Vega was cemented as a swashbuckling icon in the 1940s movie The Mark of Zorro. Portrayed by Tyrone Power in the film, Zorro has all the makings of a modern superhero, providing audiences with an adventure film ahead of its time.
The character has continued to appear in various movies and TV shows throughout the years, most notably in the Martin Campbell films starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Today, The Mark of Zorro is recognized as one of the best swashbuckler movies of all time as a result of its captivating action sequences and powerful score by Alfred Newman.
1 The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)
Setting the standard for the adventure films that followed is the Errol Flynn-led swashbuckler film, The Adventures of Robin Hood. If Captain Blood propelled Flynn into fame, it was The Adventures of Robin Hood that cemented the actor as a reliable swashbuckler protagonist. Flynn portrays the title character in the film, fighting against those oppressing commoners.
The story in The Adventures of Robin Hood is timeless, and the action is just as impressive by today's standards as it was upon the film's initial release. Easily considered Flynn's best movie, The Adventures of Robin Hood sees the actor effortlessly slip into the heroic role, setting the standard for the subsequent depictions of the character.
