A Movie Review and Analysis by Magdalen Aithne Arkwright There have been many movies made and many books written about Robin Hood, all with varying degrees of adherence to the original legends. I was very pleased when I watched the 1938 Warner Bros film. I've seen bits and pieces of many different Robin Hoods, not the least of which is the beloved "foxy" one made up by Disney, but this one was different in the very feel of it. |
In 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', starring Errol Flynn, Robin Hood starts off with a companion named Will. This is compatible with some of the old manuscripts of the tale, where Robin [of many-a-place] has a friend and fellow nobleman named Will.
| In most legends, while Robin was, from the very beginning of his revolt, usually not alone, Robin Hood was frequently described as an expert bowman - even in some of the earliest tales. He was also good with a sword and, yes, a quarter staff. Robin Hood's encounter with Little John on the log crossing the river is one of the older and original tales. Robin Hood is knocked off the log and then tricks Little John into falling into the water as well. There are even some tales of Robin Hood meeting a friar who was an excellent swordsman and adding him to the gang. |
I further liked the nobility, good will, and true care of the characters on the good side. That's not to say that the merry men weren't without their quirks and endearments, but Robin Hood was not a devil-may-care, flitty daydreamer who was out looking for danger, but instead was genuinely concerned for his fellow Saxons. I was also interested to see what they did with Maid Marion's character - Lady Marian was a proud Norman afraid to admit her people were wrong but remained, till the end, loyal to what was right. She and the Robin Hood they presented made a perfect match.
There was no profanity and had an unnoticeable amount of harsh language, but some very sensitive children may not like the action scenes. Co-starring Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, and Ian Hunter.
Rating: D
Points: 10
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