The Adventures of Robin Hood

The Adventures of Robin Hood

Simply put, lightning in a bottle. There have been many film adaptations of the Robin Hood story, going back to the silent movies all the way up to the recent Ridley Scott-Russell Crowe misfire, but none have come close to equaling 1938's Adventures of Robin Hood (with the possible exception of the Disney film, which was pretty spectacular!).

The film represents the Warner Brothers studio teams at their peak, with superb costumes, sets, cinematography (blinding bright Technicolor!), superior directing from Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) and featuring actors who still best represent the characters even today. Basil Rathbone as Guy of Gisbourne, Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck, Oliver DeHavilland as Maid Marian, and of course, Errol Flynn as Robin Hood are all terrific. The movie is an old-fashioned, rabble-rousing adventure and needs to be seen.

I do have quibbles with the movie, but they are mostly small. It is certainly dated - especially when Robin Hood and his Merry Man all clasp their fists to their hips and laugh uproariously to the heavens - maybe in the 30s, audiences were laughing with the Merry Men. Nowadays, I am just a little embarrassed for them and my wife was actually scared for their sanity.

The movie is also very episodic, one little mini-story after another after another, and like most movies of this nature, some episodes are better than others. For example, I could live without Robin's first encounter with Guy of Gisbourne; I just don't buy it. But for every one that doesn't work, there are three that are good fun.

And what terrific moments we have in this movie - Robin meeting Friar Tuck, the archery contest, Robin's first visit to Nottingham Castle, and even the Robin and Maid Marian loves scenes!  Usually in movies like this, the love scenes are a chore to sit through, while we wait for the next fight scene, but they never overstay their welcome here. The film's age actually serves to the love scenes' benefit, as the old school chivalry and tenderness capture the romanticism of the legend perfectly. This is knightly love; we don't need realism, damn it. And props to the lovely DeHavilland, who proves again that she was the perfect foil for Flynn's boyish charm.

I have to give special props to the sword fight, too. The climactic Guy vs. Robin duel is terrific and is still as thrilling today as it was then. It is the grandfather of awesome sword fights, and needs to be respected as such!

One last note. While watching Robin Hood, I think I realized where the other adaptations have gone wrong. If you want to try and make a realistic adaptation, I'm all for the attempt. It could be an interesting experiment. But just because you are being realistic doesn't mean you can forget one important fact about Robin Hood, perhaps the most important fact in terms of how he should be played: Robin Hood loves being an outlaw. Sure, he robs from the rich, gives to the poor, fights for England, yada yada, but you can't shake the feeling that to Flynn, Robin Hood's adventures are all a grand lark. This is FUN. And that joy is as integral to Robin's character as his bow and arrow. The fox in the Disney Robin Hood understood that. I don't think Connery, Bergen, Costner, or Crowe did. And ultimately, that is probably why their Robin Hoods don't work, and why Flynn's will never be equaled.

MVP: For all those reasons stated above, it has to be Errol Flynn. His presence is what turns the film from entertainment into an iconic classic.

TRIVIA: So with Flynn locked in everyone's mind, can you imagine that he almost didn't get the role? Originally James Cagney was supposed to play Robin Hood. Huh? I can't see it. As cool as Cagney is, can you see this guy as Robin Hood? Yikes.









BEST LINE: Maid Marian: "You speak treason!!" Robin Hood: "Fluently."

OSCARS: Art Direction, Editing, and Score.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Best Picture (lost to You Can't Take it With You)