“The Story of Robin Hood & His Merrie Men” (1952)

The Story of Robin Hood & His Merrie Men

Brief Description:

When King Richard the Lionheart leaves England to lead a crusade to the Holy Land, his treacherous brother conspires to bring himself to power.

Date: 1952

Genre: action adventure 

Running time: 1 hour 24 minutes 

Cast: 

Richard Todd (Robin)

Joan Rice (Marian)

Peter Finch (Sheriff)

James Hayter (Friar Tuck)

James Robertson Justice (Little John)

Martita Hunt (Queen Eleanor)

Hubert Gregg (Prince John)

Elton Hayes (Alan-a-Dale)

Anthony Eustrel (Archbishop)

Patrick Barr (King Richard)

Anthony Forwood (Will Scarlet)

Bill Owen (Will Stutely)

Hal Osmond (Much)

Louise Hampton (Tyb)

Richard Graydon (Merrie Man)

Michael Hordern (Scathelock)

Julian Somers (Posse Leader)

Bill Travers (Posse Man)

Clement McCallin (Earl)

Nigel Neilson (Merrie Man)

Geoffrey Lumsden (Merrie Man)

Leonard Charles Newcombe (Page Boy)

Director: Ken Annakin

Production company: RKO-Walt Disney British Productions Limited

Based on: the Robin Hood legends

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

While the 1938 film seemed more centred on the Normans, this one felt more centred on the England of the time. It was somewhat rougher in atmosphere. A very interesting alternate POV!

Characters: 5/5

Robin Hood was not a noble here, and a lot more rough. I know I said he was super proud and a bit brutal in the 1938 film, but he's even more so here. ;P He's much more of an impudent young man than a clever, calculating leader like in the '30s film. Marian is a tomboy, which is an interesting alternate POV (though I like her best as a lady). I like Little John very much in here, and the Friar is SUPER accurate to the books [Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood & Gilbert's Robin Hood]. The Sheriff (De Lesseps) feels like a mix of the Sheriff and Guy of Gisbourne, which is fun. Queen Eleanor is pretty awesome, and Prince John is less sinister (being less gabby), but he gives off more spoiled-younger-brother feels and is more slimy nasty than scary nasty. Alan-a-Dale is great (love his singing, but also I want a film rendition of the alternate young knight Alan and his love!!). The Archbishop is great--very nice after the nasty Bishop of the 1938 film, and Stutey & Scarlet are much more like the Merry Men in Gilbert's Robin Hood.

Plot: 5/5

Honestly, this is a very interesting different view of Robin Hood than the '30s film. Starting with Richard leaving, Robin & Marian being childhood friends, Marian's father leaving her as a ward in the Queen's keeping, and Richard confiding England to John's trust, we then have the archery tournament--but not to capture Robin! Definitely gives off strong Ivanhoe and Merry Adventures feels there. Then we have Robin's father slain and Robin outlawed, following which are skimishes with the Sheriff (and Friar Tuck) reminiscent of Robin Hood. Then Richard's ransom is announced, and the Queen & Archbishop try unsuccessfully to get the Prince & Sheriff to help raise the money. Marian gets involved, loses faith in Robin when he robs someone for no good reason, and eventually finds it again... and then there's more hijinks against John & the Sheriff, and Marian is locked up, and then there's the climax and Richard's return. So, similar to the '30s film but moves stuff around, adds and removes stuff, and generally is a great alternate storyline. 

Romance: 3/5

I do not find Robin & Marian really cute somehow in this film. Perhaps because I really don't like Robin that much, or Marian terribly much more. It's cute, but it's kinda lame?? I don’t know. I can't put my finger on why I don't love it. 

Theme/Message/Topics: N/A

literally none, unless I really forgot something. It's just a swashbuckler. 

Content: 3/5 (medium)

I'm surprised by the content in here, because as it's a Disney film I assumed it was a family film. Well, it's a lot rougher/coarser than the 1938. There's a lot of shirtlessness. 2 or 3 kisses between Marian & Robin, some hugs. Marian traipses around in leggings (& a cape) and later in leggings + a big Lincoln Green shirt that is pretty open down the front, though it doesn't really show anything. 

Violence: 3/5 (medium)

The violence is also stronger in this film. De Lesseps tortures Stutely, and his bloody back is shown. Everybody's pretty rough, as aforementioned. There's a lot of fighting, though nothing graphic. SPOILER One of the villains is insinuated to die by being crushed between a castle wall and the drawbridge, which personally really bothers me. END OF SPOILER

Overall: 4.5/5

There are some imperfections, but I do enjoy the film, especially when I follow it up with the 1938 as a alternate POV. 

“The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938)

The Adventures of Robin Hood

Brief Description:

When Prince John and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in King Richard's absence in 1190s England, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a resistance movement.

(from IMDb)

Date: 1938

Genre: Technicolor epic swashbuckler

Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes 

Cast: 

Errol Flynn (Robin)

Olivia de Havilland (Marian)

Basil Rathbone (Guy of Gisbourne)

Claude Rains (Prince John)

Patric Knowles (Will Scarlet)

Eugene Pallette (Friar Tuck)

Alan Hale, Sr. (Little John)

Melville Cooper (Sheriff)

Ian Hunter (King Richard)

Una O'Connor (Bess)

Herbert Mundin (Much)

Montagu Love (Bishop)

Leonard Willey (Sir Essex)

Robert Noble (Sir Ralf)

Kenneth Hunter (Sir Mortimer)

Robert Warwick (Sir Geoffrey)

Colin Kenny (Sir Baldwin)

Lester Matthews (Sir Ivor)

Harry Cording (Dickon)

Howard Hill (Captain of Archers)

Ivan F. Simpson (Kent Road Tavern owner)

Lionel Belmore (Humility Prin)

Director: Michael Curtiz

Production company: Warner Bros. Pictures

Based on: the Robin Hood legends

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(#41, in case it doesn’t show up right) 

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

This really got into the medieval feel of things!! I loved all the castles and decorations. The villages and forest were cool too but I’m really happy it focussed so much on the castle’s interior and all :) 

Characters: 5/5

Robin Hood felt pretty accurate, being portrayed as somewhat proud/imperious, fight-picking, bold & impudent, and a little bit brutal in how much he humiliated his enemies. Reminded me of Howard Pyle’s Merry Adventures of Robin Hood and Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, although the parts of resisting and protecting were more like Henry Gilbert’s Robin Hood. Friar Tuck and Little John and the other Merry Men were also pretty rough and tough, again more along the lines of Ivanhoe’s portrayal of things. Will Scarlet was a mix of Alan-a-Dale, which was fun. Marian was the soft, sweet, sassy Marian most works portray—brave, loving, but a Norman lady through and through. John felt very accurate—he was quite sinister. So was Guy of Gisbourne. The Sheriff seemed more like a comedic relief than anything, which was more along the lines of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. I really liked Bess and her storyline with Much! She was quite cute. 

Plot: 5/5

The plot opens with John and his men plotting against Richard and the Saxon. Then Much kills a deer and is almost taken in for execution, but Robin protects him by claiming he killed the deer, therefore being outlawed. Sir Guy of Guisbourne throws a party for John, in which Marian is basically promised to said Sir Guy; Robin interrupts the party and defies John, after getting some insults from Marian. Subsequently, Sir Guy, the Sheriff, and Marian are ambushed and taken by the Merry Men, where the two men are humiliated for their outrages against the peasants and Marian discovers why Robin does what he does. Cue the love birds! The archery tournament follows, and then some high stakes wooing, danger, and excitement, winding up with a grand swordfight battle in the castle. Oh, and King Richard returning in disguise, of course.

Romance: 4/5

Hollywoodish—all the swoonyness and cuteness. Who am I to complain? Love how Marian risks her life for him, and Robin being willing to not risk his life because she asks him to :) 

Theme/Message/Topics: 5/5

Not terribly deep, but I love the theme of it’s nor Norman vs. Saxon, it’s evil vs. good… while at the same time you can’t just align with a party like you and believe they’re right and refuse to see the side of the other party. 

Content: 4/5 (low)

Kisses between Marian & Robin (like, 4?). In a brief scene a soldier grabs a girl and bends her over to kiss her but is killed. A few instances of guys slapping other guys’ butts with the flat of their sword. 2-3 uses of language (d*nm, d**il).

Violence: 4/5 (low)

Mild violence—fighting, hitting, killing, slapping, knocking around, etc. A few shots of men with slightly bloody/bruised faces or hands. 

Overall: 5/5

This was a pretty great Robin Hood film adaption!! I really, really enjoyed it, actually. It feels pretty accurate and it’s heart-satisfying without being too cloying.