Released 1938
American
102 minute run time
black and white or color
Directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley
Starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone
(watched via VHS which I've had for about two decades)
The Plot Basically Breaks Down Like This:
England is kind of a mess cause the king went off to fight in the Crusades and his brother has been in charge and he's a d-bag and there is all this fighting between Normans and Saxons and jaunty guys in tights. No one really seems to have the guts or the where-with-all to stand up to Prince John until Robin comes along and is all "this isn't right and I'm loyal to the king and you are a d-bag and I'm gonna mess you up" and the prince is all "now see here that isn't polite you need to bow down and lick my boots and do as I say" and it goes back and forth with the sword fighting and the stealing and the taking over the woods thug style. Eventually Robin wins the day and the girl and the king returns and the prince gets his comeuppance and peace reigns supreme in England once more at least until the credits start to roll.
My Thoughts Basically Break Down Like This:
In a world made up of many, MANY, versions of the Robin Hood story, this has to be pretty much my favorite one. It might not be as funny as Robin Hood: Men in Tights (also excellent) or animated like Disney's Robin Hood (with foxes!) or even as gritty as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (starring Kevin Costner's atrocious British accent), but it does have all the necessary elements to make up a great film. It has beautiful costumes and lush forest sets and fabulously jaunty men in tights swinging swords and snarky quips. Errol Flynn shines as Robin Hood, with a cocky stance and a hearty laugh he makes himself known as a man's man and a hero. And Basil Rathbone is brilliant as a bad guy. While I loved and appreciated him as Sherlock Holmes, I think he plays evil villain with a sinister yet elegant grace. Maybe its the voice. He does have a superb voice. This version of Robin Hood is colorful and fun and a little silly and a lot unrealistic but such a joy and adventure to watch that it doesn't matter whether it feels super real or not. Its an adventure and it takes you along for the ride and that is what matters in the end.
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