Topic: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

[Antares]

The Adventures of Robin Hood





Year: 1938
Film Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Adventure, Classic, Family
Length: 102 Min.

Director
Michael Curtiz (1886)
William Keighley (1889)

Writing
Norman Reilly Raine (1894)...Screenwriter
Seton I. Miller (1902)...Screenwriter

Producer
Hal B. Wallis (1899)
Jack L. Warner (1892)
Henry Blanke (1901)

Cinematographer
Tony Gaudio (1883)
Sol Polito (1892)

Music
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897)...Composer

Stars
Errol Flynn (1909) as Robin Hood
Olivia de Havilland (1916) as Maid Marian
Basil Rathbone (1892) as Sir Guy of Gisbourne
Claude Rains (1889) as Prince John
Patric Knowles (1911) as Will Scarlett
Eugene Pallette (1889) as Friar Tuck
Alan Hale (1892) as Little John
Melville Cooper (1896) as High Sheriff of Nottingham

Review
       Children growing up today in an environment dominated by the Internet, Mass Media and Video Games are being short changed to the point where I wonder if there will be any creative thought process in future generations. Imagination is the foundation upon which ingenuity and inventiveness are built, and the heroes and legends of previous generations are being overshadowed by recipients of modern day 15 minute fame. In just two generations time, children have moved away from and have forgotten the moral teachings of such fabled characters as Hercules, the Knights of the Round Table, and the noble outlaw Robin Hood. Each of these legends was the embodiment of righteousness and fair play, traits which go a long way in the development of a child’s personality and esteem.

       Depression era children, whose only outlet for entertainment was the movie theater, were blessed in 1938 with the release of The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn. Warner Brothers would take their newest leading man and cast him as the estranged Saxon nobleman who sided with the peasantry of middle age England. It was as if Flynn were born to play this role, with his good looks, athleticism and of course, his suave demeanor lending a true sense of integrity to the mythical hero. This fanciful swashbuckling adventure would be filmed in breathtaking Technicolor and would also star many of the stalwart Warner Brother’s contract players of the time. Olivia DeHavilland, Basil Rathbone, and Alan Hale would become perennial co-stars in almost all of the adventure films that Errol Flynn would make in the next decade. Rounding out the lead cast is the ever versatile, Claude Rains, most famous to film-lovers as the charming rogue, Captain Renault in Casablanca, playing the lecherous Prince John.

       While King Richard is away fighting the Crusades, his brother Prince John decides to fatten himself and his cohorts, upon the backs of the peasantry. Through the levying of new taxes and enforced at the hand of a whip, he has driven many of the poor to the brink of starvation and death. When a Saxon nobleman, Sir Robin of Loxley (Flynn), openly defies the new regime, he is decreed an outlaw and a hefty price is put on his head. Robin collects and organizes other Saxons to open rebellion by waging war on Prince John’s tax collectors and proclaiming himself protectorate of the Norman regime while they are away fighting the holy wars.

       From beginning to end, this is true storytelling and adventure for any viewer. You can tell that the cast is having a good time making this film and that lends itself to credibility. I envy the children who got to see this film in its original release. It must have been a majestic spectacle to behold in the movie palace setting of the old grand theaters of the time.


Ratings Criterion
- The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.
- Not quite an immortal film, yet a masterpiece in its own right.
- Historically important film, considered a classic.
- An entertaining film that’s fun or engaging to watch.
– A good film that’s worth a Netflix venture.
- Borderline viewable.
– A bad film that may have a moment of interest.
– Insipid, trite and sophomoric, and that's its good points.
– A film so vacuous, it will suck 2 hours from the remainder of your life.
- A gangrenous and festering pustule in the chronicles of celluloid.

[Critter]

Children growing up today in an environment dominated by the Internet, Mass Media and Video Games are being short changed to the point where I wonder if there will be any creative thought process in future generations. Imagination is the foundation upon which ingenuity and inventiveness are built, and the heroes and legends of previous generations are being overshadowed by recipients of modern day 15 minute fame. In just two generations time, children have moved away from and have forgotten such fabled characters as Hercules, the Knights of the Round Table, and the noble outlaw Robin Hood. Each of these legends was the embodiment of righteousness and fair play, traits which go a long way in the development of a child’s personality and esteem.

Robin Hood is immensly popular amoung young people, especially teenagers at the moment. Sure, your average teenager may not have seen Robin Hood films from the 30's but there have been reboots of this franchise, Robin Hood TV Shows, Robin Hood films that are still very popular with younger people today. To say that whole generations have 'forgotten' about Robin Hood is somewhat of a stereotype. They made not have grown up with the same Robin Hood sources that you did but the noble outlaw remains a proper legend in many eyes.

[Rogmeister]

I personally think this film deserves the top 5-star rating.  It definitely IS "an immortal film".  By the way, I notice a new Robin Hood movie is coming.  I'd still rather see this one.   

[Antares]

Children growing up today in an environment dominated by the Internet, Mass Media and Video Games are being short changed to the point where I wonder if there will be any creative thought process in future generations. Imagination is the foundation upon which ingenuity and inventiveness are built, and the heroes and legends of previous generations are being overshadowed by recipients of modern day 15 minute fame. In just two generations time, children have moved away from and have forgotten such fabled characters as Hercules, the Knights of the Round Table, and the noble outlaw Robin Hood. Each of these legends was the embodiment of righteousness and fair play, traits which go a long way in the development of a child’s personality and esteem.

Robin Hood is immensly popular amoung young people, especially teenagers at the moment. Sure, your average teenager may not have seen Robin Hood films from the 30's but there have been reboots of this franchise, Robin Hood TV Shows, Robin Hood films that are still very popular with younger people today. To say that whole generations have 'forgotten' about Robin Hood is somewhat of a stereotype. They made not have grown up with the same Robin Hood sources that you did but the noble outlaw remains a proper legend in many eyes.

I'm glad you pointed this out, I must have accidentally erased some of the text when I was transposing it. It's now corrected.

Thanks for catching that.

[Critter]

I don't understand, what did I point out? I wasn't aware something was erased, I was merely disagreeing to your statment that all young people have no imagination and don't know who Robin Hood is.

[Antares]

I don't understand, what did I point out? I wasn't aware something was erased, I was merely disagreeing to your statment that all young people have no imagination and don't know who Robin Hood is.

Yes I know you were disagreeing with it. It then made me realize that it was not the full context of the review.

I was just saying thanks.

[Najemikon]

That's the great thing about DVD. I think this and Jason and The Argonauts should be required viewing as soon as a child reaches six.  

The good thing is they do still respond. Doesn't matter how old a film is to a kid, so long as the story is good. And this is very good. There is a BBC TV series that took a series or so to get going, but is great fun, along with Merlin and Dr. Who. Well worth seeking out.

By the way, so far as Robin Hood is concerned, I am rather biased as I have always lived in Nottinghamshire.   The castle is only 20 minutes from here. Sherwood Forest is a bit further, but easy to get to see the actual Major Oak. Still standing, barely...