SPOILERS The tale of Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest is one of the most famous stories about English History. Whether Robin ever actually existed or not is questionable, but with characters like Will Scarlett, Friar Tuck and Little John, everyone deep down wants there to be an element of truth. Told by Hollywood on countless different occasions and staring many different actors (Sean Connery and Kevin Costner to name two), the finest interpretation of the story is the original film staring Hollywood Rogue Errol Flynn. Made a year before the outbreak of World War II, "The Adventures of Robin Hood" is a swashbuckling epic in it's own right with classic lines, romance and enough sword play to last a lifetime.
King Richard I of England, known more popularly as Richard the Lionheart, has gone to fight the holy war. Whilst away, Richard's younger brother, the treacherous Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to overthrow him. Only one man stands to protect the King's throne and his name is Robin Hood (Flynn).
As a Hollywood star, Errol Flynn was legendary for being a bit of a ladies man. Using that charisma on the screen, Flynn shows all too easily why he is the finest Robin Hood ever. Putting future Hoods to shame, he romances Maid Marion (Olivia de Havilland), he fights for freedom and he makes jokes, and all with a huge grin on his face. His Robin is a fresh faced, almost immature Robin, who attracts himself to everyone and never stops people from caring.
As well as the star, his enemy Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone) is also cleverly played. Rathbone gives an air of pure evil about his character and he displays a strong feeling of hatred for Robin. Whether this hatred is for his principles, the humiliation or the love of Marion, Gisbourne is portrayed as a man with a simple mission of revenge, and Basil Rathbone does this perfectly.
At a time when swashbuckling adventures were all the rage, there were no better films than this. Feeling a bit dated in the modern world perhaps, this film shows us the sort of film which was Box Office Gold. With some credible performances by heroes and villains alike, it keeps the audience entertained throughout and it never ceases to impress. If you want to watch anything staring Errol Flynn, or you want to watch how to do swashbuckling properly, this is your film.
King Richard I of England, known more popularly as Richard the Lionheart, has gone to fight the holy war. Whilst away, Richard's younger brother, the treacherous Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to overthrow him. Only one man stands to protect the King's throne and his name is Robin Hood (Flynn).
As a Hollywood star, Errol Flynn was legendary for being a bit of a ladies man. Using that charisma on the screen, Flynn shows all too easily why he is the finest Robin Hood ever. Putting future Hoods to shame, he romances Maid Marion (Olivia de Havilland), he fights for freedom and he makes jokes, and all with a huge grin on his face. His Robin is a fresh faced, almost immature Robin, who attracts himself to everyone and never stops people from caring.
As well as the star, his enemy Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone) is also cleverly played. Rathbone gives an air of pure evil about his character and he displays a strong feeling of hatred for Robin. Whether this hatred is for his principles, the humiliation or the love of Marion, Gisbourne is portrayed as a man with a simple mission of revenge, and Basil Rathbone does this perfectly.
At a time when swashbuckling adventures were all the rage, there were no better films than this. Feeling a bit dated in the modern world perhaps, this film shows us the sort of film which was Box Office Gold. With some credible performances by heroes and villains alike, it keeps the audience entertained throughout and it never ceases to impress. If you want to watch anything staring Errol Flynn, or you want to watch how to do swashbuckling properly, this is your film.