User Reviews

Robin Hood may have died, but he left a son to follow in his footsteps in the person of John Derek. England has need of the Rogues Of Sherwood Forest because Prince John is now King John and ruling like the tyrant we had a hint of when he was Regent and Richard I his older brother was on the throne.

Now John is King in fact and he's proving to be as bad as he promised and he's played by George MacReady which is never good in most films. MacReady wants to put onerous new taxes to pay for troops that are to be supplied by MacReady's new good friend the Count of Flanders played by Lowell Gilmore. They're to enforce John's will.

Derek as the Earl of Huntington opposes John and is branded a traitor. After this it's time to send a clarion call out for the Merry Men, those who rode with Dad and newer and younger ones.

Making his third appearance in the role of Little John is Alan Hale. Hale played the part with both Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn. This film isn't quite up to those standards.

In fact as do so many Hollywood epics it rewrites history quite a bit. The upshot of it all is the Magna Carta, but it was never arrived at quite like in this film.

Derek's love interest is a new Maid Marianne in the person of Diana Lynn. She's MacReady's royal ward and when she falls of Derek she agrees to be his spy at court.

One thing that was really dumb in my opinion was Lowell Gilmore's change in attitude. Throughout most of the film Gilmore is presented as a cold fish who's just interested in money. Than toward the end to spice things up Gilmore says he's willing to let MacReady have those Flemish mercenaries if he can just marry Lynn. A really dumb script idea.

The action sequences aren't bad though, but the film isn't as good as either the Douglas Fairbanks silent or the Errol Flynn sound classic. Not even Alan Hale's presence can change that.

"Rogues of Sherwood Forest" is yet another version of the Son of Robin Hood myth. In spite of it's low budget and "B' western like scenario, I rather liked it. John Derek makes a dashing Robin Jr., Diana Lynn a fetching Lady Marianne, the venerable Alan Hale (in his final film) as Little John and Columbia's chief villain George Macready as King John raise this little tale above some of the other similar themed films of the time.

It's 1215 and the Earl of Huntington (aka Robin) and Little John are returning home from the crusades when King John goads Robin into a jousting match with Flemish knight Sir Baldric (John Dehner). The match of course, is rigged against Robin, however, he turns the tables and slays his opponent for the favor of Lady Marianne, the King's ward. Later Robin believes that Marianne was in on the plot to kill him with King John and his cohort Sir Giles (Paul Cavanagh).

King John meanwhile is trying to raise an army of mercenaries through the Count of Flanders (Lowell Gilmore) but is unable to come up with his asking price. In order to raise the necessary funds, King John levies taxes upon his subjects much to the chagrin of the people and Robin. The Archbishop of Canterbury (Donald Randolph) pleads the case for the oppressed.

Robin decides to round up the "usual suspects" in the form of his father's formers associates. Friar Tuck (Billy House) is found in a monastery, Alan -a- Dale (Lester Mathews) is crooning to a winsome young wench and Will Scarlett (Billy Bevan) is found shackled to a pillary. He adds to his "merry men" by recruiting several of the disgruntled over taxed men.

Robin and his men disrupt the tax collectors but feels that he needs someone on the inside to advise him of King John's upcoming plans. Lady Marianne, now back in Robin's good graces volunteers With the aid od pigeons, she sends out messages to Robin informing him of King John's next moves. The wily Sir Giles discovers the pigeons and thwarts any further messages.

King John deciders to invite the three most influential Barons to his castle for a banquet in their honor. Of course the king has other plans. He plans to murder them and place the blame upon Robin. However one of the Barons, Fitzwalter (Wilton Graff) survives and joins with Robin and the Merry Men in a plan to stop the evil King John. While Fitzwalter is massing the other Barons, Robin attacks King John and his entourage while they are en route to a forced wedding between Lady Marianne and the Count of Flanders. The Count has taken Lady Marianne as payment for his mercenaries who are on the way.

A terrific battle ensues and the King is captured just as Fitzwalter arrives in the nick of time with re-enforcements. The mercenaries are turned back and the King is forced into signing the legendary Magna Carta guaranteeing all the freedom they saught.

It's a well known fact that Alan Hale had portrayed the character of Little John twice before. The first time was in 1922 in Douglas Fairbanks' "Robin Hood" and the second in 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn. This was his third go and his farewell performance.

We are never told what happened to Robin Hood Sr. and Lady Marian. Presumably, they are deceased. We are informed however, that King Richard has died and that his evil brother Prince John has ascended the throne.

Great entertainment.

A rather unhistorical telling of the events leading up to the sealing of the 'Magna Carta' to say the least. Am not sure the son of the legendary Robin Hood (also called Robin) was there when the great charter was signed, but he is, in this film anyway. And deserves to be as with his father's old men, still as merry as ever, and the barons in support young Robin thwarts the oppressive schemes of King John and his Flemish ally the Count of Flanders. It's not an awful re-telling of the Robin Hood mythos (unlike some more modern ones) but it lacks excitement and thrills. The use of footage from previous films is apparent but the sets and costumes made for this film look fine.

John Derek as Robin pales in comparison to Errol Flynn but making up for this are more interesting characters like Alan Hale as Little John, Billy House as Friar Tuck, Billy Bevan as Will Scarlett and Lester Matthrews as the amorous Alan-A-Dale. Keeping up the villainous side are hisssable George Macready as King John and Paul Cavanagh as Sir Giles. Not a bad film but not a standout.