With the success of The Adventures of Robin Hood. ITC decided that there was money to be made from making similar shows.
Lew Grade must have scoured European folklore and William Tell used a crossbow so he must have thought this would do.
If only William Tell killed all those Austrian soldiers who arrived at this village offering protection at the beginning. There would had been no series.
However as he just humiliated them, the new tyrant Gessler places the Emperor's Hat on the village square. Passers by have to kneel which is an acknowledgement that they are the Emperor's subjects.
Those who refuse become slaves of the Austrian empire. William Tell resists and is arrested. His freedom is guaranteed if he shows his skill on the Crossbow. The target is an apple on top of his son's head.
This is certainly more campy than Robin Hood. The Emperor's Hat bit looks like a silly gimmick. It possibly has more serious undertones.
It reminded me of how in Nazi era Munich. A salute was required by all people passing the Feldherrnhalle, which became a shrine to those Nazis who died in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. Some pedestrians avoided this by going through a different alley called "Dodgers' Alley." There would be soldiers posted who will keep a note of those who saluted, those who did not and the others who dodged it. People who did not salute would later receive a not so friendly visit.
Lew Grade must have scoured European folklore and William Tell used a crossbow so he must have thought this would do.
If only William Tell killed all those Austrian soldiers who arrived at this village offering protection at the beginning. There would had been no series.
However as he just humiliated them, the new tyrant Gessler places the Emperor's Hat on the village square. Passers by have to kneel which is an acknowledgement that they are the Emperor's subjects.
Those who refuse become slaves of the Austrian empire. William Tell resists and is arrested. His freedom is guaranteed if he shows his skill on the Crossbow. The target is an apple on top of his son's head.
This is certainly more campy than Robin Hood. The Emperor's Hat bit looks like a silly gimmick. It possibly has more serious undertones.
It reminded me of how in Nazi era Munich. A salute was required by all people passing the Feldherrnhalle, which became a shrine to those Nazis who died in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. Some pedestrians avoided this by going through a different alley called "Dodgers' Alley." There would be soldiers posted who will keep a note of those who saluted, those who did not and the others who dodged it. People who did not salute would later receive a not so friendly visit.
