An Anniversary Classic Film Review

May 14th saw the 80th anniversary of the release of one of the greatest, and certainly the most popular, swashbuckler adventure movies ever made. ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ was a breath of fresh air, not to mention some disguised political comment, in the years and months leading up to the start of World War II.

The film was made by Warner Bros, who have elected not to release an anniversary edition on either Blu-Ray or DVD, largely because it already exists on those formats, the former having been released less than two years ago with a bounty of extras that would please anyone who likes lots of extras. If you are fortunate enough to possess a Blu-Ray copy and a TV capable of reproducing high definition, then you will be astounded at the level of detail you will be able to see in a film of this vintage.

If you do not yet own the film on either digital format, then in the humble opinion of this writer, ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ is a must for your burgeoning collection for all sorts of reasons.

From a technical standpoint, the film is way ahead of its time. Made in technicolor, a process still less than five years old at the time, the colours are extremely vivid without being overwhelming. The sky, the greenery, even the actors look incredibly real. The sound, while in mono, is still crystal clear for the period. The musical score was written by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, already well-known at the time as a concert composer, and who chose to score the film because he needed to escape his home city of Vienna and get some of Hollywood’s warm, clean (at the time) air.

The action rarely lets up from being fast-paced, despite the film needing two directors – William Keighley and Michael Curtiz – to complete the job. Initially, James Cagney was considered for the lead role of Robin Hood, but Errol Flynn – then at the peak of his popularity – was chosen instead. By his own admission, Flynn was not the best of actors, but he had just the right kind of charisma to give the part what it needed. Then of course was Flynn’s co-star, Olivia de Havilland, as Maid Marian. This would be their third film together; their on-screen chemistry already very obvious – which is all that mattered to the studio bosses, as long as that translated into dollars at the box office. The pair would go on to make five further films together.

The script, by Seton I. Miller and Norman Reilly Raine, is first-rate. When asked by Prince John (Claude Rains) if she is in love with Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone), she replies, “Well, he’s a Norman, of course…” a line that highlights the distrust she and her countryfolk would have felt at an invading force (the Normans), headed by a self-proclaimed dictator (Prince John) taking advantage of public unrest, which the dictator has caused. Comparisons with Hitler and the Nazis, coming as it did just two months after the Nazi invasion of Vienna, could not have been avoided at the time, or indeed subsequently.

Of course, the film takes huge liberties with history, because it is primarily entertainment, and entertainment is where it scores yet again. From its standpoint as pure fun, the film does not let up. Highlights include Robin’s first encounter with future colleagues Little John (Alan Hale) and Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette), and almost any scene where Robin and Marian are together. The high point of the film is the sword fight at Nottingham Castle, involving almost every male character, but ultimately chiefly focusing on the battle between Robin and Sir Guy of Gisbourne over the affections of Lady Marian.

Prince John takes control of England after one of his brothers, King Richard, has been captured during the Crusades. Just as John is settling into power, Richard returns to take the throne back and restore the country to fairness and justice for all. In that context the film can be taken as an allegory for any time in history; a somewhat idealistic outcome, perhaps, but one which can always make its audience feel ‘good’ at the end of the film.

Whatever your particular preference is regarding film, there is something in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ for you. Action? Yep. High body count? Sorted. Romance? Oh, yeah. Comedy? Uh-huh. Great technical achievement combined with perfect casting and astounding visuals in Technicolor? No doubt about it. And, to top it all off, there is hidden political and social allegory which gives this film its timeless edge.

Both the DVD and Blu-Ray editions of ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ come with a mountain of extras, including an audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer, a man whom it has been my good fortune to come to know as a friend. I can testify to his broad knowledge, and the fascination of listening to his commentary having watched the film cannot be overstated. Contemporary newsreels, short films and cartoons go to make up what would have been a great night out at the cinema back in 1938.

I hope that you enjoy ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ as much as I have; coming as it does with a ‘U’ certificate, it is indeed watchable by anybody, young or old, and by fans of many different film genres. This film gets the full five stars from me.