Review of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) by Jack B — 22 Oct 2010

The tale of Robin Hood has been recycled so much by Hollywood, each generation twisting and flexing it. Most recently of course is Ridley Scott's 2010 adaptation Robin Hood (Where do they get these crazy titles from) in which Russell Crowe plays Robin as a fallen soldier, rebelling against the corrupt monarchy in a brutal, gritty (and a little bit boring) depiction of medieval England. Shoot backwards a decade or so to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Kevin Costner takes the stage armed with an English accent so terrible it'll give you a hernia. But before Crowe and Costner, there was a far more superior portrayal of the hooded man.

The Adventures of Robin Hood is a swashbuckling epic starring Errol Flynn: Manliness personified. Produced in 1938, it bubbles with vim and vigour, and yet has a dramatic undercurrent which hooks throughout. There is literally not a boring moment. You never feel the temptation to fast forward a little bit, or hunt out where the cat is sleeping, or organise your coffee table; your too busy marvelling at sheer ambition and splendour of the film.

The plot is pretty much classic Hood. King Richard is out of the country and his wily brother Prince, John (Claude Rains) a man with the straightest fringe in the world and a team of camp colleagues, takes over, forcing harsh taxes upon the poor folk of Nottingham. Robin takes a stand by putting together a band of merry men (including Will Scarlet, a man who for some reason has been forced to wear his namesake's colour, which unless they plan any ambushes in a terracotta pot, probably isn't the best camouflage-wise) ready to show the tyrant who's in charge.

Errol Flynn's portrayal of Robin is flawless. He's so manly, at one point he beats down two armed guards with the carcass of a deer. If that's not manly, I don't know what is. He's a cocky rouge, but holds a manner of nobility about himself; an archetype which has pretty much remained in the franchise ever since. Cool and serene, Robin springs into action at the drop of a hat (with a feather in it) making him rewarding to watch. Interestingly, Robin and co. share a similar laugh. A strong, hearty guffaw; the type of laugh a loving uncle would produce upon ruffling your hair. He's the kind of person audiences love to watch in films, but if he actually existed, you'd have blissful dreams about breaking his nose. Charming, brave, witty, pah!

At some points the action pieces are genuinely awe inspiring. Watching with modern eyes and knowing that CGI at this point is yet to be conceived, watching Flynn shoot up the side of a grand hallway and cause mayhem like a mouse loose in a kitchen leaves you feeling giddy and excitable, like a child on Christmas day. Scenes of combat are wonderfully choreographed, but still have a rough, clumsy edge, making them feel like some form of stylised realism.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (a film which lets remember was made 72 whole years ago in, an age where it was okay to wear socks with sandals) is timeless, but at the same time you feel a sense that it was made in a much more innocent era. The sort of time when Robin could call someone a "...lusty infant..." and not get put on a list.

Enjoyable and gratifying viewing.