A FILM TO REMEMBER: “THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD” (1938)

Before I get into this, I want to make mention “A FILM TO REMEMBER” will be a series about films that have reached a milestone anniversary since their origin in being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. The articles will contain the film’s plot outline, director, cast, a compilation of trivialities, various photos, movie trailer, critical reception and more. So, let’s start:

We are here to mark the celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Michael Curtiz’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood”. Let’s take an inside look at the film:

PLOT OUTLINE:

In the late 12th century, when a power hungry prince and the Norman Lords begin oppressing the Saxon masses in the king’s absence, a Saxon lord fights back as the outlaw leader of a rebel guerrilla army.

STUDIO:

Warner Bros. Pictures

DIRECTOR:

Michael Curtiz

CAST:

• Errol Flynn … Sir Robin of Locksley, a.k.a. Robin Hood
• Olivia de Havilland … Lady Marian Fitzwalter, a.k.a. Maid Marian
• Basil Rathbone … Sir Guy of Gisbourne
• Claude Rains … Prince John
• Patric Knowles … Will à Gamwell, a.k.a. Will Scarlett
• Eugene Pallette … Friar Tuck
• Alan Hale, Sr … John Little, a.k.a. Little John
• Herbert Mundin … Much
• Melville Cooper … High Sheriff of Nottingham
• Una O’Connor … Bess
• Ian Hunter … King Richard the Lion-Heart
• Montagu Love … Bishop of the Black Canons
• Harry Cording … Dickon Malbete
• Ivan F. Simpson … Proprietor of the Kent Road Tavern
• Leonard Willey … Sir Essex
• Robert Noble … Sir Ralf
• Kenneth Hunter … Sir Mortimer
• Robert Warwick … Sir Geoffrey
• Colin Kenny … Sir Baldwin
• Lester Matthews … Sir Ivor

GENRE(S):

Action | Adventure | Romance

TAGLINE:

The Best Loved Bandit Of All Time!

The film is known for nearly every aspect of the Robin Hood myth we know today is embodied in this exciting, socially aware adventure. It’s the archetypal Hollywood swashbuckler as director Michael Curtiz brings everything in how this derring-do should be: rousing, lighthearted, witty, romantic, colorful, moralistic and richly satisfying with an all-star cast that includes a legendary performance from Errol Flynn who is the quintessential Robin Hood while the supporting cast shines just as well with Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains. The film is inspired from Howard Pyle’s novel “The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood,” it was widely praised and has since been often used as a benchmark for productions of later Robin Hood films.

Here’s what some of the critical receptions have been for the film over the years:

Gary Dowell from Dallas Morning News says: “Sumptuous and highly energetic, ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ is grand with a capital ‘G’ on every level.”

Roger Ebert from Chicago Sun-Times says: “In these cynical days when swashbucklers cannot be presented without an ironic subtext, this great 1938 film exists in an eternal summer of bravery and romance.”

Elliott Stein from Village Voice says: “Movie pageantry at its best, done in the grand manner of silent spectacles, brimming over with the sort of primitive energy that drew people to the movies in the first place.”

Variety Staff from Variety says: “It is cinematic pageantry at its best, a highly imaginative telling of folklore in all the hues of Technicolor.”

Frank S. Nugent from New York Times says: “Few storybooks have been more brilliantly brought to life, page for page, chapter for chapter, derring-do for derring-do.”

As you can tell by the critical reactions, the film has been claimed by a number of critics to being one of those rare films that are beyond criticism in this peerless action-adventure romp that been defined as the ultimate swashbuckler. Curtiz directs with a style of fast-paced and loose with an ensemble first-rate cast that includes de Havilland, Rathbone and Rains but its led by Flynn who catapults across the screen with the greatest of ease, exuding so much charm and confidence that he seems to klieg-light the film all by himself in this rousing, energetic, infectious and fun popcorn film of the highest order, being one of the all-time great adventures and one of the most thoroughly entertaining films ever made. But I’ll let you decide…

So, to get a better look at the film, here’s a link to the movie trailer of Michael Curtiz’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood”:

Here I have provided 12 interesting and intriguing trivia facts (I wanted to keep it limited) about “The Adventures of Robin Hood”:

• During one fight sequence, Errol Flynn was jabbed by an actor who was using an unprotected sword — he asked him why he didn’t have a guard on the point. The other player apologized and explained that director Michael Curtiz had instructed him to remove the safety feature in order to make the action “more exciting”. Flynn reportedly climbed up a gantry where Curtiz was standing next to the camera, took him by the throat and asked him if he found that, “Exciting enough”.
• According to TCM host Robert Osborne, the film was so successful that a sequel was commissioned. However, the US government wanted to restrict the amount of money invested in filmmaking at that point in anticipation of joining World War II, so it was delayed. By 1945, when the war was over, the project was scrapped because Olivia de Havilland and Claude Rains were no longer employed at Warner Bros.
• The production used all 11 of the Technicolor cameras in existence in 1938 and they were all returned to Technicolor at the end of each day’s filming.
• Howard Hill, who is listed in the credits as “Captain of Archers,” also played “Elwyn the Welshman” in the archery contest. Hill actually made the shot where we see one arrow split another and he did all the shots which required hitting human targets. He also worked closely with the sound department to produce the distinctive arrow sounds by using specially made arrows.
• In his biography “In and Out of Character”, Basil Rathbone confesses that Errol Flynn was lazy on the set and much too confident about himself. He also says that he and Flynn were good companions, but not friends. Their relationship was cool and much enjoyable. Flynn was very fond of Rathbone.
• Errol Flynn was not happy when Michael Curtiz was assigned to helm the film, as he didn’t care for Curtiz’s dictatorial methods and the 2 clashed often while filming “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1936), especially over what he — an avid horseman — saw as Curtiz’ indifference to the injuries and deaths of many of the horses used in the film.

• James Cagney was the studio’s original choice for Robin Hood. However, when Cagney walked off set, the film’s producer Hal B. Wallis made the decision to cast Flynn, against the studio’s wishes. It was also Wallis’ decision to keep Maid Marian, when the original scriptwriter wanted to dump her character. Wallis felt Marian was an indispensable fixture of a Robin Hood adventure.
• While filming Robin Hood’s escape from the castle, Basil Rathbone was knocked down and trampled by extras, causing a spear wound in his right foot that required eight stitches to close.
• William Keighley had directed Flynn the year before in “The Prince and the Pauper” (1937), which had turned out well for Warner Brothers. The studio had high hopes for this second teaming, but upon viewing the dailies coming in from the location shoot in Chico, California, they found the action scenes to be lacking in vigor and excitement. Michael Curtiz, who had effectively made Flynn a star with his agile handling of the actor in “Captain Blood” (1935) and cemented his reputation as a swashbuckling hero in “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1936), was brought in to complete the picture. Consequently when Keighley returned to Hollywood from Chico, he found himself out of a job. Ironically, Keighley and Flynn got along quite well, but Curtiz and Flynn as stated prior, despised each other.
• Errol Flynn had some of his own design ideas, notably complaints about the fringed wig designed for his character. After a persuading note from Flynn to Wallis back at the studio, the wig was redesigned according to the actor’s needs and suggestions. Reshooting was unnecessary since up to that point, the offending hairpiece had only been photographed under a hat.
• One of the areas of conflict or dislike between Errol Flynn and director Michael Curtiz during this movie may have been because Flynn was married to Curtiz’s former wife, Lili Damita.
• Despite his flamboyant performance as Robin Hood, Flynn privately professed that he found the role to be boring.

To conclude, Michael Curtiz’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood” is completely unabashed and utterly committed to delivering on its promise of a definitive, swashbuckling romp. Michael Curtiz concentrates mostly on the fun, energy and high spirits in this pageantry adventurer. The film embodies the type of imaginative family adventure tailor-made for the silver screen with its purity of heart and purpose making it sheer, infectious fun with a bang-up cast and performances from Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains but its Errol Flynn who dazzlingly thrills as the legendary title character, in one of the greatest adventurous, swashbuckling, colorful costume dramas that buckles its swashes in into cinematic history as a treasured classic.

NOTE: The article contains sources from IMDb and Wikipedia.

Follow me and check out other articles of mine: