The Adventure of Robin Hood
Through the different variations of Robin Hood that have been produced over last few decades, the myth of Robin Hood has grown in awareness in western culture. It is easy to admire a character who stands against injustice and the darker side that human morality has to offer. Someone who is so altruistic that it is not always needed to have a motivation to do the things that he does. This depiction of Robin Hood falls into that vein.
The year was 1938 and swashbuckling-style movies were a popular genre within the Hollywood system. This influence can clearly be seen throughout this film. (More on that later) The movie holds true to the popular myth of Robin Hood including Prince John as the antagonist, the classic Robin Hood allies (Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck etc.), Maid Marian as love interest and so on. It includes classic scenes
such as Robin Hood and Little John dueling with staffs on a log bridge over a river, an archery contest used as a trap for Robin Hood and Robin's Merry Men living the good life in Sherwood forest.
While all of the familiar elements of the Robin Hood myth in place, the film does have it's own feel to it. It does have the swashbuckler feel to it and you could take Errol Flynn's take on the character and put him on a pirate ship and he could definitely act the part. While this facet doesn't take anything away from the character it is worthwhile to note as it was a popular take on characters during this period.
Olivia De Havilland's take on Maid Marian is quite expected. It is through her eyes that we see the arrogance, flair and unpredictability that surrounds the Robin Hood character. Robin is able to win her heart through his altruistic actions. She seems to have more of a character arc than Robin does. This storytelling practice wasn't uncommon during this era as the protagonists tended to not have any flaws.
The antagonists are rounded out with Basil Rathbone as Guy of Gisborne and Claude Rains as Prince John. They both give excellent performances as two people who rely on each other in order to ensure Prince John's claim to the crown. These two are not your standard bad guys who are bad for the sake of being bad. The motivations are made clear for their evil deeds. The film also features background information regarding the Normans and Saxons which helps to illustrate why Prince John feels that his cause is pure.
The movie is fast paced for it's time and I found that it could still hold a viewer's attention. Though we have seen many renditions of Robin Hood, this film set the standard on what it is to be a merry man.
