Die Abenteuer des Robin Hood

Although my personal favorite among Errol Flynn's films is The Sea Hawk, most will argue that his career role was this one in The Adventures of Robin Hood. It certainly has a deserved enduring popularity that's lasted for generations.

Just about every version of the Robin Hood legend from Douglas Fairbanks's silent classic to the one in 1997 with Kevin Costner, deals with the same story facts. A young nobleman, deprived of his lands and title by Prince John and his cohorts, takes to Sherwood Forest and gathers a band which practices their own form of financial leveling. Robbing from the rich and giving to the poor until the day comes when good King Richard the Lionhearted comes back from the Crusades and sets things right.

Were there ever a more attractive and idealistic a pair of young lovers on the screen than Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland? If there were, I'd be hard pressed to name them. They did eight films together from 1935 to 1941 and this one is probably the best. Errol all dash and charm and shy and retiring Olivia who just lights up the screen with beauty and romance.

Directors Michael Curtiz and William Keighley photographed this in some gorgeous technicolor. And they put together an almost perfect cast. You can't tell at all which scenes were directed by Curtiz and which by Keighley so seamless is the film's fabric.

The small roles are truly memorable. The best comic moments in the film come from Melville Cooper, the not quite so bold Sheriff of Nottingham and from Herbert Mundin and Una O'Connor as Much the Miller's Son from Robin Hood's band and DeHavilland's maid. Herbert Mundin was the first one in this cast to die, he was killed in an automobile accident just two years after this film was finished. He was a funny little man who played nervous types, a kind of English Don Knotts. But in what was probably his career role, he literally decides the fate of English history here in a superb act of bravery. We expect bravery and courage from the Errol Flynns on the screen, but Mundin's performance shows the virtue can be found in some of us you wouldn't expect. His is my favorite performance apart from the leads.

Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains make a superb pair of villains as Prince John and Guy of Gisborne. Rains covets the throne and Rathbone covets Olivia. They both provide the right touch of menace and make their performances real.

As I write this Olivia DeHavilland is the last surviving member of this classic film. During her career she fought hard with her studio to get roles where she would be more than the crinoline heroine waiting for her man to finish his brave deeds. She knew her worth and talent and got a pair of Oscars to prove it.

Back in the day DeHavilland dismissed films like The Adventures of Robin Hood. But several years back she attended a revival of both The Adventures of Robin Hood and Dodge City two very different type films she did with Errol Flynn.

As she watched it she saw the reverence and respect the audience had for both of these classics. When they were over she got a stunning ovation and she confessed that looking back now, she was real proud to have been associated with these films.

You have every reason to be proud Olivia. And we're real proud of you.

What an amazing experience to see The Adventures Of Robin Hood 80 years after its original release. How can one explain the longevity of its relevance. Relevant in every department. Acting to start with. Errol Flynn was not considered a great actor, never an Oscar nomination or anything like that. Bette Davis was always frustrated for having to work opposite him rather that Laurence Olivier. But, look at him now, 80 years later - Erroll Flynn' s performance is as fresh today as the day he filmed it. Compare that with Oscar winner Russell Crowe's Robin Hood (2010) - Russell Crowe even had the impertinence of mocking Erroll Flynn's version. This bit of tribia kuind of depressed me after the high of seeing again this Michael Curtiz's masterpiece. Here, everything works. Other than Erroll Flynn - even if when's he is on the screen is difficult to pay attention to anyone else - we do. Mostly because Claude Rains, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and the rest of the sensational cast. This adventure film will continue to captivate audiences for years, decades, centuries to come.

The other early romanticism take on the Robin Hood legend, aside from the silent Douglas Fairbanks version. This one puts famed Hollywood hell raiser pirate Errol Flynn in the title role of Robin Hood. As would be expected of that scoundrel/scallywag Flynn's famous devil-may-care-heroics, the Flynn Robin Hood outrightly refuses to support Prince John when he commits what Robin views as treachery - trying to get himself made king and abusing the land and the people in what may or may not be the aftermath of his older brother King Ricahrd the Lion-Hearted's death while battling in the crusades. After nearly getting killed by John and Gisbourne's men, Robin goes on the run, with Will Scarlet and along the way acquiring Much, Little John, a cantankerous Friar Tuck, and a whole army of merry men in tights. From there, he becomes the great outlaw we all know and love, fighting Gisbourne, the bumbling Sheriff and Prince John anyway which way he can and sweeps that adorable sweetie pie Maid Marion off her feet.

Sure the costumes may look fake today and the film itself overly colorful, but it's still a fun time. Sure Errol Flynn doesn't have a well articulated British accent either, but at least he doesn't sound like he's from the heart land of America. Flynn is certainly a lot quicker on his feet than Kevin Costner was, which comes in handy when you're in a duel to the death. Basil Rathbone is a fairly menacing Gisbourne, smarter than the Robert Addie or Michael Wincott versions (he looks kind of like Christopher Lee), and Olivia de Havilland is a very pretty Marion without being overly sexual and slutty about it (as was the case with many leading ladies back then). Out of the versions I've seen this is probably the only one where the Sheriff is an idiot and Gisbourne is the real menace (Gisbourne died early in the Kevin Costner verison of Robin Hood, and on TV's "Robin of Sherwood" he was just this weird neurotic guy, and I'm afraid I don't remember the Patrick Bergin version of Robin Hood very well).

There are least five big action sequences here, namely Robin's two escapes from Nottingham, an ambush in Sherwood Forest and the climax between Robin's & King Richard's men at Nottingham castle. Naturally, there is a duel to the death that features shadows on the wall going at it while the actors are off screen. Good stuff, especially for the children.

This is still the best movie about the legendary outlaw, it's swashbuckling adventure defined! it shows almost all the most important and famous pats of the legend and does so with happy optimism and wonderful fight scenes. Robin Hood is one of those characters who's story was made to be told this way, no "updating" needed, no dark and brooding Robin of Locksley needed! It's upbeat and colorful, it's a fun adventure flick that has stood the test of time. Errol Flynn will always be the best Robin Hood!

How does one start a commentary on such a perfect specimen of film making? Is this exaggeration. I think not.

Every aspect and element of the movie is absolutely top of the line in the cinematic Arts & Sciences. Once again, where to start? Casting is so important. Who could find a better line up of Actors than this. Starting with Errol Flynn. Never was there a better screen Robin Hood; not Douglas Fairbanks, not Richard Green, not even Kevin Costner. Mr. Flynn was sure a handful for the studio in real life and a lot of this surely rubbed of on his screen persona. Added to a great Athletic ability, probably a natural athlete.* Next, we have delicately, beautiful Olivia de Havilland who brings not only her feminine pulchritude to the movie, but also an innate sense of class and intelligence too. Her Lady Marion was much more than a helpless female. Was she a damsel in distress? Oh, most surely she was that, but not a screaming, whiny helpless girl.

Basil Rathbone (Sir Guy of Gisbourne) was perhaps the best villain in the business. Next to his characterization of Sherlock Holmes in all those films (and some Radio & TV work as well), as well as being a top fencer. Ironic it is that this master swordsman lost so many screen duels with the likes of Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power (THE MARK OF ZORRO).

Claude Rains as Prince John gave th story a somewhat foppish, prim and prissy version of a Bad Monarch, which this future King John surely was. His type of person could never do some of the assignations and executions that he ordered, but saw no difficulty or remorse in ordering underlings to do so.

The rest of the cast reads like a who's who of British Actors in Hollywood or a role call of regular Warner Brothers players. Just consider the following: Melville Cooper (Sheriff of Nottingham) Una O'Conner , Alan Hale (Little John**), Eugene Palette (Friar Tuck), Patric Knowles (Will Scarlet) and so on and so forth, en ad infinitum! To these talents add the great sets and the forest of the Pacific Northwest. They had such great Castles, Towns and Tournament Fields. And how could simple B & W film do any justice to the beautifully tailored, multi hued costuming. This is Technicolor Work at its very best! Please let's not go any further without remembering our sense of hearing, or namely the musical score. The theme (Overture) and the incidental music by Erich Wolfgang Kornkold is at once classical, exciting and multi-faceted. It plays no small role in moving the story along as well as underscoring action, danger, solemnity and even humorous moments. It belongs right up there with compositions by some of the guys like Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikowsky, Chopin, Rossini, etc. (you get the idea!).

A well written, tight, intelligent script was the foundation for this once in a lifetime true work of Art. When a fine script meets able talent in the Director's chair the two elements act to make the final product even better and better and better.............

* Errol Flynn was a member of the 1928 0r 1932 Australian Olympic Boxing team, a talent that no doubt, made him a candidate for the Lead in GENTLEMAN JIM four years later.

** Alan Hale, an all purpose supporting player who portrayed a tremendously wide variety of types. From Mongol Chieftan Kaidu in MARCO POLO to James Cagney's Father in THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE. He must have really liked portraying Little John, for he was the Big Quarter Staff Man in Douglas Fairbanks' silent screen ROBIN HOOD(1922),a role he re prised not only for this picture but also for ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FORSET (1950).