Miss Robin Hood

A wonderful and truly under rated gem for adults of all ages. The humble writer,Wrigley (Hearne), at a large newspaper creates the adventures of Miss Robin Hood on a weekly basis.It's a comic strip for kids and depicts a modern day young woman as the Hood character who robs from the rich and is always aided by teenage school girls.

When the new owner of the Newspaper decides to drop Miss Robin Hood, the writer storms out of his job.All seems bleak until Miss Honey (Rutherford) appears, an eccentric elderly lady who runs a home for orphaned kids (?) on Hampstead Heath.She insists that only he can help her against the evil Macallister.After reading how Miss Robin Hood can crack open safes,she's convinced that Wrigley can help her retrieve a secret family recipe used in "Honeycup", a scotch based drink with an extra special ingrediant that causes a sensational feeling of wellbeing, from the Macallister (James Robertson Justice).Wrigley unwittingly agrees. The ingrediant is stolen from the Macallister's safe and Wrigley finds himself caught up in an exciting game of cat and mouse with the Macallister, Scotland Yard and the Newspaper Editor.

Great performances from the kids,Hearne, Rutherford, Dora Bryan and an unusually playful Robertson Justice. Sid James also makes an early appearence as Miss Honey's driver. Surely a classic destined for DVD release?

An entertaining film, with some splendid moments, but it would be very interesting to see who it was aimed at. Ealing's 'Hue and Cry' is perhaps the greatest film in this post-war nostalgic genre of kids-film-for-adults; this is a long way short of that, although using the same conceit of a timid writer of a kids' thriller story having to turn detective himself. Unlike 'Hue and Cry' the crime isn't really a crime, and the danger is more perceived than real. And again unlike 'Hue and Cry', this film isn't quite sure whether it is appealing to children or to adults. Margaret Rutherford is strangely creepy as Miss Honey, and the fantasy elements of the story misfire. The best sequences are the realistic adult world, of Henry Wrigley's family and his relationship with his wife, two daughters and Michael Medwin as a wet boyfriend of the elder daughter (improving himself through learning the encyclopedia), his work-life with his two assistants, or his lunchtime conversations with Dora Bryan as a friendly barmaid. The Oz-like message, that the lives we have are better than our fantasies or dreams, is certainly reinforced by the comparative failure to motivate Miss Honey's subversive, childlike view. Still, good fun, with several good comic moments.

It has its moments, but 'Miss Robin Hood' is mostly underwhelming.

Margaret Rutherford (Miss Honey) and Richard Hearne (Henry) are both good, while it's cool to see James Robertson Justice and Reg Varney, pre-'On The Buses' of course, involved in their respective roles; albeit very minorly in Varney's case.

The cinematography is impressive given the year this was released, but I just don't feel like the plot meshes all that well - it feels forcibly thrown together, without much logic. I guess they focused more on the comedy, which I can respect.

Despite the short run time, I was happy to see the film end. Not for me.

Whilst not a bad film I wouldn't watch it twice, The comedy seemed direction less, And Margaret Rutherfords character who has preformed well in a lot of films, was just annoying ! There were a lot of great comedy actors in the film, unfoughtunatly due to the script under used! And the business of sid James continually going on about his knitting. ????? I got the impression of a product very rushed out, like I said not a bad film but could should been much better!!

You must be a most unpleasant person not to like this little, subversive gem. Hearne plays Wrigley, the writer of an adventure story for girls, called Miss Robin Hood. Miss Robin Hood is a young woman who, aided by schoolgirls, sets out to right wrongs and fight the money grubbing bad guys of the world.

Wrigley is living a sort of mundane existence where he receives little credit from his newspaper bosses and he thinks little of his own creation. He is totally unaware that a group of children and one elderly fan, Miss Honey (Margaret Rutherford), use his stories as a model to live life by. One day, Miss Honey introduces herself and Wrigley is transformed into living for the same ideals as Miss Honey and his own creation, Miss Robin Hood.

The plot isn't really important. Miss Honey and Wrigley team up to snatch an old recipe from a whiskey manufacturer. A recipe that was swiped from Miss Honey's family years before. Throughout the film, Miss Honey and Mr. Wrigley battle big business, and the management at the newspaper. They fight for what they believe in and making money is not one of them. Subtle little things, like Miss Honey's charm with the pigeons, constantly remind the viewer of the pure ideals of a child and how they are superior to the views of the world of an adult.

Miss Rutherford is a true joy. What a wonderful eccentric she was, and like Miss Honey (and Miss Robin Hood) the world can use more just like them.