Miss Robin Hood

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.

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.

Miss Robin Hood serves as a cheerful, heart warming, zany British movie. It's not what you'd class as laugh out loud humour, it's more amiable, cheerful viewing. Worth watching solely for Margaret Rutherford, an on screen gem, she is wonderfully eccentric, I would imagine kids watching this at the time would have adored a dotty Great Au t like her. The film represents escapism for youngsters, it must be pointed out that times were hard for people in 1952 Britain, the fantasy world is charming. Richard Hearne does a good job, very straight laced and serious, a good balance for Rutherford's boldness, Sid James is solid, he's not given much to do, but he's always great to watch.

Zany, innocent fun, a snapshot of a time gone by.

Miss Robin Hood is directed by John Guillermin and co-written by Val Valentine, Patrick Campbell, and Geoffrey Orme; from the story written by Reed De Rouen. It stars Margaret Rutherford and Richard Hearne. Music is orchestrated by Temple Abady (John Hollingsworth directing) and photography is by Arthur Grant. Plot finds Hearne as amiable newspaper columnist Henry Wrigley, who gets roped in to robbery by eccentric old dear Miss Honey (Rutherford). All for a good cause you understand.......

Out of Group 3 productions, Miss Robin Hood sadly doesn't play out as worthy of the cast assembled for it. I would go so far as to say it's easily the weakest of the films that were found and received a DVD release under the Hollywood Classics Ltd banner of Long Lost Comedy Classics. Story is sweet enough, cast are fine, particularly Rutherford (more energy than actresses' half her age back then), Sid James, James Robertson Justice and Dora Bryan, but the film seems caught between trying to be screwball, farce or a cunningly crafted fantasy. The odd moment of hilarity does surface (car chase, a drunk Hearne), but these quickly get lost in the mix as director Guillermin (The Blue Max/Death on the Nile) fires a blunderbuss and hopes all the pellets land in the same place to form a cohesive circle. They don't.

Still, it's not a total wash out, the cast ensure it's at least watchable, and it's always fun to play spot the future star of British TV and cinema in these 50s Brit Coms. Look out for the likes of Reg Varney and Kenneth Connor here. While the music score is very pleasant and chipper, and Grant's photography is lean and at times purposely off kilter. Core essence of plot, too, is worthy of a hearty bravo shouted from the back of the theatre, but execution behind the camera and translation from the written page leaves it too messy for its own good. 5/10

Charming it is but the comedy's scarce. Just about all of this film leaves you wondering what went on. The plot is patchy to say the least, and the film doesn't seem to have the cohesion of other early British comedies you find these stars in. It came across as a complete mish-mash of experimentalism and surrealism, leaving you thinking everyone involved in it was on an illegal substance. Looking at what the director went on to do in his career, this film can be forgiven for being an example of early directorial teeth-cutting.

Margaret Rutherford was well cast, but it felt the director somewhat smothered her talents and over did the 'dotty' approach (and where did all the kids come from giving you that 'St.Trinians' feel in the last 5 minutes?). Richard Hearne left me wishing they had cast someone, not only with a personality, but with a skill for improving a lacklustre dialogue - Alastair Sim could have really done something to improve this film. And Sid James waddling along always moaning about his 'KNITTING'? - I ask you!. As for the Police? They would have been better cast in The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch's bodyguard.

For individual talent, this film was interesting for observing what the cast can do on screen as an alternative to how you have normally seen them. As a film on the whole, it's pretty bad. I would say it's a cross between anything made by Fritz Lang and whoever came up with On The Buses. It just leaves you feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Get it just for the library, and leave it there.