# Robin Hood (1973 film)

Robin Hood is an American animated version of the English legend using animals for the characters. It was released by the Walt Disney Productions on November 8, 1973. The main character is a fox, Robin Hood, as is his lover Maid Marian; his foe, Prince John, is a lion, and has a serpent sidekick named Sir Hiss.
    Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman. Produced by Wolfgang Reitherman. Written by Larry Clemmons and Ken Anderson.

## Little John

* He stands alone on a giant throne, pretending he's the King. A little tyke who's rather like a puppet on a string! And he throws an angry tantrum if he cannot have his way, And then he calls for Mom, While he's suckin' his thumb You see, he doesn't wanna play. Too late to be known as John the First, He's sure to be known as John the Worst. A pox on that Phony King of England!
* While he taxes us to pieces and he robs us of our bread King Richard's crown keeps slipping down around that pointed head Ah, but while there is a merry man in Robin's wily pack We'll find a way to make him pay and steal our money back. A minute before he knows we're there, Old Rob'll snatch his underwear...
* The breezy and uneasy king of England! The snivellin' grovellin', Measly weasly, Blabberin' jabberin', Gibberin' jabberin', Blunderin' plunderin', Wheelin' dealin', Prince John, that phony King of England! Yeah!

## Other

* Alan A'Dale: [opening lines] Y'know, there's been a heap o' legends and tall tales about Robin Hood. All different too. Well, we folks in the animal kingdom have our own version. It's the story of what really happened in Sherwood Forest...

## Dialogue

    Little John: You know somethin', Robin? You're taking too many chances.
    Robin Hood: Chances? You must be joking! That was just a bit of a lark, Little John.
    Little John: Yeah? Take a look at your hat. That's not a candle on a cake.
    Robin Hood: [regarding the arrow in his hat] Hello! This one almost had my name on it, didn't it? They're getting better, you know. You've got to admit it! They are getting better.
    Little John: [breaks the arrow in half] Huh, yeah, the next time that sheriff will probably have a rope around our necks! [gags and squeeze his neck as he choke himself] Pretty hard to laugh hanging there, Rob!
    Robin Hood: Ha! The Sheriff and his whole posse couldn't lift you off the ground. En garde! [shoots the arrow with his hand at Little John's hat in the tree]
    Little John: [ducks and grabs his hat] Hey, watch it, Rob. That's the only hat I've got.
    Robin Hood: [laying down in the tree] Oh, come along. You worry too much, old boy.
    Little John: You know somethin', Robin? I was just wonderin'. Are we good guys or bad guys? You know, I mean, uh, our robbin' the rich to feed the poor.
    Robin Hood: "Rob"? Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's a naughty word. We never rob. We just sort of borrow a bit from those who can afford it.
    Little John: Borrow? Huh. Boy, are we in debt.
    Prince John: One more hiss out of you, eh, er, uh, Hiss, and you are walking to Nottingham.
    Sir Hiss: [mutters] Snakes don't walk, they slither. Hmph. So there.
    [Robin Hood and Little John dressed up as gypsies as they see Prince John's royal coach]
    Little John: Aw, how about that for luck? It's only a circus! A peanut operation!
    Robin Hood: Peanuts?! Why, you dunce, that's the royal coach! It's Prince John himself!
    Little John: The prince? Wait a minute, there's a law against robbing royalty. I'll catch you later.
    Robin Hood: What? And miss this chance to perform before royalty?
    Little John: [moans] Well, here we go again...
    [They stepped out of the bushes]
    Robin Hood: [in his gypsy voice] Oo-de-lally! Oo-de-lally! Fortune tellers!
    Little John: [holding the crystal ball up high] Fortunes forecast, lucky charms!
    Robin Hood: Catch the dope, with your horoscope!
    Prince John: Fortune tellers, how droll. Stop the coach!
    Sir Hiss: Sssire, sire, they may be bandits.
    Prince John: Oh, poppycock! Female bandits? What next? Rubbish! [to Robin Hood and Little John] My dear ladies, you have my permission to kiss the royal hands, whichever you like...first.
    Robin Hood: Hm. Oh, how gracious... [kisses hand and removes large ring] ...and generous.
    Sir Hiss: [gasps] Sire. Sire.
    [Prince John raises his mirror to hit Sir Hiss on the head]
    Sir Hiss: Ah, ah, ah! Seven years bad...! [the prince hits him, smashing the mirror] Luck. That's what it is. Besides, you broke your mother's mirror.
    Prince John: [screams] Ahh! Mommy! [dramatically sucks thumb] I've got a dirty thumb. [looks at the camera in sadness as the scene fades out]
    Mother Rabbit: Oh, you have made his birthday a wonderful one. How can I ever thank you?
    Robin Hood: I only wish I could do more. [hands her a small bag of gold] Here. And keep your chin up. Soon there'll be happiness in Nottingham again, you'll see.
    Mother Rabbit: Oh, Robin Hood. May god bless you always.
    Friar Tuck: Oh, for heaven's sake, son! You're no outlaw! Why, some day you'll be called a great hero!
    Robin Hood: A hero? You hear that, Johnny? We've just been pardoned!
    Little John: That's a gas, we ain't even been arrested yet!
    Sir Hiss: And you...who might you be, sssir?
    Little John: I am Sir Reginald, Duke of Chutney. [stuffs Sir Hiss' hat over his mouth] And don't stick your tongue out at me, kid. [to Prince John] And now, your mightiness, allow me to lay some protocol on you. [stops to kiss Prince John's hand]
    Prince John: [pulls his hand away] No, no, no, forgive me, but I loses more jewels that way. Please sit down.
    Little John: [sits on Sir Hiss] Thanks, PJ, you can't get a better seat than this, the royal box...hey...what...who? [pulling out Sir Hiss] Oh, uh, excuse me, Buster.
    Sir Hiss: Buster?! You, sir, have taken my seat!
    [Prince John and Little John share a laugh]
    Prince John: Hiss, with you around, who needs a court jester?
    Little John: You heard his Mightiness! [drops Sir Hiss] Move it, Creepy: get lost! Be gone, Long One.
    Sir Hiss: [slinks away and mutters to himself] What cheek! "Creepy". "Buster"?! "Long One"?! Who does that dopey duke think he is? [exits]
    Alan-a-Dale: Now, he's up to somethin', Friar.
    Friar Tuck: Yeah, come on.
    [They follow Sir Hiss]
    Prince John: Seize him. [Robin Hood is arrested after winning the archery tournament while disguising as a stork] I sentence you to sudden, instant, and even immediate death!
    Maid Marian: Oh, no! [begins to sob] Please. Please sire. I beg of you to spare his life, please have mercy.
    Prince John: My dear emotional lady, why should I?
    Maid Marian: Because I love him, your highness.
    Prince John: Love him? And does this prisoner return your love?
    Robin Hood: Marian my daring, I love you more than life itself.
    Prince John: [sincerely] Young love, your pleads have not fallen upon a heart of stone. [tone changes to fierce and determined] But traitors to the crown MUST DIED!
    Robin Hood: [angrily] Traitor to the crown? That crown belongs to King Richard! LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!
    The Crowd: LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!
    Prince John: ENOUGH! I AM KING! KING! KING! Ah! OFF WITH HIS HEAD! [The drums beat slowly; an Executioner enters as all gasps]
    Maid Marian: [sniffing] Oh, no!
    Prince John: [suddenly] STOP! Executioner, stop! Hold your axe!
    Little John: [threatening him with a dagger] Okay, big shot, now tell him to untie my buddy, or I'll-
    Prince John: Sheriff, release my buddy-! I mean, release the prisoner!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: [shocked] Unite the prisoner?
    Lady Cluck: You heard what he said, bushel britches!
    Prince John: Sheriff, I make the rules! And since I'm head man. [to Little John] Not so hard, you mean thing. [back to the Sheriff] Let him go, for heaven's sakes! LET HIM GO!
    Lady Cluck: Yee-hee! Love conquers all! [The crowd cheers in relief]
    Robin Hood: Random
    Robin Hood: And for our honeymoon? London?
    Maid Marian: Yes!
    Robin Hood: Normandy?
    Maid Marian: Yes!
    Robin Hood: Sunny Spain?!
    Maid Marian: Oh, why not?! [giggles]
    Lady Cluck: And down with that scurrrrvy Prince John!
    Little John: Yeah! [sings] Oh, the world will sing
    Of an English king
    A thousand years from now,
    And not because
    He passed some laws
    Or had that lofty brow.
    While bonny good King Richard leads the great crusade he's on,
    We'll all have to slave away for that good-for-nothing John!
    Incredible as he is inept,
    Whenever the history books are kept
    They'll call him the Phony King of England!
    Friar Tuck: A pox on the Phony King of England!
    [The Sheriff of Nottingham enters the castle, after collecting all the taxes, to give them to Sir Hiss, "Keeper of the Royal Treasure"]
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: [singing] ♪ He throws an angry tantrum if he cannot have way. He calls for Mom and sucks his thumb and doesn't want to play. Too late to be known as John the First, he's sure to be known as John the Worst! ♪ [to Sir Hiss] Am I right?
    Sir Hiss: [chuckles] That's P.J to a "T". Let me try, let me try. [clears his throat; lowers his voice] ♪ Too late to be known as John the 1st, he's sure to be known as John the Worst! ♪ [suddenly sees an angry Prince John peeking behind a door, holding a glass decanter of wine in his hand; shrivels in fear; gulps] The fabulous, marvelous, merciful, chivalrous!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: [seriously] Oh, you've got it all wrong, Hiss. The sniveling, groveling, measly, weaselin'...
    Prince John: [outraged] Enough!!! [throws the glass of jug at the Sheriff of Nottingham; it hits the wall and the wine rains down on him.]
    Sheriff: But, but, sire, it's a big hit. The whole village is singing it.
    Prince John: [fed up] Oh, they are, are they? Well, they'll be singing a different tune. Double the taxes! Triple the taxes! [grabs Sir Hiss by the neck; angrily staring forward at the Sheriff] SQUEEZE every last drop out of those insolent... [smiling] ...musical peasants.
    [The scene changes to a stormy night in Nottingham.]
    Alan-a-Dale: Man, oh, man. That Prince John sure made good his threat. [A poor couple looks at a sign reading "TAX Foreclosure by Order of the CROWN", making them sadder than ever at the greedy tyrant's reign of terror.] And his helpless subjects paid dearly for his humiliation, believe me. Taxes, taxes, taxes. Why, he taxed the heart and soul out of the poor people of Nottingham. [He starts playing his guitar as the song "Not in Nottingham" begins.] And if you couldn't pay your taxes, you went to jail. [Ironically, we find him incarcerated, himself, guarded by the Sheriff.] Yep, I'm in here too. Nottingham was in deep trouble.
    [The Sheriff of Nottingham has just taken the only coin out of the church's Poor Box]
    Friar Tuck: Now, just a minute, Sheriff! Th-th-th-that's the Poor Box!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: It sure is, and I'll take it for poor Prince John. [chuckles] Every little bit helps.
    The Female Church Mouse: Ooh, you put that back!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: And His Majesty also blesses you, little sister.
    Friar Tuck: You thieving scoundrel!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: [reasonably] Now, take it easy, Friar, I'm just doing my duty.
    Friar Tuck: Collecting taxes for that arrogant, greedy, ruthless, no-good Prince John?!
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: Listen, Friar, you're mighty preachy and you're gonna preach your neck right into a hangman's noose.
    Friar Tuck: [livid] GET OUTTA MY CHURCH!!! [pushes The Sheriff of Nottingham out] Out! Out! Out! Out! [attacking the Sheriff with a stick] You want taxes?! I'll give you taxes!
    The Male Church Mouse: Give it to him! Give it to him, Friar!
    [Trigger blinds Friar Tuck with the hood of his coat]
    The Sheriff of Nottingham: You're under arrest for high treason to the crown! [puts Friar Tuck's head in a shackle]
    The Female Church Mouse: [horrified] Oh, no. [sniffing]
    The Male Church Mouse: [comforting her] There, there, Mama.
    [Prince John and Sir Hiss are at the castle, with Prince John staring angrily into the void.]
    Sir Hiss: [clear his throat] Sire, if I may - may venture an opinion, you're not your usual cheerful, genial self today. [Prince John scowls at him as he brief his moment] I-I-I know, I know! You haven't counted your money for your days, hmm? It always makes you so happy. [lifts the money taxes up and down of Prince John's chair; clears his throat] Sire, taxes are pouring in, the jail is full. And, oh, I have good news, sire...Friar Tuck is in jail.
    [Prince John suddenly snaps as he gets up, knocking the money on Sir Hiss in a fit of rage.]
    Prince John: FRIAR TUCK?! It's ROBIN HOOD I want, you idiot! Oh, I'd give all my gold if I could just get my hands on- [pauses, turning to Sir Hiss] Did you say Friar Tuck?
    Sir Hiss: Did I? Y-Y-Yes, I did.
    Prince John: [having an idea] Ah! Hiss, I have it! I'll use that fat friar as bait to trap Robin Hood.
    Sir Hiss: Another trap?
    Prince John: Yes, you stupid serpent. Friar Tuck will be led to the gallows at the village square, don't you see.
    Sir Hiss: [very shocked] B-B-But, sire! Hang Friar Tuck?! A man of the church?!
    Prince John: Yes, my reluctant reptile, and when our elusive hero tries to rescue the corpulent cleric... [laughs evilly] ...my men will be ready. [laughs evilly]
    [Robin Hood finds Little John and looks at the door]
    Little John: We can't let them hang Friar Tuck.
    Robin Hood: [taking out his glasses] A jail break tonight is the only chance he's got.
    Little John: A Jail break?! There ain't no way you can get there-
    Robin Hood: [takes off his beggar hat] We've got to Johnny... [looks at the door, worried as the scene fades out] Or Friar Tuck dies at dawn.
    Prince John: [Robin Hood and Skippy mock him after another trap failed] Oh, no! It's so miserably unfair!
    Sir Hiss: Well, I tried to tell you, but no, no, no. You wouldn't listen. Your traps just never work. And NOW, look what you've done to your mother's castle.
    Prince John: [notices the castle is burns, horrified] AAAAAGH!!! Mommy!!! [sucks his thumb, then loses his temper and starts chasing Hiss around with a plank] Hold still!
    Sir Hiss: Sire, no!
    Prince John: You cowardly cobra!
    Sir Hiss: Please! Oh, no!
    Prince John: Procrastinating python!
    Sir Hiss: Mercy!
    Prince John: [overlapped by Hiss] Aggravating asp!
    Sir Hiss: Save me! Oooooh!
    Prince John: You eel in snake's clothin'!
    Sir Hiss: [flees into the castle with Prince John, still sucking his thumb, in pursuit] Help! He's gone stark raving MAAAAAD!!!!!
    Alan-a-Dale: There I thought we'd never get rid of those two rascals! But lucky for us, folks, King Richard returned, and...well, he just straightened everything out.
    [Last line]
    Alan-a-Dale: [laughs] Well, folks, that's the way it really happened.

## Taglines

* The way it really happened in Sherwood Forest!
* Meet Robin Hood and his Merry Men-agerie!
* Join the Merriest Menagerie in the world's best-loved legend.

## Cast

* Robin Hood, a fox—voice: Brian Bedford
* Maid Marian, a vixen—voice: Monica Evans
* Little John, a bear—voice: Phil Harris
* Prince John, a lion—voice: Peter Ustinov
* Sir Hiss, a snake—voice: Terry-Thomas
* Sis, a rabbit—voice: Shannen Doherty
* Sheriff of Nottingham, a wolf—voice: Pat Buttram
* Friar Tuck, a badger—voice: Andy Devine
* Lady Kluck, a chicken—voice: Carole Shelley
* Alan-a-Dale, a rooster—voice: Roger Miller
* The Captain of the Guard, a crocodile—voice: Candy Candido

## See also

* Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

## External links

* Encyclopedic article on Robin Hood (1973 film) on Wikipedia
* Media related to Robin Hood (1973 film) on Wikimedia Commons
* Robin Hood (1973 film) quotes at the Internet Movie Database