Robin Hood

Plot synopsis:
Alan-a-Dale introduces the story of Robin Hood and Little John, two outlaws living in Sherwood Forest, where they rob from the rich and give to the poor townsfolk of Nottingham, despite the efforts of the Sheriff of Nottingham to stop them. Meanwhile, Prince John and his assistant Sir Hiss arrive in Nottingham on a tour of the kingdom. Knowing the royal coach is laden with riches, Robin and Little John rob Prince John by disguising themselves as fortune tellers. The embarrassed Prince John then puts a bounty on their heads and makes the Sheriff his personal tax collector, who takes pleasure in collecting funds from the townsfolk including hidden money from the crippled blacksmith Otto and a single farthing from a young rabbit, Skippy, who had just received it as a birthday present. However, Robin Hood, disguised as a beggar, sneaks in and gives back some money to the family, as well as his hat and a bow to Skippy in honor of his birthday.
Skippy and his friends test out the bow, but Skippy fires an arrow into the grounds of Maid Marian's castle. The children sneak inside, meeting Maid Marian and her attendant Lady Kluck. Skippy "rescues" Marian from Lady Kluck, who pretends to be a pompous Prince John. Later, when she is alone with Kluck, Maid Marian reveals she and Robin were childhood sweethearts but they have not seen one another for years, and Kluck consoles her not to give up on her love for Robin. Meanwhile, Friar Tuck visits Robin and Little John, explaining that Prince John is hosting an archery tournament, and the winner will receive a kiss from Maid Marian. Robin decides to participate in the tournament disguised as a stork whilst Little John disguises himself as the Duke of Chutney to get near Prince John. Sir Hiss discovers Robin's identity but is trapped in a barrel of ale by Friar Tuck and Alan-a-Dale. Robin wins the tournament, but Prince John exposes him and has him arrested for execution despite Maid Marian's pleas. Little John threatens Prince John in order to release Robin, which leads to a fight between Prince John's soldiers and the townsfolk, all of which escape to Sherwood Forest.
As Robin and Maid Marian fall in love again, the townsfolk have a troubadour festival spoofing Prince John, describing him as the "Phony King of England", and the song soon becomes popular with John's soldiers. Enraged by the insult, Prince John triples the taxes, imprisoning most of the townsfolk who cannot pay. A paltry coin gets deposited into the poor box at Friar Tuck's church, which gets seized by the Sheriff. Enraged that government has meddled in his church, Friar Tuck lashes out at the Sheriff, to which he is quickly arrested for "attacking a lawman, interfering with the Sheriff's legal duties and high treason to the Crown". Prince John orders Friar Tuck hung, knowing Robin Hood will come out of hiding to rescue his friend and give the potential for Robin to be caught and a "double hanging".
Robin and Little John, having learned of the plot, chose to sneak in during the night, with Little John managing to free all of the prisoners whilst Robin steals Prince John's taxes, but Sir Hiss awakens to find Robin fleeing. Chaos follows as Robin and the others try to escape to Sherwood Forest. The Sheriff corners Robin after he is forced to return to rescue Tagalong, Skippy's little sister. During the chase, Prince John's castle catches fire and the Sheriff figures he has Robin where he wants, either to be captured, burned, or make a risky jump into the moat. Robin Hood elects to jump. Little John and Skippy fear Robin is lost, but he surfaces safely after using a reed as a breathing tube. Sir Hiss says he tried to warn Prince John, and now look what he did to his mother's castle, causing the Prince to exclaim "Mummy!" and suck his thumb and chase the terrified snake into the burning castle.
Later, King Richard returns to England, placing his brother, Sir Hiss and the Sheriff under arrest and allows his niece Maid Marian to marry Robin Hood, turning the former outlaw into an in-law.
=== Alternate ending ===
The alternate ending (included in the "Most Wanted Edition" DVD) is a deleted version of the story's conclusion, primarily utilizing still images from Ken Anderson's original storyboard drawings of the sequence. As Robin Hood leaps off of the castle and into the moat, he is wounded (presumably by one of the arrows shot into the water after him) and carried away to the church for safety. Prince John, enraged that he has once again been outwitted by Robin Hood, finds Little John leaving the church, and suspects the outlaw to be there as well. Sure enough, he finds Maid Marian tending to an unconscious Robin Hood, and draws a dagger to kill them both. Before Prince John can strike, however, he is stopped by his brother, King Richard, having returned from the Crusades. King Richard is appalled to find that Prince John has left his kingdom bleak and oppressed. Abiding his mother's wishes, King Richard decides he cannot banish Prince John from the kingdom, but does grant him severe punishment (which explained how Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff ended up in the Royal Rock Pile). King Richard returns Nottingham to its former glory (before leaving for the Third Crusade), knights Robin Hood as Sir Robin of Locksley, and orders Friar Tuck to marry Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
A short finished scene from the planned original ending, featuring King Richard and revealing himself to vulture henchmen Trigger and Nutsy, appeared in the Ken Anderson episode of the 1980s Disney Channel documentary series Disney Family Album. This scene, at least in animated form, does not appear on the Most Wanted Edition DVD.

Tags: good versus evil, action, murder

Review:
A film like Robin Hood loses so much on the small tube.It was one of the most expensive films ever done during the silent era, the castle set for King Richard the Lion Hearted must have been cost a mint or two.
The producer being Fairbanks himself had infinite faith in his prowess at the box office.Alan Hale made the first of three appearances as Little John in various Robin Hood films.
He was also Little John with Errol Flynn in the Adventures of Robin Hood and with John Derek in Rogue of Sherwood Forest.
Little John here has a very extensive and different part, Hale is first seen as Fairbanks's squire before circumstances force Doug into outlawry.Fairbanks is the Earl of Huntingdon, favored knight of Richard the Lion Hearted.
John as played by Sam DeGrasse covets his brother's throne and Gisborne played by Paul Dickey has designs on Lady Marian Fitzwalter (Enid Bennett) beloved of Fairbanks.Fairbanks and Dickey go along on the Crusade with DeGrasse left to mind the store and steal the kingdom.
Of course Fairbanks escapes and the real meat of the film begins.All the sidebar stories about the various characters among the Merry Men join Robin are not included in this film.
Fairbanks and Hale escape and go back to England where he becomes the legendary Robin Hood.Wallace Beery is a most unusual Richard.
This Fairbanks film as did the others he made had a great message about right coming out on top, good triumphing over evil and good embodied in the clean living physical specimen of Douglas Fairbanks.It's hard to imagine, but in the silent screen era as in no other, movie stars were placed on a pedestal as they aren't now.
Mary lived in it in fact until she died in 1979 after the fairy tale marriage fell apart in the more sobering decade of the Thirties.I could not have had the experience of Robin Hood that I did had I not seen the film at a special screening in Shea's Theater in my city of Buffalo.
And you will get some idea in watching Robin Hood as to why Douglas Fairbanks was the ideal man of his times..
The Douglas Fairbanks version of "Robin Hood" is still good entertainment despite showing its age at times.
Later versions, such as the Errol Flynn version which is still the best of all the Robin Hood movies, had many resources available to them that this one didn't, but this older version works well and is more enjoyable than most of the more recent movies based on the legend.The story and characters are familiar from many other books and movies.
It makes it interesting to watch even if you've already seen plenty of other "Robin Hoods", and amongst other things it gives Beery as Richard a lot more screen time.
Impressive looking early Douglas Fairbanks Robin Hood adventure..
It's the first Robin Hood adaptation though which featured many of the elements of the legend that would be featured in most later movie versions.
The difference is mostly notable in the movie its first halve, which focuses mostly on the crusades Earl of Huntingdon/Robin Hood with King Richard the Lion-Hearted ventures on.
Basically the movie its first halve is one big introduction till the movie hits the point at which the Earl of Huntingdon finally becomes the courageous and honorable thief with the good intentions Robin Hood.
They made a total of 11 movies together, of which this one and "The Iron Mask" are the best known ones which they did together.It stars Douglas Fairbanks as the main lead, so of course this movie is a swashbuckler with plenty of action in it but what sort of disappointed me about the movie was that it wasn't really always an entertaining one.
This is mostly why I still prefer the 1938 Errol Flynn Robin Hood movie version above this one, no matter how great it's all looking.It's really the movie its second halve which still makes this such a fun movie to watch.
Of course Douglas Fairbanks was doing all of his own stunts again and he shows some dangerous antics again in this movie, like only he could back in his days.
Like all Robin Hood films as well as the various Ivanhoe films, King Richard I (a.k.a.
Instead, the Robin we know about is passed down from legends and songs and as a result, there are many differing (and often diametrically opposed) stories about this swell guy--all of which are pure hogwash.Now you'd think after my complaints that I couldn't have possibly liked the film.
While I have some doubts as to the truth of contemporary stories that Douglas Fairbanks did ALL his own stunts, the stunt-work in this film is as good as any silent film--and better than what you'll even find today.
The plot is pretty good as well--and I especially like how the lion's share (nice choice of words, huh?) is about how Robin came to be an outlaw--something even the wonderful Errol Flynn version failed to do (though it, too, is a classic).
But after Huntingdon goes AWOL on King Richard's Crusades (which are disturbingly glorified in this movie) to protect England from the tyranny of evil Prince John and adopts the alias Robin Hood, things suddenly start moving at break-neck speed.Douglas Fairbanks shines in this film, creating a Robin Hood with surprising heart and humanity for a silent movie.
But in a movie that was a big-budget blockbuster for the 1920s, Fairbanks's star is often eclipsed by needless pageantry, as well as by his own less-talented co-stars, particularly Wallace Beery as King Richard, the so-called "lion hearted" king who spends most of the movie laughing.
Before long, you'll be wondering why the heck everyone in Nottingham reveres this guy, or you'll be asking the question I heard someone sitting near me in the theater whisper: "What is so funny, anyway?" Enid Bennett, playing Lady Marian, seems like a good actress, but it is hard to tell, as she's given little more to do than faint whenever a fight starts and wake up once the action's over.
The film draws heavily on the romantic heritage of chivalry, and favors the origins of the character over his legendary exploits, following the Earl of Huntingdon (not Locksley, as in later films) into the Crusades, where he and King Richard are marked for death by the treacherous Sir Guy of Gisbourne.
It isn't until the fourth (or fifth) reel that Douglas Fairbanks (in one of his definitive roles) finally exchanges his suit of armor for Robin's trademark feathered cap, and goes (literally) skipping through Sherwood Forest.
This he does in disguise as an outlaw, taking the name of ROBIN HOOD.This was Douglas Fairbanks' exciting homage to one of our greatest legends.
The film is full of pomp & pageantry and if Fairbanks' style of acting seems to have dated, that does not in the least detract from the pure enjoyment of watching this silent epic.
The archaic wording of many of the title cards can be a trifle annoying, but it's important to remember that Fairbanks was trying to impart an authentic medieval flavour to the film.Wallace Beery is a bluff & hearty Richard.
Alan Hale plays Little John, a role he would assume again 16 years later in the Errol Flynn version.Huntingdon does not become Robin Hood until more than half the film has passed.
One of the biggest & most impressive sets ever constructed for a silent film - Nottingham Castle - is featured here.
Needless to say his stunts are superb, the sets amazing and the crowd scenes crowded (have there ever been that many merry men ever?).Allan Dwan was not the greatest silent director - his visual style is not as strong as say Fred Niblo or Rex Ingram - but there are some memorable visuals - and a particularly gorgeous final image.The film gets off to a rather slow start - I could have done with less of the build-up to the Sherwood scenes, which are certainly the highlight.
But Wallace Beery, Enid Bennett and Alan Hale (he played Little John again in 1939) are all excellent.
Fairbanks was a great choice to play Robin Hood, it's just too bad we don't get to see him swing into action as the bandit of Sherwood until after a long, drawn-out first half concerning King Richard and Huntingdon (Robin) heading off for the Crusades.
Errol Flynn's version improved on it by a mile in 1938, leaving out the fat and concerning itself only with Robin's adventures in Sherwood, and adding more heart and humor if not replicating the grand scale of pageantry depicted in this version.Providing a link between both films, of course, is Alan Hale Sr. playing Little John.
As far as other cast members, Wallace Beery is memorable as King Richard and Sam de Grasse is a perfectly snide Prince John.
The other cast members are adequate enough.The DVD edition of this film provides a very nice print and is well worth viewing if you enjoy old silents, or are a fan of the Robin Hood legend as I am.
Many purists have complained about the musical soundtrack but not being an aesthete of Silent films myself I found it to be not too bad.Not the classic version of Robin Hood on film but still, there are many things to like about it..
Among those cheering and jeering are: the people's beloved King, the generous Wallace Beery (as Richard the Lion-Hearted); his sinister brother Sam De Grasse (as Prince John), who covets Mr. Berry's throne; and, the fairest maiden in the land, Enid Bennett (as Lady Marian Fitzwalter).
For most of the running time, the film is laboriously paced; and, some of the directorial shots are lingering and unimaginative.After Fairbanks becomes "Robin Hood", the film picks up (it takes well over an hour); and, it becomes much more exciting.
Notable merry man Alan Hale (as Little John) reprised his role, for both Erroll Flynn in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), and John Derek in "Rogues of Sherwood Forest" (1950).
******** Robin Hood (10/18/22) Allan Dwan ~ Douglas Fairbanks, Wallace Beery, Sam de Grasse, Enid Bennett.
One thing that bothered me is how long the movie spends with the Earl at the Crusades before he becomes Robin Hood.
When Robin Hood finally arrives (roughly two thirds in), the movie comes alive with Fairbanks' trademark swordfights, stuntwork, and bravado.
Big Bad Wallace Beery makes a good King Richard, and this film spends more time with Richard than any other I've seen, but his subplot failed to capture my interest.
It was a pleasure to see Alan Hale as Little John (he would reprise the role in Adventures, and again in Rogues of Sherwood Forest), but was disappointed that he and the other Merry Men receive little introduction.KEVIN: I definitely did not enjoy Robin Hood as much as Zorro, and of all the versions of Robin Hood that I've seen, I think I enjoyed this one the least.
Huntingdon (as he is known in this version) doesn't become Robin Hood until two-thirds into the film.
Also, this is the only version I've seen that chronicles Prince John's takeover within the narrative, as the film starts with King Richard (Wallace Beery) leaving for the Crusades.
Robin Hood (1922) is not an ideal introduction to the charismatic action star Douglas Fairbanks.
The scene where Marian and Robin meet again in the woods, surrounded by shafts of light coming through the trees, has haunted me since I first watched it.Fairbanks' portrayal will not displace Errol Flynn as the ideal Robin, but he lends a bit more gravity to the role while still keeping his characterization breezy and fun.
Enid Bennett's Marian is not representative of the great talent she possessed, but she is suitably ethereal and queenly.Kevin Brownlow praised Wallace Beery's King Richard as "brilliant," but he feels more like a goofy frat boy than a noble king to me.The action scenes are fantastic, made all the better by the fact that these are real people and not CG renderings which come across as fake.A visual masterpiece, but if you want to be thoroughly entertained, then check out The Black Pirate (1926) or The Mark of Zorro (1920)..
Great fun and the second best Robin Hood.
There are shortcomings to this 1922 film, it does take too long to get going and Wallace Beery for personal tastes plays Richard too broadly with the laughter overdone, but it is the second best of a mostly entertaining bunch of Robin Hood films.
The film looks big and grand as well as lavish and detailed, one of the best-looking Douglas Fairbanks films, even without Technicolor it looks absolutely great.
That we know more than any other version of how Robin Hood came to be is one of the film's biggest interest points.
In conclusion, a terrific amount of fun and compares very favourably to the Robin Hood films out there, much of the Sherwood scenes are very imaginatively handled.
There are many good things in this film, and it's well worth a look, but it does get kind of Fairbanks style hammy.
Alan Hale plays Little John, and did again 16 years later in the Errol Flynn Version..
Robin Hood shows how silent movies improved over the years.
Douglas Fairbanks's Robin Hood starts with more than an hour of backstory, ponderously paced with heroes and villains alike hulking around in chain mail declaiming in mime that is way over the top.
Wallace Beery is horribly miscast as King Richard; the actor playing Prince John, Sam de Grasse, is actually pretty good, though he too indulges in occasional broad mime.
The Robin Hood parts of the movie are few and far between; we get barely a nodding acquaintance with the usual cronies--Little John, Friar Tuck et al.
There've been a lot of better Robin Hoods since this flatfooted film (Errol Flynn and Richard Greene to name my two reference points).
The story is well told with the images and the film is fun when seen with live accompaniment.The rendition of Robin Hoods 'Merry Men' could obviously be the inspiration for Mel Brooks 'Men in tights'..
My favorite Robin Hood film.
The best Robin Hood movie I've ever seen!
I had never seen another Robin Hood movie do so much of that so well.
I loved this movie, and as I said, it's my favorite Robin Hood film..
The Earl of Huntingdon (Douglas Fairbanks), who's ace at jousting but scared of girls, goes off to fight in the Crusades as Richard the Lionheart's (Wallace Beery) second-in-command.
The film is set in "the time of faith" and its arresting visual sense draws memorably on Christian iconography, particularly when Robin and Marian are reunited in the grounds of a nunnery under shafts of light streaming through the trees and, later, when she cowers by an altar in Richard's castle.
The music by Victor Schertzinger might not quite match Erich von Korngold's famous score for The Adventures of Robin Hood (the 1938 film, with Errol Flynn in the lead), but it's pretty damn great.
Alan Hale reprised his role as Little John in the 1938 film where, unlike here, he got to fight the hero while standing on a log..
(Flash Review)I gave a silent version of Robin Hood a shot and it was fairly entertaining and impressive with its huge production effort.
The Good King Richard of Nottingham leaves for battle; the Crusades.
Later, the Robin Hood character emerges and as well all know takes from the rich and gives to the poor while proclaiming King Richard is still King.
In fact, he seems to fit the role perfectly.Wallace Beery is also ideally cast as the murderous Prince John, while Alan Hale enacts the first of his three performances as Little John.
Hale repeated the role in both the 1938 "Adventures of Robin Hood" and the 1950 "Rogues of Sherwood Forest".This action-full movie actually cost $1,500,000 to make - and it's all up there on the screen!
Oh, to be twelve-years-old and lost in the Hollywood fantasy of knighthood and chivalry that is Douglas Fairbanks' Robin Hood (1922)!
Hollywood pioneer and Fairbanks favorite Allan Dwan directed a cast of thousands, including Wallace Beery as Richard the Lion-Hearted, Alan Hale as Little John and wide-eyed ingenue Enid Bennett as Maid Marion, on monumental sets, in what has become the epitome of action adventure..
The Best of All of The "Robin Hood" Movies!.
Ironically, the best version of this adventure epic is "Sands of Iwo Jima" director Allan Dwan's silent "Robin Hood" with the ever agile Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Reportedly, Fairbanks produced this movie for the staggering sum of one point five million dollars and he penned the screenplay, too.
Now, you're going to say "no way" can a creaky old silent saga top the incomparable Errol Flynn Technicolor classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Nevertheless, the Flynn "Robin Hood" lacks the spectacle of the Fairbanks' version.
Moreover, none of the later "Robin Hood" pictures devote over an hour to the Earl of Huntingdon's back story.
Indeed, there is far more spectacle here, especially when Robin makes his first appearance and eludes his enemy at King John's castle.
The only drawback to this 1923 masterpiece is that it doesn't have Technicolor like "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and film as a cinematic art had not developed as much by 1923 as it later did by 1938.
King Richard (Wallace Beery of "The Champ") gathers an army to go on his Crusade to the Holy Land and Huntingdon accompanies him and proves his valor several times over.
Little John helps Huntingdon escape and they return to England to fight King John.All the familiar characters, such as Allan-A-Dale, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck are conspicuously present when Robin and his Merry Men redistribute the wealth to the poor and the needy.Douglas Fairbanks is appropriately flamboyant as the protagonist.