The Adventures of Robin Hood

I can't believe I never saw this film as a child. It's the sort of film every kid should see -- pompous, arrogant bad guys, purely wholesome good guys, innocent damsels in distress, and lots of jolly peasantry. (In fact, the one time you see the peasants down on their luck they look like you and me on a good day. That's 1930s Hollywood for you.) Errol Flynn plays what he always played -- the lead with a heart of gold, a catchy laugh, and excellent swordsmanship. His ever-present co-star, Olivia de Havilland, is the tops as Maid Marian, although you can't help but wonder how she would have sunk her teeth into a leading role of her own. Marian is barely there -- necessary but not at all the focus of the film. Which is all the swashbuckling antics. As well as the moral judgment of not being a rich bastard 'cause look what it gets you in the end! I'm not sure if the print I saw (fortunately on the big screen) was restored or not -- the colors looked so bright and defined. Nothing pastel here: reds, blues, greens, and not just in the costumes. The sets use the same color palette and it gives the picture a cheery, kid-friendly visual appeal. Moralizing may be an obvious theme of the film -- one kid asked his father after the film why Flynn allowed the bad guy to pick up his sword again when he was clearly beat. Certainly a super opportunity to teach morals, you betcha. Mostly, though, it's just fun to see everyone dressed up in tights and having a ball.

year: 1938
length: 102 min.
rating: 3.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029843/combined