Robin Hood is one of those stories which always seem to work – based in part on the appeal of running off into the forest to rob from the rich and give to the poor (which is why it will be interesting to see the response to the new Ridley Scott version, where apparently Nottingham is the hero and Robin Hood a sort of terrorist)
This one has Robin rob from the rich to give to the poor for a bit – then he starts using the money for stupid King Richard’s ransom. Why is that money well spent? Sounds like just another tax to me. Also there is far too much singing – there is a minstrel who keeps playing songs (couldn’t stop thinking about the Minstrel who winds up being eaten in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). And there’s not enough action. On the sunny side at least its colourful and its nice to see the story done shot in England with an all-English cast for a change.
Richard Todd’s Robin is like Joan Rice’s Maid Marian – cheery enough but second rate. Peter Finch’s Nottingham is better, if purely by virtue of his hawk like features; ditto James Robertson Justice’s Little John.
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