Columbia had a big hit with a son of Rob Hood story, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, so they remade it (basically) as a vehicle for their new hearthrob star, John Derek. He's Robert Jnr, back from the Crusades, fighting King John. Alan Hale is Little John, Diana Lynn the Lady Marian type.
It's a little stock, competently handled by Gordon Douglas, with some historical touches at the end with King John sealing the Magna Carta. Derek is alright - his pretty looks and moustache are reminiscent of Errol Flynn though he doesn't have Flynn's swagger. Diana Lynn is an average Marian type. George Macready shines as King John with that great noice. There's some nice Cardinal.
It's all quick and competent rather than inspired - you feel they're rushing through the tropes (" now he's back from the Crusades", "now he's with Prince John", "now there's torture") but it is in colour.
This was Alan Hale's final film and he gets the last line of dialogue "Everything has been said, and everything has been done." (It doesn't seem like his last film because his lookalike son continued to play Alan Hale type parts).
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