Robin Hood

November 8, 1973 saw the release of Disney’s take on the English legend of Robin Hood. Starring Phil Harris, Andy Devine, Pat Buttram, and Roger Miller, the film uses anthropomorphic animals rather than people.

Narrated by the rooster Alan-a-Dale (Miller), Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) and Little John (Harris) rob from the rich to give to the poor of Nottingham. They are wanted by the Sheriff (Buttram) but fails every time he tries to catch them. Prince John (Peter Ustinov) and his assistant Sir Hiss (Terry-Thomas) have arrived in Nottingham after being robbed by Robin and Little John.

The Sheriff taxes Friar Tuck (Devine) and a family of rabbits, but Robin arrives to give them back some money and his hat and bow and arrow to the rabbit Skippy for his birthday. He tests it out, but fires an arrow into the castle of Maid Marian (Monica Evans). They go in and get it back, meeting Marian who reveals that she and Robin were childhood sweethearts but have not seen each other in years.

At the same time, Tuck tells Robin and Little John that Prince John is hosting an archery tournament. Robin participates while disguised as a stork and Little John as the Duke of chutney. Robin wins, but is exposed by Prince John. The two fight and eventually, Robin meets the townsfolk in the forest, where they sing the “Phony King of England,” leading the taxes to be tripled.

Friar Tuck is also arrested and Prince John plans to hang him to lure Robin. However, He and Little John sneak in and free all the prisoners. Robin steals the taxes, but is found by Hiss. During the escape, Robin is cornered by the sheriff, but sets fire to the castle and leaps intot he moat. He emerges unharmed.

King Richard (Ustinov) return and arrests his brother, the sheriff, and Hiss and allows Robin and Marian to be married.

Another one of the few times Disney decided not to go with the love at first sight formula. Because they already loved each other before the movie began! One of the finer moments of the film is during the aptly named song, “Love.” The two are rediscovering their love for each other after many years and remembering just why they fell in love. This is done very well and very believably. The song was also nominated for an Oscar, but lost to “The Way We Were.”

Robin also isn’t your flawless hero. In the beginning of the film, he’s expressing doubt about how Marian feels about him after all that time. It’s quite nicely juxtaposed with Marian having the exact same feelings, which is another reason for what makes the above sequence so great.

And there’s a lot of humor in Prince John as a villain. He’s largely ineffective and has a hair-trigger temper, but he allies himself with someone who can get stuff done. The Sherriff is sneaky and cunning in how he manages to get the money for the taxes and has no qualms about ripping off what he thinks is a blind beggar or hanging a friar. He effectively demonstrates the qualities of a sociopath who was given too much power and will take the orders of whoever pays him.

On the other hand, Hiss tries to act as Prince John’s voice of reason, but John is so into his ego as the prince that he doesn’t listen to anything he says. And when everything crashes down, Hiss takes the blame as it’s never John’s fault. But Hiss does have some sort of standard, as he thinks hanging friar tuck goes just a bit too far.

The only slight problem with the film is that it takes and traces over footage from previous films. This is largely apparent in the forest dance sequence. However, this is allotted to the film’s small budget and doesn’t harm the film in any way.

Final Call: A fun take on the legend of Robin Hood. #7.