The Story of Robin Hood

Director: Ken Annakin Ken Annakin

Overview

Better known as The Story of Robin Hood, this colorful costume adventure was the second made-in-Britain production for Hollywood's Walt Disney. Avoiding the familiar episodes covered in previous "Robin Hood" films, this Disney effort still manages to adhere to the basic chronology. Richard Todd stars as the Earl of Huntington, who loses his title and his lands after besting the despotic Sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Finch) at an archery tournament. Reinventing himself as Robin Hood, our hero rounds up other victims of the oppression of the Sheriff and his dictatorial liege Prince John (Hubert Gregg), and thus the "Merry Men" are born. Robbing the rich to give to the poor, Robin manages to elude the villains and to prove his loyalty to John's brother Richard the Lionhearted (Patrick Barr) by raising the money for Richard's ransom. The Queen (Martita Hunt) is to deliver the ransom to Richard's Austrian captors, but Prince John schemes to steal the money and place the blame on Robin Hood. Maid Marian (Joan Rice) gets wind of this plan but is locked in John's dungeon before she can warn Robin and his men. How can virtue triumph with these odds? But triumph it does, as everyone in the audience knew it would. The success of The Story of Robin Hood inspired Disney to produce two additional British films, The Sword and the Rose and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/26/2009
UPC:	0786936791327
Original Release:	1952
Rating:	PG
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:24:00
Sales rank:	7,606

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Richard Todd	Robin Hood
Joan Rice	Maid Marian
Peter Finch	Sheriff of Nottingham
James Hayter	Friar Tuck
James Justice	Little John
Martita Hunt	Queen Eleanor
Bill Owen	Stutely
Hubert Gregg	Prince John
Michael Hordern	Scathelock
Patrick Barr	Richard I the Lionheart
Reginald Tate	Hugh Fitzooth
Hal Osmond	Midge the Miller
Clement McCallin	Earl of Huntingdon
Louise Hampton	Tyb
Anthony Eustrel	Archbishop of Canterbury
Anthony Forwood	Will Scarlett
John Brooking	Actor
Ivan Craig	Actor
David Davies	Forester
Archie Duncan	Red Gill
Richard Graydon	Actor
Geoffrey Lumsden	Actor
John Martin	Actor
Charles Perry	Actor
Ewen Solon	Actor
Julian Somers	Posse Leader
Jack Taylor	The Merrie Men
Bill Travers	Posse Man
Elton Hayes	Allan-a-Dale
Robin Hood	Actor
Clifton Parker	Composer

Technical Credits

Lawrence Watkin

Ken Annakin	Director
Perce Pearce	Producer
Lawrence Watkin	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Robin Hood has been the star of seemingly countless film versions, and if The Story of Robin Hood is not the very best of them, it's still a very winning, thoroughly enjoyable medieval romp. Children have always been fascinated by the story of the outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, and this Disney telling is one that younger audiences especially will embrace. The film moves at a fast clip, and does a fine job of alternating the more serious moments with ones of high action and adventure. Hood also is good at creating some new takes on what is, after all, a rather familiar tale. The framing device of traveling minstrel Alan O'Dale relating the story is a nice touch, and using "whistling" arrows as a means of communication is clever. Even the traditional "arrow splitting another arrow at the bulls-eye" routine has a little twist. Hood does pale next to the classic Adventures of Robin Hood in terms of its cast, which is quite certainly good but also quite certainly not up to the exquisite level of Errol Flynn and company. Nonetheless, Richard Todd is a winning (if slightly built) Robin, Joan Rice pleases as Marian, Peter Finch is quite evil as is required of the Sheriff and James Robertson Justice is a delightful Little John. It's also noteworthy that this film version gives a larger role to Queen Eleanor (well played by Martita Hunt), who is not usually the focus of much attention in Robin Hood stories.