Robin Hood (1973)

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Robin Hood (1973)

The film is narrated by a rooster minstrel named Alan-a-Dale (mentioned verbally only, while credited officially on-screen as "The Rooster") who describes Robin Hood and Little John as outlaws who dwell in Sherwood Forest, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor people of Nottingham. They are constantly pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham and his posse. Meanwhile, Prince John, the ruling "king" of England passes through Nottingham. After his servant Sir Hiss hypnotised King Richard into going to battle in The Crusades, Prince John made himself King and began collecting taxes from the people all over England to become richer. Robin and Little John disguise themselves as a female fortune tellers and manage to steal from and humiliate Prince John.

Shortly afterwards, Prince John puts a bounty on Robin Hood and uses the Sheriff of Nottingham as his personal Tax Collector. Stealing taxes from Friar Tuck, a little boy named Skippy at his birthday party and even from Robin himself (disguised as a blind old man.) Robin shows up at Skippy's party and offers him his own bow and arrow and even his own hat to make him feel better, he then offers his mother a bag of money to keep their taxes up. Skippy and his friends go out to play, but after Skippy loses his Arrow in Prince john's castle the kids soon meet Robin Hood's old childhood friend and love life, Maid Marian and her friend Lady Kluck whom they play with on that day. After the kids leave, Marian admits that she's still in love with Robin Hood and fears that he has forgotten all about her after so many years have gone by.

Elsewhere, Robin admits to Little John that he too is in love with Maid Marian after so many years, but is to guilty to admit this to her due to his position as a rogue. Friar Tuck then pays a surprise visit and informs Robin that an opportunity to reunite with Maid Marian is happening when Prince John announces an archery tournament, the winner receiving a kiss from Maid Marian and a golden arrow from Prince John. Robin enters the tournament disguised as a chatty stork from Devonshire and competes against the Sheriff and others while Little John disguised as the Duke of Chutney distracts and panders to Prince John making Sir Hiss suspicious. During the Tournament, Hiss discovers Robin's identity but is trapped in a barrel of ale by Friar Tuck and Alan-a-Dale. Robin wins, but his disguise is blown by Prince John who orders him to be executed, even after Maid Marian pleads to spare Robin's life. Little John then threatens Prince John into releasing Robin, starting a battle between Robin, Little John and Prince John's soldiers. Robin and Maid Marian are reunited and fall in love once again, the townsfolk all retreat into Sherwood Forest where they dub Prince John as the "Phony King of England" while holding a big party.

Enraged upon hearing of this, Prince John maximises taxes to impossible amounts and all who cannot pay are put in prison. Alan-a-Dale is among the unfortunate ones. The Sheriff visits Friar Tuck's church where he steals money from a charity box, enraging Friar Tuck into attacking the Sheriff, but also leading to his arrest. Prince John decides to hang Friar Tuck, prompting Robin and Little John to rescue him. On the night before Friar Tuck's hanging, Robin steals a large amount of taxation money from Prince John's bedroom while Little John frees Friar Tuck and the other townsfolk, who all escape on a cart. The Sheriff confronts Robin in Prince John's castle and sets the castle on fire. Robin is forced to flee to the spire of the castle but falls into a river, seemingly shot by archers. He survives, much to Prince John's anger, and the destruction of the castle which belonged to John's beloved mother, sends him into an insanity frenzy.

Some time later, King Richard returns from the crusades, snapped out of Hiss's hypnosis and seizes control of England again. King Richard then pardons Robin and Little John, and forces Prince John, Hiss and the Sheriff to do hard labour. Robin and Maid Marian get married and depart to places unknown with Little John and Skippy in tow.