Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938)

The screen's best version of this classic tale has Errol Flynn in the title role, Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marian, Basil Rathbone as his dueling foe, Claude Rains as Prince John, Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck, and Alan Hale as Little John, Patric Knowles as Will Scarlett ... all in stunning Technicolor! The film, directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca (1942)), won Academy Awards for Art Direction, Score, and Editing, and was Oscar nominated for Best Picture. Written by Norman Reilly Raine (The Life of Emile Zola (1937)) and Seton Miller (The Criminal Code (1931)), it was added to the National Film Registry in 1995. It's #100 on AFI's 100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies list; Robin Hood was voted the #18 hero by AFI. #11 on AFI's Top 25 Film Scores list.

Flynn's Robin goes boldly into Prince John's domain to call him treasonous, for wanting take the throne from his absent brother King Richard (Ian Hunter), even as he defies his orders by killing a deer on royal grounds. Of course, he escapes. He then recruits others to join he and Scarlett, including Little John & Friar Tuck, to resist the Prince and help the over-taxed poor. Marian, initially put off by the brash young ruffian, is shown the results of John's treachery, meted out by Sir Guy (Rathbone) et al, by the former nobleman Robin when he and his band of men capture them all. Later freed, the ineffective Sheriff of Nottingham (Melville Cooper) and Sir Guy devise a way to catch the bandit by holding an archery contest that Robin, as the top bowman, can't resist. After his capture, Marian enlists her servant (Una O'Connor) to get word to Robin's men in hopes of saving his neck. I'm sure you know the result as well as the answer to the question as to whether Richard will return from the Crusades to assume power. Naturally, there is a thrilling sword fight between Robin and Sir Guy too.

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