Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves is one of those movies that you have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate. First time I saw it I was about 13 and had already seen and loved the Errol Flynn classic from 1938 (Wilycub you should definitely look that one up!), and read the Antonia Fraser book of the legends. As such, with my critical eye I was never going to give it the thumbs-up the first time round. But then I saw it again about 3-4yrs later and figured it wasn’t so bad.
I’ve just seen it again for the first time in about 14 years. This is actually the first time too that I’ve seen it this close on the heels of watching the Errol Flynn one - and I think that’s why I decided to have a Robin Hood-athon for Movie Club, just to give myself the opportunity of doing this.
Firstly, the opening titles are stunning, effectively conveying the right sense of anticipation for the film, both the tapestry visuals and the music by Michael Kamen - in much the same way that the (admittedly much more basic) titles for the Errol Flynn movie did back in 1938 with their parchment-like visuals and equally fitting music by Erich Korngold.
Comparing Costner to Flynn is where the 1991 movie really falls flat - Costner is just not right for the part, it looked to me like he was trying to be Bruce Willis or something. He’ll certainly never be Errol Flynn.
I don’t know if my Bruce Willis comment is in connection with the fact that this film is one of Alan Rickman’s most iconic roles, as the Sheriff of Nottingham he shone, even more so than he did as Hans Gruber in Die Hard. He was just so over the top and loving every minute of it.
Aside from the absence of Prince John’s character, Morgan Freeman’s Azim represents the biggest shakeup in the legend, but it worked for me - showing Robin initially as a knight on the Crusades was a fair enough idea and it worked. It gave us a more formal start to the story with plenty of action, rescuing Azim and saving his life like that, the characters had a bond that became a good comical point throughout the movie. Also his character served as a useful reminder not to judge a book by its cover.
The rest of the Merry Men were a mixed bag - Nick Brimble was great as Little John, shown as the leader of a pre-existing band of outlaws that Robin stumbles across in Sherwood Forest. That idea makes sense especially when you consider the starting position of the film, and the fight on the river was very well done - one of those sequences that you have to do in a Robin Hood movie, the fight between those two is one of the most memorable parts of the legend. As is the earlier demonstration when Robin saves the boy from the Sheriff’s guards in the exact same way that Errol Flynn’s Robin saved Much the Miller’s son in the 1938 one. Much, incidentally, does appear here in a small part, played by the late Jack Wild, best known as the Artful Dodger in the musical Oliver two decades earlier, and a very tragic tale of child stardom. Michael McShane was great as Friar Tuck, the natural character to have issues with the Muslim Azim, until the baby-delivering scene where Azim earns his respect. Christian Slater as the whiny Will Scarlett is less good - I can see why they made him what he was but it seems to have been shoehorned in just to have a dissenter in the ranks.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Marion was also rather dull, although at least the character was more than just a damsel in distress. Michael Wincott as Guy of Gisborne was a little two-dimensional and just creepy for the sake of it. He never seemed like that much of a threat. Geraldine McEwan as Mortiana was very OTT but it did help to explain the Sheriff’s warped and twisted mind. Especially in the extended cut (about 2h28), where we find out exactly who that character is! Also present in a small part as the Celt Chieftain is our old friend Pat Roach!
And let’s not forget Brian Blessed in possibly his quietest film role ever - albeit going out in style!
The way they framed the story works for me as I’ve already indicated. Yes, my teenage self was bristling at the liberties taken the first time I saw it but it works OK enough, probably more so if you haven’t seen the Errol Flynn one already. Coming home from the Crusades and finding out what has happened to his father is a natural enough way of giving him beef with the Sheriff, although it’s worth mentioning that Errol Flynn saw and railed against the injustice without needing to be persecuted first!
Also, this was the place where Bryan Adams’ hit “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” first debuted - it seems to have been around forever, but this is where it comes from. There are several lines in the script that found their way into the lyric. Actually this may not be the only song where this happened. It’s pure speculation on my part, but when Will asks Robin if he’s going to finish what he started, it makes me think of Adams’ very next single after this, “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started”, from the same album (“Waking Up The Neighbours”). Coincidence? Maybe. I think the reason “Everything I Do” was so massive is because the melody appears in the incidental music - apparently Michael Kamen came up with the tune in the late 1960s but never found a use for it until here. And so by the time the song comes along over the end credits, we know the tune already even if we’re hearing it for the first time and it just feels natural. It’s not just some random song tacked onto the end, it exists within the film itself, like “Come And Follow Me” in Short Circuit, or even “As Time Goes By” in Casablanca - although that song was an established standard before the film happened, it still appears as part of the incidental music. Actually that’s another film we should cover at some point!
On the whole? Not as good as the Errol Flynn one. If you’ve never seen that 1938 epic, do yourself a favour and watch it. But once you accept that it’s never going to beat the golden oldie, you can appreciate it for being decent enough in its own right.
