ROBIN HOOD
cartoon created by Walt Disney from the historical and literary character Robin Hood de Locksley, and the film by Michael Curtiz Adventures of Robin Hood
Identification sheet:
1973, USA
Running time: 83 minut
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Production: Walt Disney
Sound Track: George Bruns
Main characters:
Various animals play in the film. Robin Hood and Lady Marion are foxes, Prince John and King Richard are lions (the first has no mane, like a cub, whereas the king has a wonderful hairy one), Sir Hiss, the damned soul, is a snake... and many others, distinguishing good animals (cock, badger, bear, rabbit, turtle) which sorround Robin, from exploitators like snakes, wolves, hippos and rhinos.
The English voices were very carefully chosen. Since The Jungle Book, cartoon films have been using voices of famous actors. Peter Ustinov gives voice to Prince John and Terry Thomas, specialist in coward bad guys, gives the hissings to the snake.
Literature and cinema joint together:
From the very beginning we find Walter Scott, father of romantic English literature, imbued with medieval references. Robin Hood de Locksley is an adventureous nobleman who stands by King Richard. But while the later is kept prisoner in Europe, his brother John reigns in England, abusing his power. Robin Hood fights against him, helps the less priviledged ones until Richard, the legitime power, comes back.
In Ivanhoe, Walter Scott takes again the character of the highwayman who helps the poor people, setting a pattern for a series of English novels.
Disney's scriptwriters have respected refential time but have paid no attention to the "political and ethical" aspects of the character.Indeed, Robin is Saxon and thus, he is part of the English tribe that inhabited the country before the Norman Invasion in 1066. By fighting against Prince John, he goes on with the battle that began the previous century. Needless to say, these considerations have been taken as superflous by the adaptators, who took the "playful" side of Robin rather than his political aspirations. Disney's Robin and his joyful mates never stop playing, amusing themselves... the opressed can defend themselves in a good mood. That's why the direct refence to the character seems to be Errol Flyn, laughing all the time in Michael Curtiz's film.
A subjet dealt with in the cinema on numerous occasions:
Robin Hood has been adapted to the cinema several times, be it more or less saxon, more or less funny.
1922: Robin Hood, directed by Allan Dwan with Douglas Fairbanks.
1938: The adventures of Robin Hood, directed by Michael Curtiz with Errol Flynn, a Hollywood must.
1990: Robin Hood, Prince of thieves, directed by Kevin Reynolds with Kevin Costner.