ROBIN HOOD
US, 1973, 83 minutes, Colour.
Featuring the voices of: Brian Bedford, Peter Ustinov, Terry- Thomas, Phil Harris, Andy Devine, Pat Buttram.
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman.
Robin Hood is an enjoyable Disney film. It was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, a director who had worked at the Disney Studios in Disney's time and was to continue the tradition with such films as this and The Aristocats. The novelty of the film is in the choice of animals to portray Robin Hood, Maid Marian, the Merry Men and the Sheriff of Nottingham. While Brian Bedford is pleasant as Robin Hood, the centre of the stage is taken by Peter Ustinov's Lion Prince John and Terry-Thomas's hissing Sir Hiss. Phil Harris, Andy Devine and a regular troupe of voices for Disney films add delight as well as a number of entertaining songs. These were written by Roger Miller who performs as the rooster Allen A Dale. The film has all the obvious facets of the popular Robin flood story - audiences will delight in identifying the animals, the characters and the situations.
1. An appealing novelty film? The animation? The voices? Songs? New treatment of an old story? Family entertainment?
2. The animation and its style, the drawings of the animals, their postures, behaviour? Their voices? The emphasis on characters rather than on backgrounds? The score and the songs, the comic ballads?
3. Disney storytelling, familiar characters and episodes? The animals and the characteristics of the characters? A humorous fable?
4. The range of voices and the stars giving their skill for characterisations? Peter Ustinov and Terry- Thomas and their caricatures?
5. Allen A Dale as a rooster, singing his ballad, the ballad as a chorus throughout the film, his comment on characters and behaviour? His retelling the story of Robin Hood?
6. Robin Hood as a fine young fox, doing Robin Hood things? Friendship with Little John? The encounter with Prince John's soldiers? The disguises e.g. the fortune-teller, the old blind man, the bird for the archery competition? His derring-do? Entering the castle, robbing the money from Prince John's room, the pulleys? The courting of Maid-Marian? King Richard and the pardon?
7. The merry men: Little John as big bear, the help, the fortune-teller, adventures in all the escapades? Friar Tuck and his need for help, imprisonment, the gallows and the rescue? Allen Adale and his ballad-telling?
8. The ordinary citizens: the family of rabbits and the oppression, the young rabbit imitating Robin Hood, the mice, the owls? The ordinary people oppressed, the taxes, imprisonment, escape and Robin Hood going back to rescue the baby?
9. Peter Ustinov as Prince John, greedy, believing the fortune-teller, anxious about his mother and sucking his thumb, an object of mockery? Sir Hiss and his sneering, being badly treated by Prince John, giving his advice and being neglected? Their finally imprisoned and working on the rocks?
10. The Sheriff of Nottingham as a wolf, his taking of the taxes, the castle the vulture guards and their being outwitted?
11. Prince John's entourage - the range of rhinoceroses, elephants and hippopotamuses?
12. Mediaeval pomp, fights, archery competitions? The comic touch? The point of telling the Robin Hood story in the Walt Disney style?
