ROBIN HOOD
US, 1922, 127 minutes, Black and white.
Douglas Fairbanks, Wallace Beery, Enid Bennett, Alan Hale.
Directed by Alan Dwan.
Robin Hood was a spectacular film of 1922. Directed by Alan Dwan who was to direct many films from the twenties right through to the fifties, the film was a great spectacular of its day. With fixed camera, the photography nevertheless captures the grandeur of the Middle Ages and has what seems a cast of thousands.
The familiar Robin Hood story is very much in evidence and this was later to influence so many film and television makers with myriad versions of Robin Hood. However the focus of attention is on Douglas Fairbanks and his acrobatics. These are spectacular and made a great impression in their day. However they do seem rather impossible at times and to that extent laughable. However Robin Hood is a reminder of the spectacular films made In Hollywood as early as the twenties. Eugene Pallette is a jolly Friar Tuck. All in all, The Adventures of Robin Hood is Hollywood film-making at its best.
1. The literary and historical tradition of Robin Hood as hero? History, legend? The transition from literature to film, especially through this popular feature of the twenties?
2. The qualities of the film as a silent production: the emphasis on acts, the quality of black and white photography despite the fixed camera? Comment on the styles of acting, miming? Group tableaux? Sense of movement with fixed camera, with processional action sequences? Douglas Fairbanks and his continual moving?
3. How light the treatment of Robin Hood and England in the 13th century? How serious? The comic touches, especially with the character of Richard, his eating, his rough manner, his presence at the end? At the very end? The comic hero that Robin Hood himself was? The band of his merry men and their particular characteristics?
4. Douglas Fairbanks' style and modern response? The continual movement and leaping, the dashing hero? The possibility of parody and mimicry?
5. What did the film communicate about England, the kingdom of Richard, the greed and jealousy of John? The Crusades and their impact? Sir Guy as villain and the tournament, the attempt on Richard's life, on Marian? Indications of the clash between Norman and Saxon? The indication of John's tyranny with people being hanged, poverty?
6. The glimpse of the Crusades and the victory over the Saracens? Richard an a leading crusader? His jester and the irony of his death at Sir Guy's hand?
7. The legendary ingredients of the Robin Hood story: robbing the rich and the way this was visualized, the helping of the poor? The confrontation with the Sheriff of Nottingham? The troops. the taking of Nottingham? The incidents at the convent? Marian and her love for Robin? The fights with John and his henchmen? The spectacular chance throughout the castle? Archery?
8. The character of Marian as heroine for this kind of film?
9. The forest sequences, the people joining Robin Hood, the climax and Richard's anonymous presence?
10. An idol of folk lore? Robin Hood and the Saturday matinee entertainment mentality?
