The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952)

Director:

Ken Annakin

Writer:

Lawrence Edward Watkin (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 June 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Plot:

Young Robin Hood, in love with Maid Marian, enters an archery contest with his father at the King's palace...

Plot Keywords:

Contest | Archery | Robin Hood | Bow And Arrow | King Richard I

Cast

Richard Todd	...	Robin Hood
Joan Rice	...	Maid Marian
Peter Finch	...	Sheriff of Nottingham
James Hayter	...	Friar Tuck
James Robertson Justice	...	Little John
Martita Hunt	...	Queen Eleanor
Hubert Gregg	...	Prince John
Bill Owen	...	Stutely
Reginald Tate	...	Hugh Fitzooth
Elton Hayes	...	Allan - a - Dale
Anthony Eustrel	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Patrick Barr	...	King Richard
Anthony Forwood	...	Will Scarlet
Hal Osmond	...	Much the Miller
Michael Hordern	...	Scathelock

Also Known As:

The Story of Robin Hood (Philippines: English title) (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (1992)

Filming Locations:

Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

This was Disney's first take on the Robin Hood legend, which was made with British funds that had been frozen during World War II.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In one scene Maid Marian is wearing a dress with a zipper in the back. Zippers weren't invented for another thirteen centuries.

Quotes:

Maid Marian: So it's goodbye again.
Robin Hood: It will always be goodbye till King Richard returns.
Maid Marian: I fear so. Do you remember the day we said goodbye at Huntington?
Robin Hood: I do.
Maid Marian: And you were wishing to join the crusade and go to the Holy Land.
Robin Hood: Yes.
Maid Marian: It's well for England that you didn't.
Robin Hood: I wonder.
Maid Marian: You're serving your king better here, Robin Fitzooth.
Robin Hood: Thank you, my lady.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Disneyland: The Story of Robin Hood: Part 2 (#2.9)" (1955)

Soundtrack:

Whistle My Love

A Ripping Good Version of the Robin Hood Tale!

This was the first version of Robin Hood that I and my siblings saw, so we judged other versions based on this Disney take. I was 9 when I saw it with my younger brother. We loved the whistling arrows warning system used in this film and we found Richard Todd, a dashing, swashbuckling Robin, in fact we became huge fans of all his works. One of our favorites was Disney's "Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue" actually filmed in Scotland. Disney was not a miser when it came to his "pet projects" and Rob Roy was one of them. The Story of Robin Hood was no exception and it was filmed on location in England, even though some shots look like matte prints. The cast, too was impressive, with James Robertson Justice a perfect, burly 'Little John', Martita Hunt as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, James Hayter a robust 'Friar Tuck', Peter Finch as the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham, Elton Hale a charming 'Allan-a-Dale', the great Michael Hordern in a small role as 'Scathelock' and Bill Owen as 'Stutely'. The production is top notch and the film very memorable, and to me, very nostalgic.