The Bandit of Sherwood Forest

The Bandit of Sherwood Froest came on Channel 4 one afternoon recently and I was pleased I taped it.

Robin Hood's son, Robert had now replaced him and in this movie, he gets up to all sorts of adventures. Towards the end, he and his lover get locked up in Nottingham Castle and he is condemned to death. But he escapes, along with his lover and the last scene shows you them snogging. A happy ending.

The Bandit of Sherwood Forest is beautifully shot in colour and is fast paced throughout.

Colenol Wilde plays Robert and Anita Loiuise plays his lover Lady Catherine. The rest of the cast includes Russell Hicks as Robin Hood and George Macready and Edgar Buchanan. Good parts from all.

Watching The Bandit of Sherwood Forest is a good way to spend nearly an hour and half one afternoon or evening. Great fun.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

This movie was released in the 1940's starring Cornell Wilde; Anita Louise; Jill Esmond; Edgar Buchanan; Henry Daniell and George Macready.

The story deals with the legend of Robin Hood. On this occasion it is the son of Robin Hood, namely Robert, played by Cornel Wilde, who is the hero.

Obviously, since Robin Hood lived in the days of Richard The Lion Heart and King John, one must assume that the young King is King John's son Henry III, who ascended the throne during his minority. The kingdom during this time was ruled by Regents culminating in Simon de Montfort, when the King achieved his majority.

But historical fact aside, the film is an enjoyable piece of escapist adventure, which is sadly lacking from our screens today.

If you get a chance try viewing The Rogues of Sherwood Forest released through the same stable - Columbia 1950 starring John Derek and Diana Lynn. Interesting to note that this too is the son of Robin Hood but in the time of King John played by George Macready who also appeared in the Bandit of Sherwood Forest

To my knowledge, it must be the only Robin movie featuring Robin Hood Sr and Robin Hood Jr , the son the former may have had with Marian, here oddly absent whereas all Robin Hood the First 's companions have been summoned to fight again against a Lord -Regent who does not respect the Magna Carta : so begins a tyranny which denies all kinds of freedom ;they must take up again the fight against this villain.

The "twenty years after" trick would be resumed by Richard Lester in his "Robin and Marian"(1976) , but his movie was nostalgic, whereas this "bandit" is very tongue in chick , epitomized by an all-dressed-in green Cornell Wilde , who runs to the damsels in distress ' rescue , here the threatened queen ,no less!

As the Robin Hood legend goes Robin Hood was the son of a noble forced into outlawry when he defended King Richard I against the usurpation of his brother John. The fictional Robin Hood was ennobled again by a grateful king and he lived for a while happily ever after.

But now it's the troubles of a new generation, old Robin Hood played by Russell Hicks opposes the Earl of Pembroke who is the regent for the minor King Henry III, son of King John who Robin Hood had so much problems with. Just the fact that Henry Daniell is playing Pembroke is enough to tell you who the villain is. He wants to do a Richard III number and make himself king.

Hicks is getting old, but he's got his son Cornel Wilde to do the real heavy action stuff and he and the Merry Men of both generations get to do their thing again. Wilde is once again The Bandit Of Sherwood Forest.

I feel bad for William Marshall the Earl of Pembroke who was the son of the first William Marshall who had the same title. Neither Marshall was a bad guy given the mores of the times. In fact he married the King's sister and had his own entry into the royal family.

Daniell, the man with the built in sneer in his voice is aided and abetted by George MacReady and there's a pair of villains to worry about especially in the same film.

Jill Esmond plays the Dowager Queen and Mother of the king played by Maurice Tozzin. Her lady in waiting is Anita Louise who is where Cornel wants to make some time with. But saving the king comes first.

Wilde is a natural swashbuckler, it didn't hurt his career that in real life he was a master fencer, a member in fact of the US Olympic team before he was an actor. The best parts always seemed to go to Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power.

History gets trashed in The Bandit Of Sherwood Forest but with the cast it has, the film is a royal treat.

The story of Robert of Nottingham, (Cornell Wilde) son of the legendary Robin Hood (Russell Hicks), continuing his father's work and fighting for the rights of the people is an entertaining adventure film with some romance thrown in, Anita Louise playing Lady Catherine, his love interest and partner in adventure, as she helps him (and his followers) rescue the imprisoned young king.

There are some familiar faces here, in particular that of Little John, who fans of classic TV shows will recognize as "Uncle Joe" in the series "Petticoat Junction".

Despite the historical inaccuracies (the Magna Carta was for the benefit of the nobles, not the common people), it's still good entertainment for one of those "stay at home and watch TV" days.