The Adventures of Robin Hood poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles ... see more see more... , Eugene Pallette , Alan Hale , Melville Cooper , Ian Hunter , Una O'Connor , Herbert Mundin , Montagu Love , Leonard Willey , Robert Noble , Kenneth Hunter , Robert Warwick , Colin Kenny , Lester Matthews , Harry Cording , Howard Hill , Ivan Simpson , James Baker , Lionel Belmore , Herbert Evans , Austin Fairman , Alec Harford , Holmes Herbert , Peter Hobbes , Leyland Hodgson , Olaf Hytten , Crauford Kent , Marten Lamont , Wilfred Lucas , Charles McNaughton , Leonard Mudie , Janet Shaw , Reginald Sheffield , John Sutton , Edward Dew , Hal Brazeale , Val Stanton

In order to avoid the material copyrighted by Douglas Fairbanks Sr. for his 1922 Robin Hood, the scripters of this Flynn version relied on several legendary episodes that had never before been filmed,... read more read more... notably the battle between Robin and Little John (Alan Hale Sr., who played this part three times in his long career) and the "piggy-back" episode between Robin and Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette). The film ties together the various ancient anecdotes with a storyline bounded by the capture in Austria of Richard the Lionheart (Ian Hunter) on one end and Richard's triumphant return to England on the other. Robin Hood is already an outlaw at the outset of the film, while Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) is initially part of the enemy camp, as one of Prince John's (Claude Rains) entourage. Marian warms up to Robin's fight against injustice (and to Robin himself), eventually becoming a trusted ally. James Cagney was originally announced for the role of Robin Hood, just before Cagney left Warner Bros. in a salary dispute. William Keighley was the original director, but he worked too slowly to suit the tight production schedule and was replaced by Michael Curtiz (both men receive screen credit). A lengthy opening jousting sequence was shot but removed from the final print; portions of this sequence show up as stock footage in the 1957 Warners film The Story of Mankind. The chestnut-colored Palomino horse ridden by de Havilland in the Sherwood Forest scenes later gained screen stardom as Roy Rogers' Trigger. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

83% liked it

32,305 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

44 critics

PG, 1 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz, Alan Hale, William Keighley, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Errol Flynn, Eugene Pallette, Herbert Mundin, Ian Hunter, Leonard Willey, Melville Cooper, Montagu Love, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Una O'Connor

Release Date: May 14, 1938

Keywords: adventure

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 30, 2003

Get It:

Stats: 1,712 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn Robin Hood and Will Scarlett Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone Robin Hood vs. Sir Guy of Gisbourne Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood Olivia De Havilland & Errol Flynn Olivia De Havilland & Errol Flynn Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood The Adventures of Robin Hood
Upload a Photo | View All The Adventures of Robin Hood Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,712)

  • phubbs1
    March 24, 2013
    phubbs1
    The greatest Flynn swashbuckler?? yes. Its got the lot, a princess, sword fights, dashing heroes, evil baddies, great huge battles and a soppy happy ending. The whole thing looks gorgeous, the colour like all oldies is gorgeous in Technicolour and the cast, again, like all oldies... read more is perfect. Rains, Rathbone, Knowles, Hale, Havilland, Pallette etc...its pure gold in every sense and deserves to be remembered forever. I Love the costumes and their bright vivid designs and crests, the excellent matte paintings used for Nottingham Castle and with dare devil stuns without the use of CGI nonsense this is the best Robin Hood flick made period.

    Of course the whole film is based on the Robin Hood fable which in turn is rather debatable, and naturally Hollywood makes the most of this by really boosting the artistic license factor. Every character and location is as you would expect, cliched to the max really, taking the historic legend and virtually making it into a cartoonish fantasy. But you can't look into this too much, this is a very old film which has influenced pretty much all 'Hood' adventures ever since, influenced itself by the classic black n white Fairbanks film. These films were made in simpler times.

    The archery tournament also highlights more of the grand lavish scale that was shown in production/craftsmanship, its a rainbow of colours and beautiful designs in every field from the Norman troops to the fair ladies in the background, its all perfect. Lets not forget Howard Hill and his amazing arrow shooting talents hehe they actually did shoot the actors in this film. Hill had to hit a precise spot on the actor, any other spot and there would be a serious injury to deal with! can you imagine that happening today!.

    Warner Bros were THE studio of the time and they knew how to make a rollocking good sweeping action epic, plus they had the men to direct them to, Curtiz being the best of the best for constant hits. The recent Bluray enchances this to beyond greatness, stunning!, probably Errol's most noted and most recognised work, maybe not the best in terms of his acting but its a legend of a movie that all ages can't fail to enjoy.
  • TomBowler
    April 10, 2011
    TomBowler
    The acting may be camp but the legend is forever. Full review later.
  • skeletonking101
    December 13, 2010
    skeletonking101
    interesting and very creative its kind of funny knowing how the actress who played maid maryann in this movie in real life hated Errol Flynn because he was really cocky in real life
  • FilmFanatik
    November 21, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    When you look back over the number of times that the tale of Robin Hood has been adapted by Hollywood, it equals that of Dracula. But of all the adaptations, one stands heads and tails above the others, Michael Curtiz' original 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood. One of ... read morethe things that makes this film so special is the handsome and dashing Errol Flynn as Robin Hood himself. His wholesome and heroic take on the character is as fresh as it was 70 years ago. Olivia de Havilland is just breath-taking as Marian, Basil Rathbone is menacing as Sir Guy and Claude Rains is great as always as Prince John. The whole cast, including the supporting roles, really shine here. It may be worthy to note that in most of latter adaptations, the characters of Sir Guy and the Sheriff of Nottingham were peeled down and combined to form the character of the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Here we're given these characters as they were originally intended, the evil Sir Guy and the bumbling Sheriff of Nottingham. The Adventures of Robin Hood was one of the first films to use the new process of filming and processing called Technicolor, making the movie just gorgeous to behold. Greens, blues and reds are stark and rich with detail. Skin tone is also very strong, not orange like other contemporaries. The camera work in the film is also quite extraordinary. Of course everyone always points to the sword fighting scene where the actors go out of frame and we follow their shadows as they continue fighting, but I also enjoyed the steadycam shot that flows through crowd prior to Robin's execution to reveal the gallows. Needless to say, there is a lot going on visually in this movie. The score is pretty phenomenal, as well. A very lush and storybook-style score from the wonderful Erich Wolfgang Korngold, it carries the film so well that it would be hard to imagine it without it. I guess you can tell that I really love this movie and I'd watch it anytime. It may be old school, but it's THE best Robin Hood story ever told. It's got that swash-buckling charm that make modern classics like the Pirates of the Caribbean series and The Count of Monte Cristo so much fun. In conclusion, age doesn't matter, and The Adventures of Robin Hood is timeless.
  • ajv2688
    September 23, 2010
    ajv2688
    First of all, Hooray for Technicolor! With that said, I love the story of Robin Hood, and I liked this movie. The movie doesn't do anything differently with the story, but It's got a great cast: Flynn, Rathbone, De Havilland, Rains, Hale... Plus, a good director, Michael Curt... read moreiz (Casablanca). And did I mention the Technicolor?! Yes, it's just another Robin Hood movie, but I enjoyed it.
  • mjgildea
    August 27, 2010
    mjgildea
    The Adventures of Robin Hood is easily one of the most entertaining movies I've seen in my entire life. Errol Flynn is living proof that it is indeed possible to wear tights and be absolutely badass. The cast is superb and the dialogue is full of the wittiest of banter and Olivia... read more de Havilland. Oh, Olivia de Havilland...! I was also surprised at how well done the action was. Sure the sword fights had to have been sped up but they were fun all the same.Any notions I was entertaining of watching the Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe version have just been blown out the window. Errol Flynn is it...
  • FrizzDrop
    July 15, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    For one thing, the film was authentic, and definitely a crowd pleaser. Errol Flynn, in all his Australian glory, and Olivia de Havilland, in her vulnerable state (much like Gone with the Wind) were the perfect pairing.
  • sanjurosamurai
    July 6, 2010
    sanjurosamurai
    one of the great classics of the entire decade. this film sets the standard for adventure films, with great set designs for such an early film. although the costumes dont hold up by todays standards, the film uses color and dialogue to set the mood of the story. a classic that... read more all should see.
  • shiftyeyeddog
    June 6, 2010
    shiftyeyeddog
    Undoubtedly fun and light-hearted with plenty of action, yet definitely dated and cheesy. The sillly costumes, over-acting, and fight choreography are simply victims of their era, so while they do detract from the film, you tend to forgive these aspects. Still, it's a fun flick... read more, and I think well ahead of its time in many ways.
    I would love to see what a modern version of Robin Hood portrayed like this - cocky, light-hearted, and heroic - could be, rather than another dark, gritty, "realistic" remake. Though in this version they take it a bit TOO light, with far too much laughter and silly grins.
  • bottcorecords1
    May 2, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    Errol Flynn stars in his signature role as Sir Robin of Locksley, one of the few knights loyal to King Richard, who while off fighting the crusades, leaves England in the hands of his treacherous brother, prince John. When Richard is captured and held for ransom, prince John lev... read moreies a tax against the downtrodden saxons, while Sir Guy (Basil Rathbone) and the other upper-class normans pushes for further punishments and cruelty against them. It's all the noble Robin can stand. Soon, he gathers a band (of merry men) to launch a sort of guerrilla warfare against the normans and Sir Guy. Everything about this production, from the acting and directing to the sets and costumes, is topnotch excellence from the classic era of hollywood. This version of Robin Hood would go onto define how we see Robin and his band of merry men for all time. It's the kind of movie that inspires kids of all ages (and if your kids don't seem interested, just tell them it's one of the original "superhero" movies). The Adventures of Robin Hood is a big, rollicking adventure of brightly colored fun.

View All The Adventures of Robin Hood Reviews

Critic Reviews

April 24, 2009
TIME Magazine

If prankish Fairbanks was a man's Robin Hood, handsome, romantic Flynn performs for everybody else. Full Review

Variety Staff
June 10, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

It is cinematic pageantry at its best, a highly imaginative telling of folklore in all the hues of Technicolor. Full Review

Don Druker
October 16, 2007
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

Movies like this are beyond criticism. Full Review

February 9, 2006
Time Out

One of the few great adventure movies that you can pretend you are treating the kids to when you are really treating yourself. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 1, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

In these cynical days when swashbucklers cannot be presented without an ironic subtext, this great 1938 film exists in an eternal summer of bravery and romance. Full Review

Gary Dowell
August 21, 2003
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News

Sumptuous and highly energetic, The Adventures of Robin Hood is grand with a capital 'G' on every level. Full Review

Elliott Stein
August 19, 2003
Elliott Stein, Village Voice

Movie pageantry at its best, done in the grand manner of silent spectacles, brimming over with the sort of primitive energy that drew people to the movies in the first place. Full Review

Frank S. Nugent
May 20, 2003
Frank S. Nugent, New York Times

Few storybooks have been more brilliantly brought to life, page for page, chapter for chapter, derring-do for derring-do. Full Review

Wesley Lovell
August 16, 2011
Wesley Lovell, Cinema Sight

Nearly every aspect of the Robin Hood myth we know today is embodied in this exciting, socially aware adventure. Full Review

Heather Boerner
September 2, 2010
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media

Errol Flynn stars in swashbuckling family delight. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Charge of the Light Brigade
    Charge of the Light Brigade (0%)
  • King Arthur
    King Arthur (67%)
  • Excalibur
    Excalibur (58%)
  • The Sea Hawk
    The Sea Hawk (100%)

More Movies like The Adventures of Robin Hood

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Maid Marian: Why, you speak treason!
    • Robin Hood: Fluently.
    • Will Scarlett: Robin, I've just got word of- [sees Friar Tuck and breaks off]
    • Robin Hood: It's all right, he's one of us.
    • Will Scarlett: One of us? He looks like three of us!
Submit a Fact | View All

The Adventures of... : Watch Free on TV

The Adventures of Robin Hood Trivia

  • Who Starred in the 1938 version of "The Adventures of Robin Hood"?  Answer »
  • Which diminutive actor appears in "Notorious", "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Casablanca", and "The Invisible Man", among many other great classics?   Answer »
  • Which Tasmanian born actor played Robin Hood in "The Adventures of Robin Hood"?  Answer »
  • "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) was voted the #100 greatest thriller by the AFI. Who played Robin Hood?  Answer »
More The Adventures of Robin Hood Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All The Adventures of Robin Hood Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add The Adventures of Robin Hood to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

aipultertsmith Skin by aipultertsmith
121 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins