Robin Hood

ROBIN HOOD
ENGLAND 1991

This small film, that I had never heard of, or seen listed before, is actually very good if you like a bit of history that is not Hollywood-sized at all, and concentrates a bit more on the political events centering on a time, and a person who happens to become a hero because he is a rightful heir to the throne by birth, as opposed by the government which is manipulated by the invading Normans, on Anglo Saxon land. Thus Robin Hood becomes an outlaw, and an oppressing force against a corrupt leader who is later forced to give in.

And it makes sense.

For once, this is not the story of a clever bandit, who is lucky enough to win the approval of the masses because of his good looks, or because he happens to be a good swordsman. Even from a historic standpoint, this story has a way of showing a side of English history which clarifies the feudal lord system in place, and how the inter marriage program works in order to maintain the balance of power running the government. However, the one thing this film presents is also a problem because the new heir to the throne is somewhat of an opponent of the king John, the one he has to fight later in his life, and the one that is infamous in history, to the benefit of Hollywood.

Patrick Bergin as Robin Hood is less of a hero character, as much as he has to earn his due by being both good, and clever. Uma Thurman (of Henry and June fame -- she played June, Henry Miller's wife ) is the maid Marion, whom he eventually marries. Here the story is different from the conventional one, since he gets married, at least a few years
sooner than we are used to accepting in the usual stories. However, I AM more likely to trust a story written by the English, who certainly take good care of their history, than I am a version which is more appealing to a romantic audience for its charismatic hero of an actor.

Good film. Has fun bits and pieces. Either the Costner version ripped off ideas from this one, or they both researched the character in the same library, ...... with different results.

3 GIBLOONS

DIRECTOR:                JOHN IRVIN
CAST:                   Patrick Bergin, Uma Thurman, Jurgen Prochnow, Edward Fox, Jeroen Krabbe
MUSIC BY:           Geoffrey Burgeon
ONE WORD:         One of the least romantic stories about Robin Hood.