Robin Hood (1991 film)
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| Robin Hood | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | John Irvin |
| Produced by | Tim Bevan Sarah Radclyffe |
| Written by | Sam Resnick John McGrath |
| Starring | Patrick Bergin Uma Thurman Jeroen Krabbe Juergen Prochnow |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | 1991 |
| Running time | 116 min |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Robin Hood is a 1991 film starring Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman. In the US the film appeared as a TV movie on the Fox network, the first made for television movie by the network. Another film using the well-known Robin Hood story was released theatrically the same year. The film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, was a Hollywood blockbuster with a much bigger budget and high-profile stars such as Kevin Costner. There was also an animated film with the same name released in 1991 on television. [1]
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[edit] Plot
The film shares much of its plot with the 1938 film, The Adventures of Robin Hood, concentrating on the struggle between Normans and Saxons. It begins when a miller who is poaching deer on lands belonging to the King of England is found by a hunting party led by the evil knight, Sir Miles Folcanet. The miller flees until he runs into a Saxon earl, Robert Hode, and his friend, Will. The miller pleads for help as the Normans arrive and threaten to poke the miller's eyes out. Before they can carry out the punishment, Hode (urged by Will) stops them. Folconet becomes angry at this, and demands that Hode is punished by the local Baron, Roger Daguerre.
Daguerre is Robert's friend, and tries to give him a light punishment, but Robert refuses and, taking up arms, flees. As a result Robert is outlawed, and, taking the name Robin Hood, takes refuge in Sherwood, meets the usual cast of merrie men and fights against the Norman oppression. Robert/Robin also falls for Daguerre's niece, Marian, who is promised to Folcanet, and the climax of the film is an attack on Nottingham Castle to stop the wedding. Unlike many modern versions of the story, King Richard does not appear at the end, and instead Daguerre is reconciled with Hode and promises a future where Saxons and Normans are treated equally.
[edit] Characterization
Although the familiar characters of Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlett and Much the Miller's Son appear in this version, the traditional Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisbourne have been replaced by original antagonists. The Baron Daguerre takes the Sheriff's place as the scheming, greedy tax-collector (though originally Robin's friend) and Folcanet stands in for Guy as the violent, vindictive knight after Robin's head (and Marian's maidenhead).
[edit] Historical Realism
The filmmakers clearly intended this version of the Robin Hood to be a more realistic and historically accurate retelling of the famous legend. The medieval world shown here is dark, dirty and dangerous.
