Robin Hood (1922)

Made at a staggering cost - every penny of which is up there on the screen in the superb, full-length Alpha DVD which runs 120 minutes (equivalent to around 140 minutes at theatrical speed) - "Robin Hood" is a movie that simply cannot be surpassed for acting, characterization, plot and spectacle.At first glance, producer Douglas Fairbanks may seem to be an odd choice for Robin Hood, but this of course is a silent movie and Fairbanks is not hampered by his American voice and his somewhat strange and rather stagey delivery. In fact, he seems to fit the role perfectly.Wallace Beery is also ideally cast as the murderous Prince John, while Alan Hale enacts the first of his three performances as Little John. Hale repeated the role in both the 1938 "Adventures of Robin Hood" and the 1950 "Rogues of Sherwood Forest".This action-full movie actually cost $1,500,000 to make - and it's all up there on the screen! Nonetheless, this was a really staggering sum way back in 1922 - but fortunately, the movie was super-popular (and so it deserved to be). Rentals returned more than $2,500,000 in the USA alone.This movie is available world-wide on an excellent Alpha DVD.

The definitive version of Robin Hood will always be the Errol Flynn version to me. There are shortcomings to this 1922 film, it does take too long to get going and Wallace Beery for personal tastes plays Richard too broadly with the laughter overdone, but it is the second best of a mostly entertaining bunch of Robin Hood films. The film looks big and grand as well as lavish and detailed, one of the best-looking Douglas Fairbanks films, even without Technicolor it looks absolutely great. The music is appropriately rousing and really enhances the action, if admittedly not in the same league as Korngold's for the Errol Flynn film, which is one of the greatest films scores of all time as far as I'm concerned. The story is a lot of fun on the whole, the first 45 minutes or so are rather ponderous but once we get to Sherwood the pace really picks up without a single complaint really to be had. That we know more than any other version of how Robin Hood came to be is one of the film's biggest interest points. The action, while none as classic as the climatic sword-fight in the Flynn version, is hugely exciting and sometimes nail-biting, just love the game of conkers using the noblemen on ropes, and the stunts are just as dazzling. Douglas Fairbanks is as gallant and athletic as ever, showing a huge amount of charisma and bravado and an infectious smile. Enid Bennett is both charming and affecting as Maid Marion though with not a lot to do. Alan Hale's Little John here and in the Flynn film is unmatched, his imposing height(very true to character) helps while being hearty and loyal. Paul Dickey is appropriately loathsome as Guy of Gisborne, if not as much as Basil Rathbone, and William Lowery enjoys himself as the Sheriff of Nottingham. But other than Fairbanks the best performance comes from Sam de Grasse, whose snide and despicable nature as Prince John makes him a worthy predecessor to Claude Rains. Allan Dwan's direction has little fault as well. In conclusion, a terrific amount of fun and compares very favourably to the Robin Hood films out there, much of the Sherwood scenes are very imaginatively handled. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Hollywood has immortalized the fabulous Robin Hood legend on celluloid many times. Ironically, the best version of this adventure epic is "Sands of Iwo Jima" director Allan Dwan's silent "Robin Hood" with the ever agile Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Reportedly, Fairbanks produced this movie for the staggering sum of one point five million dollars and he penned the screenplay, too. Now, you're going to say "no way" can a creaky old silent saga top the incomparable Errol Flynn Technicolor classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Nevertheless, the Flynn "Robin Hood" lacks the spectacle of the Fairbanks' version. Dwan stages several big battle scenes. Moreover, none of the later "Robin Hood" pictures devote over an hour to the Earl of Huntingdon's back story. In fact, the first time that we see him he is referred to as the Earl and he is shy where Maid Marian is concerned. Clocking in at over two hours, "Robin Hood" covers a lot of ground and Fairbanks flaunts his athletic skills as he climbs the ropes that hoist the moat bridge and he leaps about with carefree abandon. Wallace Beery makes a definite impression as King Richard and the villains are truly villainous. Indeed, there is far more spectacle here, especially when Robin makes his first appearance and eludes his enemy at King John's castle. The only drawback to this 1923 masterpiece is that it doesn't have Technicolor like "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and film as a cinematic art had not developed as much by 1923 as it later did by 1938. The interesting thing here is that Alan Hale not only played Little John in this outing, but he also co-starred as Little John in the Flynn yarn. In fact, Hale's last performance was as Little John in director Gordon Douglas' "Rogues of Sherwood Forest" with John Derek.The action unfolds in Medieval England at a jousting tournament with Robert, the Earl of Huntingdon (Douglas Fairbanks of "Thief of Bagdad"), competing against the unscrupulous Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Paul Dickey) who ties himself into his saddle to avoid being unhorsed. Gisbourne's skulduggery is for naught because the Earl topples him and is rewarded by Lady Marian Fitzwalter (Enid Bennett of "The Vamp") for his victory. During the jousting match, King Richard challenges his brother, Prince John (Sam De Grasse of "The Black Pirate") who is depicted as a wicked fiend from the moment that we lay eyes on him. King Richard (Wallace Beery of "The Champ") gathers an army to go on his Crusade to the Holy Land and Huntingdon accompanies him and proves his valor several times over. Meanwhile, Richard has left John in charge of England and John exploits this opportunity for everything that he can get and he steals and turns into a tyrant. When word of this reaches Huntingdon from Maid Marian, he entreats his lordship to let him return to England on a personal mission. Richard refuses to part with the Earl and he puts him in prison in France until he can return from Palestine. Little John helps Huntingdon escape and they return to England to fight King John.All the familiar characters, such as Allan-A-Dale, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck are conspicuously present when Robin and his Merry Men redistribute the wealth to the poor and the needy.Douglas Fairbanks is appropriately flamboyant as the protagonist. The enormous set interiors for the castles and the sprawling scenes in the forest give this movie an epic feeling.

Fantastic production design which set the standard, and still probably does for Medieval epics. The Castle Fairbanks had constructed stone by stone, the costumes and the literal "cast of thousands" in the opening hour are second to none. Great attention to detail. The story itself however is half and half. Fairbanks was a great choice to play Robin Hood, it's just too bad we don't get to see him swing into action as the bandit of Sherwood until after a long, drawn-out first half concerning King Richard and Huntingdon (Robin) heading off for the Crusades. There is just too much time spent setting up how/why Huntingdon becomes Robin Hood to make it enjoyable as a purely Robin Hood movie. Errol Flynn's version improved on it by a mile in 1938, leaving out the fat and concerning itself only with Robin's adventures in Sherwood, and adding more heart and humor if not replicating the grand scale of pageantry depicted in this version.Providing a link between both films, of course, is Alan Hale Sr. playing Little John. Again, his most preferable portrayal is in the '38 version. As far as other cast members, Wallace Beery is memorable as King Richard and Sam de Grasse is a perfectly snide Prince John. The other cast members are adequate enough.The DVD edition of this film provides a very nice print and is well worth viewing if you enjoy old silents, or are a fan of the Robin Hood legend as I am. Many purists have complained about the musical soundtrack but not being an aesthete of Silent films myself I found it to be not too bad.Not the classic version of Robin Hood on film but still, there are many things to like about it.