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Robin Hood
Apr. 25th, 2020 06:34 pmWe have reached Robin Hood, a.k.a. one of the most perfect movies of all time. Robin Hood and Little John running through the forest! The "alms, alms for the poor" scene! The perfidious sheriff, taking away Skippy's birthday present ("A whole farthing!" Skippy cries, overjoyed, before the horrible sheriff takes it), but then he gets Robin Hood's hat and a bow and arrow instead, and accidentally shoots over the wall into the garden where Maid Marian and Lady Cluck are playing badminton, and the whole argument where the children are discussing whether Skippy should sneak into the garden to retrieve the arrow is just a perfect childhood argument, and Lady Cluck pretending to be Prince John...!
I see that I'm just listing all the scenes in the movie. But honestly, so many of them are great! The entire archery tournament is A++ (again an able assist by Lady Cluck, charging Prince John's rhinos like a linebacker!). And the whole scene where the Sheriff has locked away most of the inhabitants of Nottingham, including the little mice who are all attached to the same gigantic ball and chain... and poor Skippy and his friends are sitting beneath the leak in the wall, in such despair that they don't even try to move away as the water drips down...
That was absolutely my preferred brand of angst when I was a wee munchkin, and it remains just as delightful today. The tragedy! The despair. And then, of course, the glorious rescue, and Robin Hood sneaking into Prince John's own bedroom to steal away the bags and bags of money, because of course Prince John surrounds himself with all his money at all times.
(Also, I am fairly sure that Prince John's scenes with Sir Hiss - particularly the one where Sir Hiss lards on the flattery, and then Prince John knocks him on the head - are just verbatim descriptions from the White House right now.)
Not only is the movie as a whole delightful, but there are so many delightful little touches, like the bit at the end where the mice are throwing rice that is of course very large in their little mouse hands (for some reason this always enchanted me), or Robin and Marian's moonlit walk. Generally as a child I did not have much patience with romance, but I had patience for Robin and Marian - they're both so amazing, obviously they love each other - and the glowing lights in the forest are just so lovely.
And then, of course, the wonderful raucous dance, with Little John and Lady Cluck dancing together. In general, Lady Cluck was my great new discovery on this rewatch. When I was a child I never really paid attention to her - my heart was given to Robin Hood and Marian and also Skippy and friends, particularly his little sister in purple, does she ever get a name? - but this time, man. She's an unsung hero! Alan-a-Dale the rooster minstrel should get on that.
I see that I'm just listing all the scenes in the movie. But honestly, so many of them are great! The entire archery tournament is A++ (again an able assist by Lady Cluck, charging Prince John's rhinos like a linebacker!). And the whole scene where the Sheriff has locked away most of the inhabitants of Nottingham, including the little mice who are all attached to the same gigantic ball and chain... and poor Skippy and his friends are sitting beneath the leak in the wall, in such despair that they don't even try to move away as the water drips down...
That was absolutely my preferred brand of angst when I was a wee munchkin, and it remains just as delightful today. The tragedy! The despair. And then, of course, the glorious rescue, and Robin Hood sneaking into Prince John's own bedroom to steal away the bags and bags of money, because of course Prince John surrounds himself with all his money at all times.
(Also, I am fairly sure that Prince John's scenes with Sir Hiss - particularly the one where Sir Hiss lards on the flattery, and then Prince John knocks him on the head - are just verbatim descriptions from the White House right now.)
Not only is the movie as a whole delightful, but there are so many delightful little touches, like the bit at the end where the mice are throwing rice that is of course very large in their little mouse hands (for some reason this always enchanted me), or Robin and Marian's moonlit walk. Generally as a child I did not have much patience with romance, but I had patience for Robin and Marian - they're both so amazing, obviously they love each other - and the glowing lights in the forest are just so lovely.
And then, of course, the wonderful raucous dance, with Little John and Lady Cluck dancing together. In general, Lady Cluck was my great new discovery on this rewatch. When I was a child I never really paid attention to her - my heart was given to Robin Hood and Marian and also Skippy and friends, particularly his little sister in purple, does she ever get a name? - but this time, man. She's an unsung hero! Alan-a-Dale the rooster minstrel should get on that.
