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.
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.