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| ROBIN HOOD
(director/writer: Allan Dwan; screenwriters: story by
Elton Thomas (a.k.a. Douglas Fairbanks)/Lotta
Woods; cinematographer: Arthur Edson; editor: William
Nolan; cast: Douglas
Fairbanks (The Earl of
Huntingdon/Robin Hood), Wallace
Beery (Richard the Lion-Hearted),
Enid Bennett (Lady Marian
Fitzwalter), Sam De
Grasse (Prince John),
Paul Dickey (Sir Guy of
Gisbourne), William
Lowery (The High Sheriff
of Nottingham), Roy
Coulson (The King's jester), Alan Hale (Little John),
Willard Louis (Friar
Tuck); Runtime: 127; MPAA Rating:
NR; producer: Douglas Fairbanks; Kino International;
1922-silent) "An epic silent version of the Robin Hood legend." Reviewed
by Dennis Schwartz An
epic silent version of the Robin Hood legend, that's
set in the 12th century. It's the biggest production
made to date, whose large scale includes great sets
(one example is a dazzling ninety
feet tall castle built by Frank Lloyd
Wright's son), costumes, stunts (the most noteworthy
is of Fairbanks doing his own stunt of sliding down a two-story
tapestry), intimate mob scenes and its
thorough research to get things historically accurate,
but it lacks the needed emotional impact to make it a
great film. Director Allan Dwan ("The Iron
Mask"/"Suez"/"Sands of Iwo Jima") is
better handling the sets than the actors, whose
prancing moves are dated when viewed today. Though
enjoyable, it's not more than a ripping
swashbuckler tale of the good guys against the
hissable villains. It
opens with the Earl of Huntington (Douglas
Fairbanks) defeating his cheating rival
Sir Guy of
Gisbourne (Paul Dickey) in a tournament joust.
Afterwards the
Earl of Huntington, a timid with the ladies
warrior, nevertheless getting up his nerve
to declare his love for Lady
Marian Fitzwalter (Enid
Bennett) and soon
afterwards riding off to the
crusades as the second in command to
Richard
the Lionhearted (Wallace Beery).
When news reaches Huntingdon
that the evil brother of
Richard's, Prince John (Sam
De Grasse), has
usurped Richard's throne, Huntingdon
is framed for
desertion by
Sir Guy and
imprisoned
before he has
a chance to
tell Richard
why he is
leaving the
crusade. After
Huntingdon
escapes from
prison, he
takes the
disguise of
the bandit
Robin Hood and
returns to Nottingham
to combat the
evil-doers
such as Prince
John, his
henchmen and The
High Sheriff
of Nottingham
(William
Lowery)
and foils
their coup. In
the process
Robin Hood
must save the
citizens from
unjust
taxation,
torture,
property
destruction
and rescue the
Maid Marian
from prison,
and is helped
by Little
John (Alan
Hale Sr.),
Friar
Tuck (Willard
Louis) and the
other carefree
members of his
band
of merry men
in Sherwood
Forest. It
follows the
familiar Robin
Hood tale, and
provides
thrills though
Fairbanks' acrobatic and energetic
performance
and is a feast
for the eyes
in its visual
splendor. It
cost an
astonishing at
the time $1.4
million to
make. REVIEWED ON 9/19/2012 GRADE: B Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ |