While it may not have been the first Robin Hood film to be made, The Adventures of Robin Hood is definitely the movie that propelled the character of Robin Hood into popular culture. The movie’s star, Errol Flynn, has become inextricably linked to the character, and has become the definitive image for what we imagine Robin Hood to look like. Since its release, many more movies about the character have been released, including a Disney animated movie, a Robin Hood comedy with Men in Tights, and even many straight-up adaptations of the character to this day, including 2018’s Robin Hood movie starring Taron Edgerton. It’s easy to see how The Adventures of Robin Hood has influenced these later movies, so I do think it deserves recognition, and I can definitely appreciate what it’s done for the character. However, at the end of the day, I’ve never really been all that big of a fan of Robin Hood, so I think it’s possible that this movie just isn’t for me, even if it does have its merits.

Many of us are at least somewhat familiar with the character of Robin Hood, so I don’t need to go too in-depth with the plot here. Basically, the Saxon citizens are being oppressed by a tyrannical ruler, and so Robin Hood is stepping in to fight back. Robin Hood leads a rebellion against the leaders to fight for the freedoms of the townspeople. Many people know the character as a “steal from the rich, give to the poor,” and while that’s not the main focus here, it’s definitely true to the character we’re seeing portrayed here. I’ve always enjoyed the archetype of what Robin Hood is, it’s just that the story itself doesn’t really do it for me.

One thing I should note is that the film is fully in color, something that was very uncommon at the time. The movie came out a year before The Wizard of Oz, the movie that most people wrongly assume is the first color movie to have been made. The Adventures of Robin Hood wasn’t even the first movie to have color in it either, but regardless this definitely wasn’t a common thing at the time. Hell, black and white movies were still being made well into the 60s, so the movie is a real achievement for 1938. I can definitely appreciate and respect that, and for what it’s worth the movie really benefits from being in color. The costumes and scenery look gorgeous, and this is something that just really wouldn’t have had the same effect had it not been in color.

At the end of the day, I think that The Adventures of Robin Hood is technically a good movie, but it’s just not really for me. I found myself enjoying it in certain parts, but then there were stretches of the movie where I was just bored. I think the movie really excels in its comedic moments and action scenes, but it’s all of the bits in between that just aren’t that interesting. I think the movie could have really benefited from being cut down, because then it might have been able to keep some of the momentum it has going. I won’t argue against what The Adventures of Robin Hood did for the Robin Hood character, and film in general for that matter, and while I think it still holds up reasonably well, it’s also not high on my list of recommended “classics.” Definitely give it a shot if you’re a Robin Hood fan, but if you’re not then you might feel the same way I did.

3/5