A Challenge for Robin Hood
Director: C.M. Pennington-Richards
Year: 1967
Rating: 6.0
A Hammer production. This takes a slightly different slant on the story of Robin Hood which gives it some interest. In the legend and most of the films I believe Robin Hood or Robin of Loxley is a Saxon noble who went off to fight in the Crusades with King Richard and upon his return he found his lands confiscated by King John, a Norman. Maid Marian has an interesting evolution through various early writings but most modern characterizations have her of Norman nobility who is a ward of the Sheriff of Nottingham.



In this one they switch things around - Robin is Robin de Courtenay, a Norman and Maid Marian is the daughter of a Saxon noble who had his land confiscated. She is now literally a maid-in-waiting. No idea why they did so but it allows them to break away from the usual tale. This is a fairly good Robin Hood film - he is portrayed by Barrie Ingham who does a fine job. I don't know who he is which goes for the rest of the cast with the exception of Friar Tuck played by James Hayter who shows up often in British period films and was in fact Friar Tuck in the 1952 The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men - as well as Mr. Pickwick and Mr. Memory in the 39 Steps. So not the usual Hammer regulars and neither was the director C.M. Pennington-Richards. With a name like that he should be directing Robin Hood.



When Robin's father dies, his swine of a brother kills a third brother and frames Robin for it. He and Friar Tuck escape and are tangling with soldiers when out of the forest the soldiers are shot down by arrows from a gang of Saxons. Robin joins the group, soon becomes its leaders and begins harassing his brother and the Sheriff. Little John and Will Scarlett who were servants to the father join him. So no classic fight on the log between Robin and Little John. A fair amount of fighting, merriment and a huge pie fight - all done capably - he has to save Maid Marion who is a bit of a drip here (Gay Hamilton). Nothing annoys me more than when the hero is in a fight and the woman just stands there when she easily could have picked up a sword at her feet and killed the bad guy. Thankfully, that is one cliché that has nearly disappeared from films. This was the third Hammer Robin Hood film after The Men of Sherwood Forest directed by Val Guest and The Sword of Sherwood Forest directed by Terence Fisher.