Son of Robin Hood Film Review

Robin Hood was still a hot commodity in 1958 thanks to the TV series starring Richard Greene that ran from 1955 - 1960. Still, this is a rather shoddy affair that feels cheaper than a tuna sandwich. It has no big actors and few sets. It does have a castle though and that is always a plus but for a person who wishes to be the next King, one would think it would have more splendor and more men. There is a fair amount of sword action though there are times I wish it was more like the Japanese samurai films - quick and deadly - none of this clashing of swords for five minutes. It is directed by George Sherman - one of the more active B film directors with some good ones to his credit but this was to be one of his last ones before mainly moving over to TV Land. Lots of Westerns on his resume - including Big Jake in 1971 with John Wayne - and he directed The Bandit of Sherwood Forest back in 1946. He just needed a better script and actors with some charisma.

Instead, he gets David Hedison (Felix Leiter in two Bond movies - Live and Let Die and License to Kill - 16 years apart), June Laverick and David Farrar. Farrar is a solid actor but given a very bland villain to play. Robin Hood has been dead for twenty-years but there is again trouble in Sherwood Forest. King John has died and his young son is under the protection of the Regent. Des Roches (Farrar) has plans to usurp the throne and his only opposition is that raggedy band of Merrie Men. Robin may be gone but there is still Little John, Will Scarlett and Alan A Dale who all look like they should be in a retirement home. They need a leader and who better than the son of Robin Hood who has been brought up in Spain, They send for him and are taken aback when it is a daughter (Laverick) who is quite good with a bow and arrow and kills her share of men. Still a woman cannot rally the men, so they ask a stranger (Hedison) to pretend to be Robin. It has moments of cringe the way he can't keep his hands off Deering Hood. And she threatens him but of course really wants him. A dull 80 minutes.