Robin Hood (1973)
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In a world of anthropomorphic animals, a heroic outlaw must navigate the schemes of a greedy prince to win the heart of his long-lost love.
The story
Set in Medieval England among a community of anthropomorphic animals, the story follows the adventures of Robin Hood and his friend Little John. Living in Sherwood Forest, the duo works to provide for the poor while evading the Sheriff of Nottingham. The conflict intensifies when the greedy and immature Prince John takes the throne and imposes heavy taxes on the people of Nottingham. When a grand archery tournament is announced with a kiss from Maid Marian as the prize, Robin Hood must navigate the dangers of the court and the schemes of the Prince to win the hand of his childhood sweetheart.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In a land of anthropomorphic animals, the minstrel Alan-a-Dale narrates the tale of Robin Hood and Little John, who live in Sherwood Forest and rob the rich to aid the poor. The plot thickens when the greedy Prince John, who has usurped the throne from his brother King Richard, imposes heavy taxes on the people of Nottingham. Robin and Little John disguise themselves to rob the royal coach, leading the Prince to offer a large reward for Robin's capture. During an archery tournament, Robin competes in disguise and wins the prize: a kiss from Maid Marian. Though his identity is revealed and he is sentenced to death, he is saved by Little John and eventually escapes with Maid Marian and her lady-in-waiting, Lady Kluck. After a period of hiding, the villagers are forced into poverty by the Prince's tripled taxes. Little John leads a rebellion, and Robin sneaks into the castle to steal the Prince's gold. During a chaotic escape, Robin is trapped in a burning castle but manages to escape into the moat. Finally, King Richard returns from the Crusades, pardons the people, imprisons the villains, and marries Robin and Maid Marian.
- First release year
- 1973
- Runtime (minutes)
- 83
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Wolfgang Reitherman
- Writers
- Larry Clemmons · story; Ken Anderson · story; Vance Gerry · story; Frank Thomas · story; Eric Cleworth · story; Julius Svendsen · story; David Michener · story
- Cast and characters
- Brian Bedford · Robin Hood; Phil Harris · Little John; Peter Ustinov · Prince John; Terry-Thomas · Sir Hiss; Monica Evans · Maid Marian; Roger Miller · Alan-a-Dale; Andy Devine · Friar Tuck; Pat Buttram · Sheriff of Nottingham
- Genres
- animated; musical; adventure; comedy
- Themes
- justice; romance; heroism
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; adventurous
- Premise and plot tags
- folktale; animal characters; musical
- Source material / true-story basis
- English folktale "Robin Hood"
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a box-office success and has since become a cult classic. While some critics praised the voice acting and charm, others criticized the use of recycled animation.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 57 · review count: 9
- Production trivia
- The film was the first Disney feature with an entirely non-human cast.; The production included recycled animation from films like Snow White and The Jungle Book.; The song 'Love' was featured in the 2009 film Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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