Day 21: Robin Hood

Robin Hood (1973)

Starring: Brian Bedford, Monica Evans, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Andy Devine, Peter Ustinov, Terry-Thomas, Carole Shelley, Pat Buttram, Ken Curtis, John Fiedler, Barbara Luddy, Billy Whittaker, Richie Sanders, Candy Candido, J. Pat O'Malley

Songs: "Whistle Stop," "Oo De Lally," "Not in Nottingham," "Love," "The Phony King of England"

Robin Hood is based on the English legend of the same name, and tells of the famous outlaw who "robs the rich to pay the poor."  This film uses anthropomorphic animals in all the roles -- foxes, bears, lions, badgers, etc. 

Originally, this movie was going to be about Reynard, a fox from medieval European folk legends, who was also an anthropomorphic trickster.  But at the time the movie was in original development (in the mid 1960s) Walt Disney didn't feel that Reynard would make a good hero for a family film.  The project was scrapped, but the character designs were used for this film.  

(Reynard in an 1869 children's book by Michel Rodange)

The film was given a low budget by Disney's standards and some of the animation is reused from several earlier films, including Jungle Book, Aristocats, and even Snow White. I feel this is done skillfully and doesn't look cheap, plus it's not excessive. It probably wouldn't be terribly noticeable to someone who wasn't watching all these movies one right after the other, or having it pointed out to them.  And the animation here is clean and it looks very pretty.  Visually, I would say the movie is safe -- as in it doesn't take risks.  But using country music and animals in a movie about an English legend was risky, and somehow it works.  It's fun and weird, but it works.  This film turned out to be a big success at the box office, and the song "Love" was even nominated for Best Original Song at that year's Academy Awards, but it lost to Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were."

This was a movie I liked a lot as a kid and I still like it a lot now.  Again, I feel like I don't have much to say!

What I Liked: So much.  It's a really funny movie.  But honestly, Sir Hiss resting his head on the folds of his body, like a petulant, pouty kid resting his head on his arms, is adorable.  And Little John and his costumes...

What I Disliked: Least favorite question.  Honestly, nothing stands out to me as something I disliked.

Should You Watch This Movie: Do I even need to answer this one?  Of course you should!