Deep Dive Disney: Wes Looks at Robin Hood

Oo-De-Lally to you all and welcome to a very special edition of Deep Dive Disney. Today, we’ll be looking at one of my favorite Disney films of all time, Robin Hood. You all know the story of Robin Hood, right? The legendary heroic outlaw of English folklore who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, fought against unlawful taxation of the good people of Nottingham by the corrupt Sheriff and the equally corrupt Prince John, won the heart of the fair Maid Marian, led a band of Merry men in tights who roamed around the forest looking for fights and may look like sissies but watch what you say or else they’ll put out your lights… sorry I think we got a little off track there, the point is, you all know the story. Naturally, since bringing classic tales to the big screen had kind of become Disney's MO long before 1973 when this film was released, an adaptation of Robin Hood was bound to happen sooner or later. This time around however, Disney tried something unique and interesting and made all the characters anthropomorphic talking animals. Sure, talking animals in Disney movies is nothing new, but until this movie and for sometime after, the talking animals either lived alongside humans or simply acted as animals such as in something like The Lion King. A film where the world was entirely populated by anthropomorphized animals filling human roles is something that, to my recollection, Disney wouldn’t do again until Zootopia in 2016, leading to a personal fan theory of mine that the two films actually take place in the same universe and that Robin Hood is actually an ancestor of Zootopia’s own resident outlaw Fox, Nick Wilde. Whatever the case may be, I love this movie. Unlike the majority of the films we’ve covered so far, where I’m only watching for the sake of the article, this is a film that I watch all the time unironically because I enjoy it so much. This film is loaded to the brim with charm, excitement, comedy and fun. I’m so excited to get into this one so let’s waste no further time. It’s time to discuss, Disney’s Robin Hood.

Main Character:

Well, a Robin Hood story tends to only be as good as its title character and fortunately for us, this Robin Hood is one of my favorite incarnations of the legendary figure. Voiced by the late Brian Bedford, Robin here, at least in my opinion is a lot more like what Peter Pan should have been. He’s cocky, perhaps a little full of himself and his recklessness tends to drive Little John crazy, but ultimately, he’s a daring adventurer and a decent guy who does wrong in order to do right and happens to have fun while doing it. I actually enjoyed how Robin refers to his heists as performances and never passes up an opportunity to show off, even if the risk is high. He’s the kind of hero you want to watch and root for. It’s just so nice to see a film where the guy trying to screw over the rich is the good guy for a change. Yeah, I’m still sore about Edgar, the guy got bum deal and everyone knows it. I actually do appreciate that it’s not all heroics and bravado with Robin. The movie actually does a great job in humanizing (for lack of a better term) the character and giving him a few more dimensions. I really enjoyed this scene early on in the film where he shows up at a child’s birthday party to give this kid who idolizes him a bow of his own. It’s actually really sweet and it shows that Robin isn’t just robbing the rich for thrills, he’s actually taking the time to get to know these people who are suffering and tries to help in more ways than just giving them stolen money, even if it’s something small like making sure that a little kid has a happy birthday. That’s actually really cool. I also enjoy that, for all Robin’s confidence in every other aspect of his life, he’s actually very insecure when it comes to the romance department. He’s completely head over heels for Marian but is constantly worried that he’s not good enough for her. It actually reminds me a lot of myself and my own insecurities. Disney really outdid themselves with this character and for my money, he’s one of the best Robin Hoods ever put to film.

Villain:

This film actually has a couple of villains worth mentioning. We may as well let royalty go first and discuss Prince John. Prince John is a spoiled pathetic mama’s boy who hides just how sad and pathetic he is through a thin veneer of regality. He taxes the citizens into poverty simply to flex his own power. When he doesn’t get his way, he throws a temper tantrum and sucks his thumb. However, just because he’s immature doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous. When John throws a tantrum it’s the people that suffer. At one point, he locks up the entire village, including the small children, just to be vindictive. Combine that with the fact that he sleeps with a comically large sack of money under each arm and one can’t help but make a comparison between this no-good rotten phony King of England and a certain former U.S. President. I actually like how John’s crown never quite fits right, further symbolizing that he is not the true King and in no way deserving of that title. However, for as dumb and as childish as he is, Prince John still has the occasional moment of ruthless cunning. John’s plan to draw out Robin Hood by hanging Friar Tuck is disturbingly devious. John is never without his righthand snake, Sir Hiss. I thought I felt bad for Edgar. At least Edgar was simply unappreciated while Hiss is straight up abused. This poor snake has to put up with so much bullshit from this royal idiotic brat you just can’t help but feel for him. In that regard he reminds me of a certain reggae singing crab I know but, we’ll get to him when we get to his movie.

While technical an underling of Prince John, I actually find the Sheriff of Nottingham to be a much more engaging and effective villain. He’s cruel, conniving and even a little sadistic. He claims that he’s only doing his job by carrying out John’s will, but he seems to enjoy it way too much. While both he and John walk the line between comedic and threatening, Ol’ Bushel Britches tends to lean more towards the threatening side of things. He gets his share of laughs, but at no point do you ever forget that this guy is serious bad news, having no problem pushing around or exploiting people who are smaller or weaker than him. He even steals from the blind and the infirm. He’s such a Bastard that he even manages to provoke a violent outburst from a peaceful pacifist like Friar Tuck. Much like how Prince John has Hiss, the Sheriff also has a couple of comedy sidekicks in the form of two vultures named Trigger and Nutsy. I’m going to say this right now, Trigger and Nutsy are hilarious and the movie needed way more of them. I absolutely love the way they play off each other and the Sheriff, particularly how the Sheriff insists on walking behind Trigger because he doesn’t trust Nutsy not to fire his crossbow, Old Betsy, prematurely. It’s actually quite fitting that these guys have such great comedic timing since Trigger and The Sheriff are voiced by George Lindsey and Pat Buttram respectively, the same two actors who played the two really funny dogs from The Aristocats. Those two always work well together.

Side Characters:

We may as well start with Robin Hood’s best buddy and faithful sidekick, Little John. Once again, we have a character voiced by our good friend Phil Harris and well… let’s be honest here, you can call this character Little John all you want, but that’s totally just Baloo in a green shirt. In fact, this movie is somewhat infamous for recycling animation cells from The Jungle Book and other Disney films. The entire movie I kept expecting Little John to call someone “Little Britches.” I’m not complaining since Baloo is a great character and Phil Harris always turns in a likable performance. Friar Tuck is a pretty likable character, kind, peaceful, but isn’t about to sit on the sidelines and let the people get bullied by The Sheriff. Pretty much exactly how you want Friar Tuck to be.

I actually really liked Maid Marian, even if in designing her the animators went the Minnie Mouse route and just copied Robin Hood’s design only with long eyelashes and a dress. But honestly, it actually kind of works here, especially since the two seem to have very similar personalities. True, Marian is more humble than Robin but she still has this great sense of altruism and loves to show people she cares on a personal level. There’s this great scene where she meets the little kid who Robin visited on his birthday and actually lets him play out his own Robin Hood fantasy, complete with a kiss from the real Maid Marian. It was so sweet. It reminded me a lot of this one time when I was a kid and his big tough guy from my brother’s wrestling team let me think I beat him in a match, good stuff. I actually really enjoyed how Marian and Robin had a pre-existing relationship, which is a good way to get around the whole forced Disney romance trope. When Robin says I love you to Marian, it feels genuine and earned and they actually make this really sweet couple. At her side Marian has her faithful lady in waiting Lady Kluck, who’s also a lot of fun, sweet with the kids, adorable when dancing with Little John and possessing skills that would but Rob Gronkowski to shame on the football field.

Songs:

I absolutely love this film’s soundtrack. The songs in this film are primarily handled by folk singer Roger Miller who actually plays a character within the film, Alan-A-Dale the minstrel, who also serves as the film’s narrator. Much like how you wouldn’t think Bing Crosby would be great fit for a ghost story but surprisingly worked in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, such is the case here where you’d think country/folk music would feel out of place in a Robin Hood film and yet surprisingly fits the tone of the film really well. Far and away my favorite song in the film is the song called “Oo-De-Lally.” I still don’t know what Oo-De-Lally means, but the song is really nice and has a pretty relaxed tone. It’s one I find myself whistling all the time. The rest of the songs are pretty catchy too, even if the opening credits song was bastardized into the Hamster Dance. I actually really enjoyed the Phony King of England song. Not only is it really catchy, I also appreciate that even the other villains seem to enjoy the song that shits all over Prince John and Hiss and The Sheriff singing it together usually gets a good laugh out of me.

Memorable Scenes:

Despite the relaxed tone created by the film’s soundtrack, the film has its fair share of pretty intense and exciting action scenes. The archery contest and the subsequent huge battle is a total blast. I love Robin overacting in his stork disguise and I love that he can’t help but show off. The chaos that ensues when Robin is discovered is amazing. There’s sword fighting, arrows flying, towers coming down, pies getting thrown in faces, snakes getting shit-faced and just about everything else you can think of. My favorite part in this entire chaotic scene is how Robin proposes to Marian and the two make their wedding and honeymoon plans all while fighting for their lives. I may never know, but I’d like to think that this scene inspired the scene in Pirates of the Caribbean where Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan get married amidst an intense sword fight.

Speaking of epic action scenes, the film actually has a pretty solid climax. I like that it starts off as a quiet and stealthy heist but then once the jig is up, all hell breaks loose. Guards shoot their arrows, Prince John’s Bed nearly falls out of the window, Robin battles the Sheriff, the castle get set on fire and there’s even this one intense bit where the baby rabbit barely manages to escape. It’s awesome, just like the rest of this movie.

Story:

As I said at the top, you all know the story of Robin Hood. An altruistic and heroic outlaw who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. It’s a great and timeless story and this is just one of many retellings of that classic tale. Is it the best? Who’s to say? It’s certainly one of my favorites but which Robin Hood tale prefer will vary with your personal preference. Personally though, if you are looking to expose a young child to the story of Robin Hood, this is a great place to start. After they get a little older, then you can show them Robin Hood Men In Tights.

The Dark Disney Factor:

I don’t know this ever bothered anyone else, but as a child, there was this executioner rhino who used to scare the hell out of me. Hell, he kind of still does. He shows up right after Robin is exposed at the Archery Contest and Prince John calls for Robin’s immediate execution. I honestly think it’s his evil looking red eyes and slow silent approach that always took me off guard. The rest of the dark stuff in the film is more implied than anything else, be it hanging, decapitation or children thrown in the dungeon. It’s not exactly the heaviest on the Dark Disney Factor, but it still has its fair share of it.

Final Thoughts:

This is a phenomenal movie and one of Disney’s most underrated classics. The characters are all great, the songs are fun, the action is intense, the animation is beautiful, this movie has it all. It’s a film I watch all the time just because it makes me happy and if you have not seen it, you’re seriously missing out. So, after much deliberation, I’ve decided not to cover the next film in the animated Disney Canon, Winnie the Pooh. Why? Because Winnie the Pooh is a perfect, wholesome and timeless character. What exactly can I be expected to add to that? In any case join me next time when Deep Dive Disney looks at The Rescuers.