The Adventures of Robin Hood at Stockport Plaza
Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor
Catch controversial lothario Errol Flynn at his swashbuckling best in this early Technicolor classic at Stockport Plaza this May. Featuring an array of Hollywood stars, Flynn plays Robin Hood opposite Olivia de Havilland’s Maid Marian, as he takes on Basil Rathbone’s Sir Guy of Gisbourne and Claude Rains’ Prince John. That bright and beautiful cast, combined with lavish production design, copious amounts of stuntmen and the still new three-strip Technicolor process, contributed towards The Adventures of Robin Hood becoming the most expensive film that Warner Brothers had produced upon release in 1938.
The investment paid off though, and the films brisk, charming manner was a smash hit with audiences who responded to Robin’s robbing from the rich to feed the poor. Set pieces such as outlaw’s meeting with Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette) and a closer-than-close archery competition endure and entertain to this day, ensuring that The Adventures of Robin Hood remains a perfect introduction to classic cinema.
