This is a film I have heard about but always found it difficult to get hold of – not sure why. However that was put right and I have just seen the film – and was not dis-appointed.
Director Howard Bretherton’s 1948 Columbia Pictures’ Robin Hood’ is a good adventure film
Jon Hall stars as Robin Hood, who ensures that the Lady Christabel (Adele Jergens) marries the Saxon noble Sir Allan Claire (Michael Duane) and not the Baron Tristram (Gavin Muir).
King Richard is away at the Crusades and there is crucial court intrigue in his absence.
Alan Mowbray plays Friar Tuck and Patricia Morison is a pleasing Maid Marian
The actors are all good and seem to enjoy their roles with the Cinecolor photography of considerable help. It was the film’s main attraction – but apparently I am told this process could not reproduce the colour green.
However I have just watched the film and I felt that the colour was really good and enhanced the film
Also in the cast are H B Warner just after his most famous role as Mr Gower in Its a Wonderful Life. He was superb in than classic film.
The stunt work in Prince of Thieves is taken on by Jock Mahoney, who later played The Range Rider on Television.
The film was shot re-using many of the sets left over from Columbia Pictures’ 1945 The Bandit of Sherwood Forest and at Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California.
Sam Katzman managed to secure the huge budget of $400,000, including $100,000 for cast, and cash for the all-important colour.
Scenes from very early in the film ABOVE and BELOW
Filmed in Cinecolor – which I thought very good.
Jon Hall in good form as Robin Hood
I have put in the scene BELOW of the Lake where the two leading ladies swim later in the film to show the Cinecolor print
Some Action Scenes
More action
ABOVE – Robin marries Lady Marian and Lady Christabel (Adele Jergens) marries the Saxon noble Sir Allan Claire (Michael Duane)
At the end of the film riders gallop into the town where the wedding have taken place
More Scenes from the film BELOW – In Cinecolor
More Scenes from the film – In Cinecolor
Robin chats to Lady Marian – Patricia Morison
And demonstrates the bow he uses
Lady Marian ( Patricia Morison) and Lady Christabel (Adele Jergens) swim in the beautiful blue waters of the lake
Lady Marian ( Patricia Morison) and Lady Christabel (Adele Jergens) prepare for the wedding BELOW
However Robin and his men arrive and the wedding goes ahead – with a difference this time though
A sword fight ensues
ABOVE – A lovely colour scene of the town – the Cinecolor here looks so good.
Cinecolor was a cheapo two colour process…red and blue if I remember correctly. Technicolor was a three colour process…red blue and green, the primary colours, and was far more expensive that Cinecolor.
I am sure that is true David. However I have to say that ‘Prince of Thieves’ looked very good in Cinecolor – in fact the colour was quite impressive. When we saw the large lake though it did look a really bright blue – much like the famous Blue Pool Nr Wareham in Dorset which is naturally coloured that way due to the clay. In fact it reminded me of that. This film like all Hollywood Robin Hood films, does not get Sherwood Forest right – the one that did – made in England – was ‘The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men’ with Richard Todd and Joan Rice in 1952 filmed at Burnham Beeches. Thanks for your comments.
Yes, as with most American Robin Hood films, shot at the Corrigan or Iverson ranches in California, where numerous Westerns were filmed, the landscape was about as far away from England as you could get, while the Walt Disney version was actually filmed in what was then left of Sherwood Forest and at Burnham Beeches and looked far more authentic.