From Amazon.com
A minor classic from Disney, this 1973 all-animal, all-animated musical version of the familiar story is more charming than one might expect. Perhaps it's the warm, chummy take on key relationships within the legend--the way Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) gets twitterpated whenever the subject of Maid Marian (Monica Evans) comes up or the way best pal Little John (Phil Harris voicing a variation on his own Baloo from
The Jungle Book) admonishes the Sherwood Forest hero, "Aw, Rob, why dontcha just marry the girl?" (Then, of course, there's the canny "casting" of the romantic leads as foxes: Robin the sly one and Marian the, well, foxy one.) The rest of the vocal cast is lively and eclectic: Peter Ustinov, Andy Devine, Terry-Thomas, George Lindsey. Roger Miller provides the songs and voice for the minstrel character Allan-A-Dale. The film is ably directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, whose decades of work in Disney's animation division helped create the studio's rich legacy.
--Tom Keogh
Review
From the swashbuckling idols of Douglass Fairbanks and Errol Flynn to the gritty antiheroes of Sean Connery and Kevin Costner, Robin Hood has undergone several transformations throughout the history of live-action film. Yet, none of them are as enjoyable, or as handsome, as Disney's crimson fox in this much-loved cartoon feature. Director Wolfgang Reitherman and Disney animators create a fantastical animal world where each species' traits appear to coincide seamlessly with the well-known characteristics of Nottingham's inhabitants. The voice work is performed with bravado, especially Peter Ustinov, Terry Thomas, and Pat Buttram's contributions as the film's villains, Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff of Nottingham. The musical numbers are an eclectic mix of folk, country, and children's rhyme that is not without a period flair: According to Disney historians, songwriter George Bruns went to great lengths to incorporate medieval instruments like the harpsichord and mandolin into the tunes. Furthermore, the film's quick and lively pace, combined with a short screening time, make Robin Hood a fun and painless watch, even for those with an aversion to cartoons. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide
DVD ~ Wolfgang Reitherman
DVD ~ Ted Berman
DVD ~ Clyde Geronimi
DVD ~ Wolfgang Reitherman
DVD ~ Samuel Armstrong
