Robin Hood

Like Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood is one of those enduring heroes driven by a sense of justice and a dedication to righting injustice in our world, a world that seems to work with an occult sense of balance. However the universe works, it’s not the one we would have chosen—at least in terms of fairness—a condition that has led to endless questioning about good and evil. Likewise, Robin Hood keeps swinging on to the stage.

Unlike Holmes, Robin Hood’s actions are not mediated by complex thought and deduction. His philosophy is simply stated and enforced. He steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Given that the rich seem to be having a grand old time recently stealing from the middle class if not the poor, it’s not surprising that the green-clad archer is appearing at your local theater.

I haven’t been to see the movie but, being in bed with a cold for the past few weeks, I’ve been watching a lot of dvds. What could be better for a cold than watching attractive young men in tight pants shooting arrows with vibrating accuracy?

I started out with the most recent series, the BBC production. “Robin Hood,” with Jonas Armstrong, who played Robin as a thrill seeker with a distaste for killing, a really cute northern English accent and enough sass to appeal to an American. For comparison, I’ve been watching the 1984 series, “Robin of Sherwood,” with Michael Praed.

Labeled the “definitive retelling” by their advertising department, this more noir series features lots of smoky mists and shadowy faces, sorcerers who are Satan worshippers, benign pagan types with fur and antlers, and men with buckets over their heads and red crosses on their shields.

Over the years, it seems not much has changed with the guys, who remain swashbuckling pure-of-heart types or evil, sadistic types.  Except for his pellucid blue eyes, Richard Armitage seems destined to take over Alan Rickman’s niche in the future as the baddie in black leather. Disturbingly, everyone (except Djak) seems to have pellucid blue eyes in the 2006-9 series.

Maria(o)n, on the other hand, has changed mucho. A willowy redhead with lots of curls in “Robin of Sherwood,” Judi Trott’s attempts to be one of the guys seem misguided at best and, fortunately, her onscreen fights are minimal in length as well as frequency.

The Marian of “Robin Hood” is a sturdier sort. Dressed inappropriately in pants with long tunics (and transparent lingerie in a scene with Guy and Marian’s father), Lucy Griffiths makes a more convincing outlaw in her disguise as the Night Watchman. She doesn’t join the guys in Sherwood Forest, which makes a lot more sense, even given her more athletic and substantial build. And even though that’s another of the many deviations from the original story.

As the Sheriff points out in “Robin of Sherwood,” six men and one woman (committed to only one man) is a recipe for betrayal. Especially given the testosterone-driven brawling nature of Robin’s men. Any wonder they want to make pincushions out of the local constabulary?

I’ve read that Cate Blanchett has given Marion even more of a fighting personality, calling on her innate, strapping young Ozzie athleticism.

Meanwhile, I’m back to admiring from afar the stitching on Armstrong’s britches. And his pellucid blue eyes.

42 thoughts on “Robin Hood”

  2. I never knew what had driven Robin Hood to pursue his trade.
    Apparently he traveled the continent and spent some of his time in ancient Greece. It was there that he learned about democracy and a fairer distribution of wealth, and due to that he returned to England to become the terrorist that was his legend.
    Cool guy if you ask me, and I admire him in vowing Cate Blanchett.

    Hope your cold gets better Jaime.

  4. christinaosborne :

    More like revisionist nonsense.

    Probably, but it has lasted in various forms and is still with us today. I love the legend and so do many. Long live Robin of Loxley and down with the Sheriff of Nottingham!

  5. It’s all revisionist, Christina. That’s what icons and legends do: they provide us with vessels to fill with our own wants and needs. Otherwise they crumble quickly in the trash bins of disinterest.

    So who is your favorite Robin, Araminta? I have yet to see the Kevin Costner film, but he’s an eyebrow lifting athlete so that should be fun.

  8. Enjoy it for what is is Jaime, and suspend belief. Kevin has this effect on me, I’m afraid. It loved it, but let me know what you think. 🙂

  9. “I haven’t been to see the movie, but being in bed with a cold for the past few weeks, I’ve been watching a lot of dvds.”

    !!!

    ???

    And another thing. By all accounts Robin Hood was in the same league as the likes of Dick Turpin and Billy the Kid – historically thoughoughly nasty and self-serving pieces of work elevated to folk hero status by popular ignorance.

    OZ

  12. Not sure about the !!! and ??? OZ, but I think we’re talking legend here not history. Not that history isn’t made up as well. Depends on who’s writing the history. Oddly, the question of self-serving comes up a lot in the 2006-9 Robin Hood. It’s a question that Marian always poses. Though the character as they develop him is more of a callow, thrill seeking youth with naive but worthwhile ideals.

    Speaking of history, fiction and legend, I’m listening to La Traviata, Verdi’s adaptation of Dumas’ fictionalization of his failed love affair with Marie Duplessis, La Dame aux Camelias.

    Slowly, very slowly, I’m getting better. Viruses these days are wicked! Unlike Violetta’s tuberculosis, though, and I’m guessing this virus won’t doom me.

  13. Jaime – The !!! and the ??? referred to my highlighted “being in bed with a cold for the past few weeks”. Are you a man, in which case man-flu (which a common cold may well be) is the only acceptable reason for taking to bed, or….

    🙂

    OZ

  16. Oops! There goes my chance of winning “Creative Writing” this month.

    🙂

    OZ

  23. Soooo, Jaime. As a self-confessed woman, for exactly how long have you been in bed with man-flu, and why?

    Smiley thing.

    OZ

  25. OZ, How long? Off and on for three weeks. Why? Hey, it gives me a good excuse to watch pretty boys in leggings, cavorting about and doing manly things. I may be sick for another month…

    Thanks, Araminta!

  26. Sorry to take so long getting back to you. I had to take a nap. Being sick is tiring…

  27. Oh God. How did you know Jaime? You’ve been polishing that crystal ball?? But, but the sky has been blue and I got an offer I couldn’t refuse yesterday and today… well…I made up the best excuse to get out on the bike again. But I will have a go. Honest.

    My favourite Sheriff of Nottingham was Alan Rickman, hamming it up most attractively.

    Sorry to hear you are sick, Jaime. Get well soon 🙂

  28. Araminta hon, (fab name btw) , that is the song that makes my curls toe! I dislike that song more than life itself and the way that it dominated the charts for what felt like years, was just horrible. I also think that Kevin Costner is the smuggest thing to have ever come out of Hollywood and the fact that most of his subsequent films flopped suits me down to the ground!

    I think that Robin Hood is a generational thing on tv, bit like Dr Who-depends on which one is relevant to your generation-I remember the Praed years, with a great smile on my face, but then I liked Sean Connery in the same role. I may be one of the only ones to like the most recent series, but have to admit that Richard Armitage and Keith Allen make it for me, as the ‘baddies’. Wouldn’t kick Jonas out of bed either!

    From what I have heard, if you like Braveheart, then you will love this film, as Gladiator Russel Crow’s aaccent is about as convinving as Mel Gibson’s was in that. I, personally am a bit scared to watch it as I feel that I may like it too much. I love a man in tights, especially if they talk properly, which I doubt Crow will do, but I can get carried away with the romance of the thing.
    xxxx

  29. Agree about Keith Allen, Kate. Brilliantly wicked and evil. Less panto than Alan Rickman but I always like a bit of extra ham. 🙂

  30. Yikes Kate; we will have to agree to disagree here. I love Kev and I even love his most expensive over budget flops. Is this a generation thing; or am I seriously weird?

  31. The much adored Dances with Wolves, is almost the biggest waste of time in my life. He became soo pretentious after that that I am sure he has to have an entourage of people help him carry his head around! I do agree to disagree here, as you have been so sweet to me since I got here, so welcoming 🙂

    I seriously worry which generation that I come from. I could post several blogs about where women stand and my view on the differences about life-and I am very old fashioned in my opinion, but, on the other hand, I can still very much relate to my eldest daughter and all her friends-aparently I am cool-go figure, so I have no idea where I stand.

    Actually, I will blog this now and see what comes of it.

    xxxx

  34. Count me in on Keith Allen and Richard Armitage, though the latter is a little soft, which adds complexity, I suppose, as the best of the baddies. Keith Allen is brilliant, and his sexual ambiguity is an inspired twist. His whispered cheek to jowl tête-a-têtes with Guy are transfixing. Ditto Jonas, Kate.

    Don’t think it’s a generational thing, Araminta, just individual taste.

  39. Araminta hon, what is a little Kevin Costner amongst ‘friends’ 😉
    xxx

  40. Russell Crowe is said to speak Yarkshire/North Notts English like a Dubliner. OK, he’s a Kiwi, so make allowances. He lost his rag when so challenged by a TV interviewer. Who’s to say Robin didn’t have a touch of the tinker in him anyway?

  41. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film of Robin Hood all the way through – and after Russell Crowe’s arrogance in R4 interview with Mark Lawson, I won’t be keen to go this one either.

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