The Unexpected Emotional Complexity of Disney’s Robin Hood (1973)

When it was first released in 1973, Disney’s Robin Hood received a bit of a lukewarm reception. It just didn’t seem to have the same magic that critics and audiences associated with the preceding golden ages, and even today Rotten Tomatoes continues the lukewarm reviewing with its summary: “One of the weaker Disney adaptations, Robin Hood is cute and colorful but lacks the majesty and excitement of the studio’s earlier efforts.”

However, it has slowly gained respect, both among critics and, even more importantly, among fans of Disney. It’s now recognized by many as a classic in its own right. In my opinion, it’s actually rather nice to see the ways in which those films produced during the slump of the 1970s and 1980s have at last began to get some of the respect that I, for one, have long felt that they deserved.

Indeed, there’s actually quite a lot to love about this little gem. First of all, there’s the cast. While it might seem rather strange to cast American actors in the role of British characters, for some reason it seems to work. Who, after all, doesn’t simply love the western twang of such brilliant character actors as Pat Buttram (who plays the mendacious Sheriff of Nottingham), Andy Devine (who plays the blustering but generous Friar Tuck), Roger Miller (as the rooster bard Alan-a-Dale), and George…