Robin Hood (Richard Greene) and his gang, who loiter in Sherwood Forest, find a dying man escaping from the Sheriff’s guards. He holds a clue to an evil conspiracy and The Sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Cushing) will do anything to keep it a secret. Well, for awhile he will. Then he goes off to do other things while Robin shoots at targets for fifteen minutes. Eventually, Robin and some other characters the viewer will hardly know must make a stand against some traitorous nobles, most of whom have had little screen time till then. Yeah, that’s the way to raise tension.
Richard Greene had a successful run as Robin on a British TV series, so Hammer Films, generally known for horror, put him into a big screen treatment and filled out the cast with Hammer regulars. The result might have been acceptable as a 45 minute episode of an ongoing show seen on a twelve inch black & white screen with occasional breaks to advertise Ovaltine, but it makes for a sad feature. A few commercials for chocolaty beverages might be what’s missing. It also might be talent, excitement, and a plot.
Greene plays Robin Hood as a guy from 1959 who wandered in off the street and put on a pair of tights. The standard ’50s haircut doesn’t help, nor does his absence of charisma. But it is unfair to blame this drab little picture on him. He’s given nothing to work with. I would be shocked to learn that the script was finished before shooting began. The movie starts with a story about a secret held by a fatally wounded mystery man, and then drops that in favor of Robin proving his archery skill to a noble he randomly runs into. It’s handy that the noble happens to be an important figure in the third act.
Sword of Sherwood Forest may be the only Robin Hood movie where Robin is irrelevant. A quick re-write could have removed him from the film. The conflict is between a group of nobles and the Chancellor of England (who fences so Robin isn’t needed to do the required swashing and buckling). The Sheriff of Nottingham isn’t even after Robin. As for all that helping the poor stuff—scrap it. This Robin doesn’t seem to know anyone outside of the forest. Maid Marian spends her time trying to help the poor widow of a merry man, but that’s all the philanthropy on display.
You may find some entertainment in Oliver Reed’s portrayal of a stereotypically flaming henchman. Or you might be offended by it. Either way, it’s the only thing you’ll remember from this long eighty minute excursion into ineptitude.
Other Robin Hood Swashbucklers I’ve reviewed: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946), Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950), Robin and Marian (1976), Robin Hood (1991), and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).