Just watched Basil Rathbone the other night in Love from a Stranger. He's so good at being bad. I didn't know he was such an adept swordsman. Definitely time for a 1938 Robin Hood rewatch.
For the Hall of Memorable Turns of Phrase: George MacDonald Fraser described Prince John in this film as "all silky villainy" and Sir Guy as "like a great black cat."
This is one of my top 10 films. The music, the swagger, the tights! Over the years I have watched this so many times but my two most memorable viewing were: Edinburgh Filmhouse and one of the few adults sharing a cinema with a couple of (mainly) boys birthday parties! Fabulous - the shouting, the cheering and the righteous indignation at Robin's arrest. The second was with my partner's children. They got up and left so I was bereft but .. they came back with a hobby horse and cloaks so that they too could ride a horse like Maid Marion.
Curiously, I find the bit when Good King Richard takes off his cloak to reveal the Three Lions of England rather moving. Or at least, it brings a lump to my throat. With Korngold’s stirring music. Then, underneath, I’m a big softie.
Well does stir up the emotions doesn't it - injustice, poverty, weak ruthless rulers( let's not go there!)? So when a symbol of pure power, dare I say, benevolent power reveals itself, I think it's a mix of relief, belief in goodness and perhaps pride that moves us.
Did you know that James Cagney was slated for the main role? That would be a different film altogether.
This morning I got up at 4:30 (long story) and having nothing to do, I watched the film again, and again, I enjoyed it tremendously. It's top-notch entertainment, like Richard Fleischer's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and Henry Levin's "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
By the way, after watching "A Scandal in Bohemia," I agree with you that Basil Rathbone is the definitive Sherlock Holmes.
Yes. It's magnificent! re Holmes, we're currently watching the entire Brett Sherlock Holmes series, one by one. It's a brilliant, gripping production- and they get better and better. Lovely supporting cast, too- which I should have emphasised. I like Jeremy Brett, who is of course, terrific- but he's uber theatrical, even camp- was Conan Doyle's original creation like that? Not really a criticism, more an observation. Basil Rathbone's Holmes is, of course, deadly serious. But he has an authority.
I hear that the Warner transfer to DVD/Blu-Ray has taken it back to the original rich saturated colour- as it was when it first came out. I need to upgrade to Blu-ray...
Great fun. For a moment I thought you might have plumped for one of the alternative, subsequent versions of Robin Hood... But nothing beats Errol Flynn on top form! And ah yes, that luscious techicolor!
Good old Razzle Bathbone!
Just watched Basil Rathbone the other night in Love from a Stranger. He's so good at being bad. I didn't know he was such an adept swordsman. Definitely time for a 1938 Robin Hood rewatch.
Yup. One of the best. 'The finest swordsman in Hollywood'.
Haven't seen it for decades but now I want to.
For the Hall of Memorable Turns of Phrase: George MacDonald Fraser described Prince John in this film as "all silky villainy" and Sir Guy as "like a great black cat."
You've already got the Korngold theme going in my head again!
This is one of my top 10 films. The music, the swagger, the tights! Over the years I have watched this so many times but my two most memorable viewing were: Edinburgh Filmhouse and one of the few adults sharing a cinema with a couple of (mainly) boys birthday parties! Fabulous - the shouting, the cheering and the righteous indignation at Robin's arrest. The second was with my partner's children. They got up and left so I was bereft but .. they came back with a hobby horse and cloaks so that they too could ride a horse like Maid Marion.
This is also one of fav "foodie" films!
Curiously, I find the bit when Good King Richard takes off his cloak to reveal the Three Lions of England rather moving. Or at least, it brings a lump to my throat. With Korngold’s stirring music. Then, underneath, I’m a big softie.
Well does stir up the emotions doesn't it - injustice, poverty, weak ruthless rulers( let's not go there!)? So when a symbol of pure power, dare I say, benevolent power reveals itself, I think it's a mix of relief, belief in goodness and perhaps pride that moves us.
Did you know that James Cagney was slated for the main role? That would be a different film altogether.
This morning I got up at 4:30 (long story) and having nothing to do, I watched the film again, and again, I enjoyed it tremendously. It's top-notch entertainment, like Richard Fleischer's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and Henry Levin's "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
By the way, after watching "A Scandal in Bohemia," I agree with you that Basil Rathbone is the definitive Sherlock Holmes.
Yes. It's magnificent! re Holmes, we're currently watching the entire Brett Sherlock Holmes series, one by one. It's a brilliant, gripping production- and they get better and better. Lovely supporting cast, too- which I should have emphasised. I like Jeremy Brett, who is of course, terrific- but he's uber theatrical, even camp- was Conan Doyle's original creation like that? Not really a criticism, more an observation. Basil Rathbone's Holmes is, of course, deadly serious. But he has an authority.
Dig Rathbone and his telegraphing of how good it can be to be bad.
Yes, that duel!
Makes me wonder what it must have felt like to see that color in the movie theatre...
I hear that the Warner transfer to DVD/Blu-Ray has taken it back to the original rich saturated colour- as it was when it first came out. I need to upgrade to Blu-ray...
Splendid stuff, Luke.
Seems a trifle ungallant to correct you but it was Richard 1st 'Lionheart' not 'Crookback' Richard 3rd who returned from the Crusades
What a stupid mistake my end! But of course. Silly me. Correcting now.
Great fun. For a moment I thought you might have plumped for one of the alternative, subsequent versions of Robin Hood... But nothing beats Errol Flynn on top form! And ah yes, that luscious techicolor!
It's a magnificent film. It HAS to be THE Robin Hood, surely?
My favorite Errol Flynn film. :)