The Prince of Thieves (1948) Reviewed

The Prince of Thieves (1948), based vaguely on Alexandre Dumas' Le Prince des voleurs, begins with a jolly outing by Sir Allan Claire (Michael Duane) and his sister, Lady Marian Claire (Patricia Morison), which is rudely interrupted by an assassination attempt by an anonymous bowman (I. Stanford Jolley). Luckily for the plot, Robin Hood (Jon Hall) just happens to be in the vicinity and is soon drawn into it. Hall's Robin Hood has the charm and bravado of a middle manager, which is apparently enough to lead a band of half-lucid merry layabouts. Sir Allan was promised the hand of Lady Christabel (Adele Jergens), but she is now a prisoner being forced to marry a villainous nobleman who is a supporter of King John. Naturally, Robin agrees to help Sir Allan win her hand, which results in a breakneck series of battles, jailbreaks, rescues, and predictable cheers upon any mention of "Good King Richard."

Filmed, ironically, in Cinecolor, a technique infamous for its inability to accurately render the color green, The Prince of Thieves is dazzling only in the vividness of its earth tones, which may be appropriate for a film that has more in common with a western than an English folktale. A handful of British actors lend a hint of legitimacy, but the American cast does little to dispel the pervading artificiality. The acting and writing are equally uninspired, the directing and fight choreography are equally clumsy, the music is bland (and usually mismatched to the scenes), and the humor is stale. This film has nothing to recommend it except, perhaps, to completionist fans of Alan Mowbray, who is adequate as Friar Tuck.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Poor
Acting: Poor
Cinematography: Mediocre
Stunts: Mediocre
Swordplay: Poor
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Poor
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre

Written by: Charles H. Schneer and Maurice Tombragel
Based on: Le Prince des voleurs by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Howard Bretherton
Performed by: Jon Hall, Patricia Morison, Adele Jergens, Alan Mowbray, Michael Duane, H.B. Warner, Lowell Gilmore, Gavin Muir, I. Stanford Jolley, et al.