The Son of Robin Hood (1958) is a semi-romantic, semi-comedic, semi-dramatic, semi-adventurous romp through a setting reminiscent of many other faux medieval sets that were all the rage in the 1950s.
When the late Robin Hood's band of merry men discover a plot to usurp the throne of England by the ruthless Des Roches (David Farrar), they send an urgent message to Robin's only descendant, who resides in Spain. They are heartened by the reply and eagerly await the arrival of Robin Hood's son to lead them to victory. Alas, Robin Hood had no son, and it is his daughter, Deering Hood (June Laverick), who answers their call. This will not do according to Little John (George Woodbridge), for surely the merry men would never accept a woman to lead them even if she is the daughter of Robin Hood and can shoot as well as or better than he. Enter Jamie (David Hedison), with whom Deering had an encounter when she first landed. Jamie already has an axe to grind with the villains as they have imprisoned his elder brother, and it is decided that he will assume the name of Deering and pretend to be the son of Robin Hood. The real Deering may tag along.
With Jamie pretending to be Deering and Deering pretending to be his page, and eventually Jamie pretending to be Deering pretending to be a French nobleman and Deering pretending to be his page pretending to be a French noblewoman, the film devolves into a poor imitation of the Doris Day and Rock Hudson school of romantic comedy.
The spirit of Robin Hood is a faint echo in this tawdry pantomime that fails to render history or legendry with any accuracy or sense of adventure. It fails in every regard except possibly cinematography, but since it was filmed in Cinemascope and I can only find it in the wrong aspect ratio, I shall refrain from judging it in that category. Perhaps someday, if I can watch it in its original aspect ratio, I'll revisit this review, but for now the sentence is banishment.
Writing: PoorDirecting: Poor/Mediocre
Acting: Mediocre
Cinematography: n/a
Stunts: Poor
Swordplay: Poor
Panache: Mediocre
Overall Rating: Poor
Swashbuckling Rank: Poor
Written by: George George and George Slavin
Directed by: George Sherman
Performed by: David Hedison (as Al Hedison), June Laverick, David Farrar, Marius Goring, Philip Friend, Delphi Lawrence, George Coulouris, George Woodbridge, et al.
