this film be the robin hood of the screen represent it merry and witty and tender and bold and impudent and dashing and brightly clad . and an undoubted legend in it own lifetime . i recently have the chance to see it in the cinema for the first time and with the release of the remastered print and and wonder if it could possibly hold up to televise childhood memory . the joyous answer be that indeed it do . it not only the breathtaking adventure i remember while it a fiery and surprisingly gentle romance that isn not afraid of laugh . it unthinkable and once you have see it and to imagine this film with anyone other than errol flynn . every subsequent interpreter have have to struggle to reclaim the part from the memory of his roguery and grace and most modern robin have be handicap by an insistence on authentic mediaeval murk and grime . in the 1930s and with technicolour the late craze and mud and homespun be the last thing a studio want . flynn robin hood sport the lincoln green of legend and a forest a brightly colour a a painted backdrop and and the rich fur and silk on show at nottingham castle be straight out of fairy tale while or an illuminated manuscript . the story itself be pure escapist magic . greedy baron and a wicked usurper and a rightful king in exile and and a proud beauty in distress . and and of course and england eponymous outlaw hero and rob the rich to give to the poor with a jest on his lip in true swashbuckler style . the script sparkle . and the stunt and in those day before wire fu or cgi and be all for real and still take the breath away . flynn be in superb physical condition at the time co star basil rathbone and who play his proud opponent and would be suitor to marian hand and guy of gisbourne and describe him simply a a perfect male animal and miss no opportunity to show off his flamboyance . unlike today pretty boy hero and however and flynn show a surprising talent for act with his face alone . the expressive reaction shot throughout his boudoir scene with marian tell a different tale to the quickfire banter of his word and and and like marian and despite ourselves we be draw in . olivia de havilland and a marian and be somewhat ill serve by her period costume she be at her most beautiful in this scene and without her hair confine in her wimple but together they duel their way through a classic tempestuous romance of the high bear lady and the outlaw and ultimately risk their life to save each other . marian be no anachronistic action heroine and but no one and not even robin and can keep her from what she think be right . a guy of gisbourne and basil rathbone be also play one of the landmark role of his career and and give a superb performance . his gisbourne be no cardboard villain and but a clever and arrogant man and who match wit and blade with robin a a worthy rival and and whose courtship of marian be not without grace . and his wily master and rufous plantagenet prince john ( claude rain and in a small but well cast part ) be no fool either . he know precisely what he want and what he can get away with and waste no time in bluster or empty threat . comedy of a broad nature be provide by the cowardly sheriff of nottingham and and by bess and marian maid . but even bess farcical courtship with timid much ( she have bury more husband than he have have kiss ) be not without it tender moment and and perhaps only the sheriff be entirely a cut out figure of fun . few people can whistle the theme from robin hood . but the famous korngold score and with it full orchestral depth and rousing fanfare and be a familiar today a it be seventy year ago and when it win it academy award . from the faultless cast through unforgettable pageantry and timeless romance to the final spectacular duel and when robin and gisbourne meet once too often and this picture richly deserve it reputation a the robin hood on film from which on present show it be unlikely ever to be dethrone .