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Miss Robin Hood

Miss Robin Hood is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Guillermin,[1] and starring Margaret Rutherford and Richard Hearne. Other actors involved include Dora Bryan, James Robertson Justice, Peter Jones, Sid James, Reg Varney, Kenneth Connor and Michael Medwin. The film features a variety of unusual camera work such as unexpected extreme close-ups and fast motion sequences.

Miss Robin Hood
Margaret Rutherford
Directed byJohn Guillermin
Written byVal Valentine
dialogue
Patrick Campbell
treatment
Geoffrey Orme
Story byReed de Rouen
Produced byDonald B. Wilson
executive
John Grierson
StarringMargaret Rutherford
Richard Hearne
James Robertson Justice
CinematographyArthur Grant
Edited byManuel del Campo
Music byTemple Abady
Production
company
Distributed byAssociated British Film Distributors
Release date
  • November 1952 (1952-11)
Running time
76 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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A writer named Wrigley (Richard Hearne) creates a comic strip character named Miss Robin Hood for a children's story paper. It is a modernized retelling of the Robin Hood legend in which the heroine robs banks with the assistance of a gang of teenage girls and then redistributes the money.

Unfortunately the cartoon is dropped from the paper, and Wrigley leaves his job. However, Miss Honey (Margaret Rutherford), who is director of a home for the orphans of London in Hampstead, recruits Wrigley to carry out a little light safebreaking, believing that he has such skills because he created Miss Robin Hood. Difficulties arise when Scotland Yard becomes involved.

Cast

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Production

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Disney were making The Story of Robin Hood and were reportedly unhappy that the Group 3 Film could be confused with theirs.[2] Filming took place in June 1952.[3]

Critical reception

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The Monthly Film Bulletin called it "a haphazard mixture of farce and fantasy... this slapdash and undergraduatish piece."[4]

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote, "Even with stalwart Margaret Rutherford playing the principal role—that of a good-natured looney—in this utterly slap-happy film, and even with several cheering flashes of tomfoolery to light the way, the whole thing is just a bit too labored—too fatuous—to be continuous fun."[5]

Graeme Clark of the website The Spinning Image wrote, "It's all very fluffy and inconsequential, but with Patrick Campbell contributing to the script and this array of talent in front of the camera, vintage Brit comedy fans are well catered for."[6]

Filmink said "It has a decent enough central idea... but it doesn’t have enough faith in the idea, so all this other extraneous stuff is added."[7]

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References

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  1. ^ "Miss Robin Hood (1952) | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Don't miss it". The Sun. No. 2556. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1952. p. 34. Retrieved 26 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Round the British Studios Nepean, Edith. Picture Show; London Vol. 58, Iss. 1524, (Jun 14, 1952): 11.
  4. ^ MISS ROBIN HOOD Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 20, Iss. 228, (Jan 1, 1953): 21.
  5. ^ Crowther, Bosley (27 June 1953). "Movie Review - Miss Robin Hood - British Film, 'Miss Robin Hood,' With Margaret Rutherford Bows at the Beekman". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Miss Robin Hood Review (1952)". Thespinningimage.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  7. ^ Vagg, Stephen (17 November 2020). "John Guillermin: Action Man". Filmink.


 

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