The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is a 1938 action adventure starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland with Claude Rains, Basil Rathbone, Alan Hale.

Olivia de Havilland & Errol Flynn
as Maid Marion & Robin Hood

'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is set in 1191, after King Richard the Lion-Heart gave the Regency of his kingdom to his friend Longchamps, instead of his treacherous brother, Prince John. Robin of Loxely and his merry band rob from the rich to feed the poor.


Despite the many different film versions of Robin Hood, this is still considered to be the definitive version, and the best, with the dashing Errol Flynn here to save the day in the ultimate swashbuckler, in possibly his greatest role.


'The Adventures of Robin Hood' was very fortunate to have been filmed in glorious Technicolor. This was because Technicolor was very expensive in the 1930s, with the major studios making one or two Technicolor films each year, with the smaller studios not making any. During this time there were only 11 Technicolor cameras in existence, which were shared among each studio.

The Story of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'

In the early 1930s, Warner Bros. were renowned for producing gangster films. When the Hays Production Code came into effect in 1934, Warner Bros. sought to change this image by producing  swashbucklers. The film was almost cancelled due to 2 unforeseen issues...


The first issue... Screen legend James Cagney was initially intended to play Robin Hood, however Cagney walked away from Warner Bros. following a dispute, and was unable to appear in the film - Cagney returned to Warner Bros. 2 years later.


The second issue... MGM had secured the rights to a operetta version of 'Robin Hood', to star Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. The compromise made between Warner Bros. and MGM was that Warner would call their film 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', and MGM would not release their film of 'Robin Hood' until a year after.


Having successfully resolved the MGM issue, Warner began to search for a new leading man to play Robin Hood. Following their successful pairing in 'Captain Blood' and several other films, it was decided Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland would again be reunited as Robin Hood and Maid Marion.

Did you know...

The only scene where Olivia de Havilland appears
without wearing a headpiece

• David Niven had originally considered to play Will Scarlet
• Anita Louise was originally considered to play Maid Marion
• Guy Kibbee was originally considered to play Friar Tuck
• At the time of its release, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' was the most expensive Warner Bros. film made
• Olivia de Havilland's horse (called Golden Cloud) was later play Trigger, the horse used by Roy Rogers in his many films
• The extras appearing in the film were paid a daily salary and received a boxed lunch
• King Richard's castle was partially built on the Warner Bros. film lot, with a matte painting above
• All actors who were hit with an arrows wore special body suits under their clothing to absorb the arrow and prevent it from impaling their bodies
• The earliest known film of 'Robin Hood' was made in 1908
• The word Sherwood derives from "Shire of Wood"
• Some scenes without principal actors were directed by William Dieterle
• The scene in Maid Marion's bedroom is the only scene in the film where Olivia de Havilland is shown without wearing a headpiece
• During World War 2, this was the most popular film shown to armed forces
• The film was re-released in 1948 with a new promotional campaign, and then again in the mid 1950s
• In 1977, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' was the 5th most shown film on US TV, after 'Casablanca' (1942), 'King Kong' (1933), 'The Magnificent Seven' (1960) and 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941) 
• 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' was first shown on TV in colour during the late 1960s
• Alan Hale also played Little John in the 1928 film with Douglas Fairbanks, and in 'The Rogues of Sherwood Forrest'

Closing remarks

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn are perfectly cast in this film, as are Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone, the two ultimate villain actors playing the two ultimate villain characters.


'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is a very special film, and I have seen it so many times, yet never get sick of it. Even after all these years, the film does not look dates and there is still something within this film with the ability to entertain virtually anyone. I challenge anyone to watch this film, and not enjoy it.

Anthony Adverse (1936) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

Fredric March and Olivia de Havilland as
Anthony and Angela

Anthony Adverse is the 1935 epic costume drama starring Fredric March, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, Anita Louise,  Donald Woods, Edmund Gwenn, Gale Sondergaard, Akim Tamiroff, Louis Hayward, Pedro de Córdoba, Ralph Morgan, Henry O'Neill, Steffi Duna and Billy Mauch.


Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, the screenplay by Sheridan Gibney is based on the novel of the same name by Hervey Allen.


Two years in the making, Anthony Adverse is an unforgettable story featuring a cast of 5000, including 98 speaking characters (a very high number for the 1930s).






Watch the trailer:

An unforgettable story

'Anthony Adverse' is the story of Anthony Adverse (played by March), the illegitimate child of Maria Bonnyfeather (played by Louise) and Denis Moore. After Maria dies during childbirth, her cruel nobleman husband Marquis Don Luis (played by Rains) leaves the baby at a convent. 


When Anthony turns 10, by coincidence he becomes an apprentice for John Bonnyfeather (played by Gwynn), his real grandfather. After finding of his late daughters possessions with Anthony, and noticing Anthony's resemblance to Maria, John discovers Anthony is his real grandson, but decides to keep this secret from him.  

Louis Hayward as Denis Moore

As Anthony grows up he falls in love with the cook's daughter Angela Giuseppe (played by de Havilland), who he later marries. After the wedding, Anthony leaves for Havana to collect a debt for his grandfather.  Assuming Anthony has deserted her, Angela pursues a career as an opera singer.


Matters are complicated when his grandfather's wife, Faith Paleologus (played by Sondergaard) tries to steal Anthony's inheritance from him after his grandfather's death.

Did you know...

• This was Gale Sondergaard's first film
• The book 'Anthony Adverse' was actor Tony Curtis' favourite book - he even named himself Tony from the title character
• Gale Sondergaard was the first ever recipient of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this film
• Billy Mauch was cast in the film as young Anthony Adverse, due to his resemblance to Fredric March

Awards and nominations

• Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress (Gale Sondergaaard)
• Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography
• Academy Award winner for Best Film Editing
• Academy Award winner for Best Musical Scoring
• Academy Award nomination for Best Assistance Director
• Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction
• Academy Award nomination for Best Picture

Closing remarks

The trailer said "The event of the century" - not sure about the event of the century, but definitely the best I've seen from 1936. It is very long, but still a great story.  I am baffled this film is still yet to be released on DVD, considering it was such an achievement, and the supplementary material which already exists, such as the theatrical trailer and short film 'Anthony Adverse: The Making of a Great Motion Picture.'

Breakdowns of 1938 (1938)

"All right, I'll give you radio. Why, I'll produce the gosh damnedest blowouts for 1938."


Breakdowns of 1938 is a short Warner Bros. studio blooper reel featuring popular stars forgetting lines, muddling lines and having difficulties with props.


Blooper highlights include:

• Basil Rathbone trying on 17 different helmets (until he finds one which fits) during the filming of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938)
• Bette Davis struggling to get her bracelet off during 'That Certain Woman' (1938) - "Son of a bitch, it won't come off!"
• Bette Davis forgetting her line to Henry Fonda in 'Jezebel' (1938) - "Well, I'm a son of a bitch"
• Claude Rains forgetting his lines from 'White Banners' (1938)
• Claudette Colbert muddling up her lines from 'Tovarich' (1938)
• Errol Flynn and Eugene Pallette in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938)
• Humphrey Bogart forgetting his lines from 'Kid Galahad' (1938) - "I can't remember the line! God damn it!"
• Humphrey Bogart and Frank McHugh muddling lines from 'Swing Your Girl' (1938)
• Paul Muni forgetting his lines from 'The Life of Emile Zola' (1938)
• Ronald Reagan having trouble with a faulty prop gun in 'Love is on the Air' (1938) - "Well that goddamn thing locked up again!"

Other stars featured in this short film include Eddie Acuff, Katharine Alexander, Fay Bainter, Robert Barrat, Ralph Bellamy, George Brent, Sheila Bromley, Walter Connolly, Richard Cromwell, Glenda Farrell, Louise Fazenda, Dick Foran, Kay Francis, Margorie Gateson, Gregory Gaye, Edmund Goulding, Eddie Graham, Bonita Granville, Fernand Gravey, William Haade, Raymond Hatton, Hugh Herbert, Ian Hunter, Isabel Jeans, Allen Jenkins, Paul Kelly, Tom Kennedy, Anita Kerry, Patric Knowles, Margaret Lindsay, John Litel, Al Lloyd, Carole Lombard, Anita Louise, Wilfred Lucas, Mary Maguire, Michael Mark, Robert J. Mauch, Pat O'Brien, Hugh O'Connell, Nat Pendleton, Mary Philips, Dick Powell, Dick Purcell, Marcia Ralston, Marjorie Rambeau, Addison Richards, Rosalind Russell, Daniel Boone Savage, Ann Sheridan, Penny Singleton, Verree Teasdale, Rudy Vallee, Emmett Vogan, Patricia Walthall, Ben Welden, Sammy White and Walter Young.