Parents' Guide to

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men

By Alistair Lawrence, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Live-action 1950s Disney adventure looks old; mild violence.

Movie PG 1952 84 minutes
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 16+

The worst Robin Hood film made

R: violence throughout
age 16+

Downright good with intense/violent scenes

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3):
Kids say: Not yet rated

An old-fashioned telling of an even older tale, this familiar story is competently told, but there are few memorable moments. The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men was a commercial hit upon its release in 1952, but has not remained as popular as other family-friendly versions, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn or Disney's better-known animated version, Robin Hood. The story is partly told through music and song, something that underlines its historical look and feel. This may entertain some children, especially those who enjoy more modern Disney movies, which have many of the same hallmarks. But equally they may fail to be impressed by the then-cutting edge "Technicolor," which looks dated.

As is typical of movies from the 1950s, the scenes are highly staged with loud dialogue and its action scenes lack the sophistication of modern cinema. The story is slow moving and requires patience, but builds to a fitting climax where Robin Hood must save Maid Marian (Joan Rice) and defeat Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham once and for all.

Movie Details

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