Olivia de Havilland Recommendation #1

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938; in color)- 1 hr 42 mins

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It’s no wonder that I have talked several times about this film in the past. Besides being a childhood favorite, it’s simply a wonderfully entertaining film. Anyone of any age seems to enjoy it just as much as the next. It has everything going for it, and that includes the casting of Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marian.

De Havilland may have once again been cast as “the girl” in this film, but her portrayal of one of fiction’s beloved characters could not be cast aside simply as the hero’s love interest. Maid Marian's evolving relationship with Robin Hood develops slowly and with great care, demonstrating de Havilland's great skill. At first the audience sees her as a proud and untouchable noblewoman, on her throne and pedestal. However, as she gets to know Robin, she also becomes aware of the Saxons’ sufferings as Robin works to help them. She is moved by the people and comes down from her “pedestal.” As she does so, the audience gets to know her and fall in love with her just as Robin does.

Her performance as Maid Marian is a perfect example of the depth and talent she brought to every character she played. Despite being expected to deliver essentially the same performance over and over again during her time at Warner Brothers, de Havilland was able to bring a humanity, nuance, and warmth to each of her roles. It’s no wonder that they kept casting her as the love interest. There was no one like her to do it! In The Adventures of Robin Hood, she gave Marian substance. De Havilland played her not as just all heart and emotion but with intelligence. That, coupled with the magical and magnetic chemistry she had with her 9-time co-star Errol Flynn, makes this performance worth the watch! I’m sure that once you see it, you too will find myriad reasons more to call it a family favorite!