A Challenge for Robin Hood

{{Short description|1967 British film by C. M. Pennington-Richards}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}} {{Use British English|date=November 2014}} {{Infobox film | name = A Challenge for Robin Hood | image = "A_Challenge_for_Robin_Hood"(1967).jpg | caption = UK quad poster by [[Tom Chantrell]] | director = [[C. M. Pennington-Richards]] | producer = Clifford Parkes<br>[[Michael Carreras]] | writer = Peter Bryan | starring = [[Barrie Ingham]]<br>[[Peter Blythe]]<br>[[John Arnatt]] | music = Gary Hughes | cinematography = [[Arthur Grant (cinematographer)|Arthur Grant]] | editing = Chris Barnes | studio = [[Hammer Film Productions]]<br>[[Seven Arts Productions]] | distributor = [[Warner-Pathé Distributors]] | released = {{film date|df=y|1967|7|1}} | runtime = 96 minutes | country = United Kingdom | language = English }} '''''A Challenge for Robin Hood''''' is a 1967 British [[adventure film]] directed by [[C. M. Pennington-Richards]] and starring [[Barrie Ingham]], [[Peter Blythe]] and [[John Arnatt]].<ref name="BFIsearch">{{Cite web |title=A Challenge for Robin Hood |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150143578 |access-date=29 August 2025 |website=British Film Institute Collections Search}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/165051|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116024824/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/165051|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-16|title=A Challenge for Robin Hood|work=BFI}}</ref>

This was the last of a trio of Hammer films about Robin Hood, following ''[[The Men of Sherwood Forest]]'' and ''[[Sword of Sherwood Forest]]''. As all three had different casts and no continuing storyline, the second and third films should not really be considered sequels.

==Plot== When the father of the De Courtenay family dies, the brothers argue about the inheritance. Although rightfully most should go to Robin, his cousin Roger takes control after killing his brother and blaming Robin, and Robin has to go into hiding in the forest, taking Friar Tuck with him. The two come under attack from the Sheriff of Nottingham's soldiers but are saved by a mystery archer. This is Alan-a-Dale, who takes them to his forest hide-out despite distrusting Robin.

After Robin beats Alan-a-Dale in a quarterstaff duel, the gang tests his archery skills with a hood over his head, and agree he is a natural leader. They decide to call him Robin Hood.

Back in the De Courtenay castle, Roger sits with the Sheriff and Maid Marion and they watch a wrestling match. It is won by Little John. They plan to hang Will Scarlet, Robin's friend, who was captured at the time of Robin's escape, at the village fair.

Robin stops Sir Jamyl de Penitone in the forest and challenges him to a sword duel. He learns of Will Scarlet's pending hanging. Robin robs him of the tax money he has collected.

Robin and his men next stop a drayman and a pie seller traveling with him. They commandeer the cart-load of pies and Tuck disguises himself as the pie-seller, while Robin disguises himself as a monk. They go to the De Courteney fair, where they buy a lot of green cloth to better hide in the woods. A soldier recognises Robin but is sympathetic to his cause. Robin puts on a mask and volunteers for the prize wrestling match with Little John. John recognises him and they stage the fight so Robin wins. When he goes to collect his prize he grabs Marion and puts her on a horse for the loyal soldier to carry her off. He is arrested and is to be hung with Will Scarlet, but a pie fight begins and the soldiers are driven back. Little John and Will go back to the forest with them.

In the forest the men take revenge on the tax collector and start returning the tax money to the peasants.

The Sheriff's men trick Robin and his men into thinking the forest is on fire and while they investigate they kidnap Marion and her little brother, and kill Much, who was guarding them. Robin tries to rescue them but is captured too. Three of Robin's men (led by Little John) put fake ducks on their head and swim over the castle moat, despite a guard who fancies duck for dinner, and fires a [[crossbow]] at them. The three enter via an iron yett at basement level. They take a [[dumb waiter]] from the kitchen to the great hall, announcing that a "special dish" is coming up. They release Robin who was roasting in front of the fire and let other men in. A fight begins with the soldiers.

Roger and Robin end in a sword duel watched by Marion. Alan-a-Dale ends it with an arrow in Roger's back.

Back in the forest Friar Tuck marries Robin and Marion.

==Cast== * [[Barrie Ingham]] as Robin de Courtenay, alias [[Robin Hood]] * [[Peter Blythe]] as Sir Roger de Courtenay * [[John Arnatt]] as the [[Sheriff of Nottingham]] * [[Gay Hamilton]] as [[Maid Marian|Lady Marian Fitzwarren]] * John Gugolka as Stephen Fitzwarren, the boy * [[James Hayter (actor)|James Hayter]] as [[Friar Tuck]] * [[Eric Flynn]] as [[Alan-a-Dale]] * [[Reg Lye]] as [[Much the Miller's Son|Much]] * [[Leon Greene]] as [[Little John]] * Douglas Mitchell as [[Will Scarlett]] * Eric Woofe as Henry de Courtenay * [[John Harvey (actor)|John Harvey]] as Wallace, Sir Roger's chief henchman * [[Arthur Hewlett]] as Edwin, the castle steward * John Graham as Justin, a loyal guard * Jenny Till as The Imposter Lady Marian * [[William Squire]] as Sir John de Courtenay * [[Norman Mitchell]] as dray driver * [[Alfie Bass]] as the pie seller * [[Donald Pickering]] as Sir Jamyl de Penitone

Note: Eric Flynn is not related to [[Errol Flynn]].

==Reception==

=== Critical === ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' wrote: "Unassuming but lively rendering of the familiar legend. Simplicity is the keynote, with very few embellishments and distortions so that the characters emerge exactly as one remembers them. Sherwood Forest looks disappointingly sparse, but there is ample compensation in some splendidly arranged fights and in James Hayter's engagingly jovial Friar Tuck."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 January 1968 |title=A Challenge for Robin Hood |volume=35 |issue=408 |pages=8 |id={{ProQuest|1305829411}} |magazine=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]}}</ref>

[[The New York Times]] wrote, "''Challenge for Robin Hood'' is excellent ... it should make ideal viewing for lads, from little sprouts up to about 14 ... The screenplay by Peter Bryan fiddles a bit with the old Robin Hood legend, but it is a snug story and the dialogue has bite and humor ... C. M. Pennington-Richards, has piloted the action with crackle, the musical score is fine and the color ranges from good to beautiful ... the fairly modest budget seldom shows".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CEFD61130EE3BBC4052DFB7668382679EDE&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As|title=Movie Review - A Challenge For Robin Hood - Screen: A Matinee Idol: 'Robin Hood' Returns in Snug British Tale - NYTimes.com|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 July 2021}}</ref>

=== Box office === According to Fox records, the film required $950,000 in rentals to break even and by 11 December 1970 had made $675,000.<ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv/page/327 327]|title=The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox|url=https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv|url-access=registration|last=Silverman|first=Stephen M|year=1988|publisher=L. Stuart|isbn=9780818404856}}</ref>

==See also== * [[List of films and television series featuring Robin Hood]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0062787}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Challenge For Robin Hood, A}} [[Category:British adventure films]] [[Category:Hammer Film Productions films]] [[Category:1967 films]] [[Category:1967 adventure films]] [[Category:Films directed by C. M. Pennington-Richards]] [[Category:Robin Hood films]] [[Category:1967 English-language films]] [[Category:1967 British films]] [[Category:English-language adventure films]]