Richard Greene Rides Again as Robin Hood

Richard Greene as Robin Hood.

Sandwiched between The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954) and A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967), Hammer Films produced Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960). This action opus about the legendary English outlaw stands out for one big reason: It stars Richard Greene, famous for playing the title role in The Adventures of Robin Hood TV series. As all Robin Hood fans know, that's the one where he's "riding through glen with his band of men."

One might think that Sword of Sherwood Forest is a big screen continuation of the TV series that ran from 1955-59. However, that's not the case in terms of the storyline and the cast (with the exception of Greene and some minor players). The film features veteran actors in most of the major roles: Nigel Green (Hercules in Jason and the Argonauts) as Little John, Niall MacGinnis (Night of the Demon) as Friar Tuck, and Hammer regular Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham. 

Peter Cushing as the Sheriff.

Screenwriter Alan Hackney wisely dispenses with the typical Robin Hood origin story. His tale has the Sheriff of Nottingham collaborating with the greedy Earl of Newark (Richard Pasco) to steal land by manipulating the court system. Maid Marian, who is the Sheriff's niece in this version, gets wind of their scheme. When her uncle won't change his evil ways, she seeks help from the Chancellor of England, who is visiting the area in his other capacity as Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Meanwhile, Robin is trying to figure out why the Sheriff killed an unknown traveler. Along the way, he happens on Marian, who has just bathed in a lake (it's a Hammer film, after all). Despite her feeble protests, there is an instant attraction between the two (although Robin is almost twice her age). But before they can get together, the Earl of Newark must be stopped before he can assassinate the Chancellor.

Hammer's most renowned director, Terrence Fisher, keeps Sword of Sherwood Forest moving briskly through its 80-minute running time. There are a plethora of outdoor scenes, perhaps in an attempt to keep production costs down. Contemporary reviews call it colorful, but, unfortunately, the print used for Mill Creek's Blu-ray disc (part of the Hammer Ultimate Collection) is a muted one. 

Sarah Branch as Marian.

Greene still has the required panache to play Robin, but, at age 41, he lacks the physicality required for the role (it's easy to spot his stunt double). Chemistry is definitely lacking between his Robin and Sarah Branch's Marian. The former model had little prior acing experience at the time and, though she tries, she seems miscast as a spunky heroine.

Peter Cushing and Richard Pasco excel as the villains. The problem is that, in a movie this short, there's only room for one villain. As a result, Cushing's Sheriff of Nottingham gets nudged into the background all too often. It's a shame to waste an actor of Cushing's caliber.

Finally, it's always fun to see who pops in British films of the 1960s. In uncredited roles, look for the following:  Desmond Llewelyn (Q in many Bond films) as the "wounded fugitive" at the beginning; Derren Nesbitt (Von Hapen in Where Eagles Dare) as Martin, one of the merry men; and Oliver Reed as Newark's henchman. I am convinced that Oliver Reed was dubbed, even though some sources contradict that claim.