Tonight with the Family: Released over 50 years ago, this is one of Disney’s best

After King Richard the Lionheart left for the Crusades, his brother, the cruel Prince John, claimed the throne and crown of England. Greedy and gluttonous, living only to fill the royal coffers, he imposes crushing taxes on all his subjects and doesn’t care if there is any food left.

Faced with the tyranny of an unfeeling sovereign, the vigilante decides to put his skills as an archer to the service of the people, stealing from the rich for the poor. This fox, nicknamed Robin Hood, accompanied by his faithful companion, the bear Petit-Jean, does not hesitate to steal the wealth of the kingdom even from the princely carriage. Secretly, between two adventures, he dreams of winning the heart of Bel Mariana, whom he has not seen since childhood.

• Tonight with the family: 54 years ago, this Disney film touched the childhood of millions of viewers

Disney in the 70s

Whether we’re talking about The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner or Robin Hood (briefly) with Russell Crowe, there’s no shortage of Hollywood feature films dedicated to the famous Sherwood vigilante.

The Disney studio, created in the early 1970s by the firm’s artists still mourning the death of its great boss, is undoubtedly one of the quintessential versions of the myth. If Walt Disney’s absence is felt and the Enchanted Kingdom is slowly emerging from the golden age that accompanied it for two decades, Robin Hood is a different work in the studio’s filmography and exhibits different qualities than its predecessors.

why is it good

Served by a host of villains both funny and malicious – from the pusillanimous Prince John to the sarcastic Sad Sir to the clumsy Sheriff of Nottingham – Robin Hood is perhaps one of the funniest Disney classics ever created.

Another strength of the film lies in its dialogues, beautifully crafted and constantly embellished with flowery expressions, directly inspired by the medieval era. Filled with legendary lines, the film taps into the intelligence and curiosity of its youngest audience and dares to offer them a vocabulary chosen on the principle that it will enrich their vocabulary, not overwhelm them.

For these two reasons and dozens of others, Robin Hood needs to be (re)discovered with his family without moderation.

What will you like…

• A great archery tournament sequence, both hilarious and epic.

• Lots of secondary characters, also delicious. We can mention the benevolent brother Tuck, the excellent Lady Gertrude (“Catch the fat one!”), the two volcanoes Pendard and Nikedui or even the dog Cornia.

What could be bothering them…

• Honestly, not so much. Perhaps the sequence where Robin is captured by Prince John and where the latter orders him beheaded. But the tension doesn’t last long.

(Re)discover our Top 5 Robin Hood…