He is one of the best movie villains: 33 years ago, his legendary lines made thousands of viewers laugh.

Some movie villains become legendary because of the costume or mask they wear. Others are popular for their complexity and depth, which is the result of a great story. Others leave an impression on their audience thanks to the artist’s immense talent.

This is the case of the inscrutable Sheriff of Nottingham, masterfully played by the late Alan Rickman in Kevin Reynolds’ Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. This movie, which probably accompanied your adolescence if you grew up in the late 80s, is extraordinary entertainment in many ways.

terribly funny

Directed by the excellent Kevin Costner, this feature film can give us adrenaline thrills, emotions and also great fear like no other. But also – and this is mostly thanks to the character of the sheriff – real bursts of laughter.

At times saccharine and offbeat, at times a prey to violent rage, consistently charismatic and consistently evil, this character, played impeccably by Alan Rickman, is certainly a caricature, but instantly legendary.

If he was able to have such an effect on the audience, it was mainly thanks to his unpredictable appearance, his impressive mood swings and his decisions, each more brutal than the last, but also and above all thanks to his countless hits. .

“I’ll rip your heart out with a teaspoon!”

For example: “Lockslay! I’m going to rip your heart out with a teaspoon!” (because the less sharp, the more it hurts), “Sew and sew so I can stay pretty!”or simply “Shut up you clown!”

These deliciously funny lines scattered throughout the film are, at least in part, thanks to Alan Rickman himself. Indeed, as explained Time article in 2015The British actor started rewriting his character’s dialogues, which he discovered “terrible”. To do this, he called his friend, author Peter Barnes, who gave him advice on a Pizza Express restaurant.

“I asked him, ‘Can you revise this script because it’s terrible?’ And I need some good lines.’ And so he did, dripping pizza, eggs and bacon all over the script.”

“Nobody knew but him.”

After completing this work, Alan Rickman only kept the film’s director, Kevin Reynolds, a secret, but was careful not to alert anyone else, and especially his co-stars, to get an authentic reaction from them on the set.

“Nobody knew but him. And I knew it was working because when I came off camera I saw about 80 crew members trying to hold back their laughter.”– the actor confided.

Also known for playing the excellent Hans Gruber in The Crystal Trap and of course the legendary Severus Snape in the Harry Potter saga, Alan Rickman managed to make the sheriff one of his most iconic characters and one of cinema’s most iconic villains.

(re)discover the trailer for the film…