The Men of Sherwood Forest

The Men of Sherwood Forest is a 1954 British adventure film directed by Val Guest and starring Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore and David King-Wood. The film follows the exploits of Robin Hood and his followers. Doreen Carwithen wrote the score for the film. Produced by Hammer Films it was shot at the company's Bray Studios with sets designed by the art director J. Elder Wills. Exteriors were shot at Bodiam Castle in Sussex.

Plot

In 1194, on his return from the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart is taken prisoner in Germany. Disguised as a troubadour, Robin Hood builds a plan to rescue him from this tight spot but is captured. The Merry Men then have to fulfil a double mission: find Robin Hood and save the King.

Cast

Crew

• Director: Val Guest
• Assistant director: Jack Sangster
• Screenplay by Allan MacKinnon
• Photography: Walter J. Harvey, B.S.C
• Music by Doreen Carwithen
• Musical director: John Hollingsworth
• Art director: J. Elder Wills
• Editor: James Needs
• Production manager: Jimmy Sangster
• Produced by Michael Carreras
• Sound recording: Sid Wiles and Ken Cameron
• Continuity: Renee Glynne
• Camera operator: Len Harris
• Make-up: Phillip Leakey
• Hairdresser: Monica Hustler
• Costume designer: Michael Withaker
• Wardrobe mistress: Molly Arbuthnot
• Production company: Hammer Film Productions
• Country: England
• Aspect ratio: 1.37:1 - Eastmancolor - Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
• Runtime: 77 mn
• Release date: 17 November 1954
• Produced at Bray Studio, England

Production

Val Guest called it " a merry romp, it was a send-up of all the Robin Hood things... It was a fun picture, but nothing really riveting or historical."

Critical reception

David Parkinson noted in the Radio Times "a cheap and cheerful Hammer outing to Sherwood, with production values on a par with the infamously parsimonious ITV series starring Richard Greene", concluding "Val Guest directs with little feel for the boisterous action, but it's a tolerable frolic all the same", while TV Guide wrote that "this low-budget swashbuckler is good fun for the undiscriminating".

References

External links

• The Men of Sherwood Forest at IMDb