Production
Initially, the studio considered a movie about Reynard the Fox. However, due to Walt Disney's concern that Reynard was an unsuitable choice for a hero, Ken Anderson used many elements from it in Robin Hood.
Robin Allan writes in his book Walt Disney and Europe that "Ken Anderson wept when he saw how his character concepts had been processed into stereotypes for the animation on Robin Hood."[2] According to Ward Kimball and Ollie Johnston, one such casualty was the concept of making the Sheriff of Nottingham a goat as an artistic experiment to try different animals for villains, only to be overruled by the director who wanted to keep to the villainous stereotype of a wolf instead.[3]
Reused Footage
As the film was made during Disney's financial slump following the completion of Phase One of the Florida Project and therefore allotted a small budget, the artists reused footage from previous animated features. This is most noticeable during the song-and-dance number, "The Phony King of England"; the characters' movements strongly resemble those from The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In particular, the section where Little John and Lady Kluck dance together mirrors part of the song "I Wanna Be Like You" from The Jungle Book with Baloo and King Louie respectively, and Robin Hood and Maid Marian mirror the dancing movements of Thomas O'Malley and Duchess during the song "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" from The Aristocats (from which some of the musicians also mirror the movements of Scat Cat and his gang) and Maid Marian mirror dancing the movements of Snow White during the song "The Silly Song" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The animation of Little John, the bear in Robin Hood, is nearly identical to that of Baloo in The Jungle Book, but Little John more closely resembles a brown or grizzly bear (Baloo was based on an Indian Sloth Bear). Both characters were voiced by actor Phil Harris, and have similar personalities, though Little John seems a far more responsible character than the "jungle bum" Baloo. When Maid Marian, dances the same moves as Snow White she is caused to wear a petticoat instead of bloomers. The robe that Prince John wears, and the crown worn by the puppet version of him, are the same robe and crown the king wears in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. In addition, Robin Hood's costume (green tunic and feathered cap) is similar to that of 1953's Peter Pan, sometimes leading to confusion between the two characters. At the end of the movie, a sound clip of the church bells ringing in Cinderella was used for the wedding church bells. During the beginning of the film, Sir Hiss mesmerizes Prince John with his eyes. This was the same type of ability Kaa the snake had in Disney's 1967 film, The Jungle Book. This short scene also appears to be another re-use of older animation.
At one point, one of the elephants who acts as heralds for Prince John attempts to trumpet a warning. Lady Kluck grabs the trunk, preventing the trumpeting and leaving the elephant flapping his ears ineffectually. The same joke was used in The Jungle Book, with identical sound.
The vultures in the movie are identical to one of those (Buzzy) in The Jungle Book.
The movie also reuses the same animated shots several times, including those of the rhinos walking and running and those of Sis, Tagalong and Toby laughing. Several animated clips of the Sheriff of Nottingham are also recycled at different points in the film.
Descriptif technique du film
- Titre original : Robin Hood
- Titre français : Robin des Bois
- Réalisation : Wolfgang Reitherman assisté de Dan Alguire, Edward Hansen, Jeffrey C. Patch
- Scénario : Ken Anderson, Eric Cleworth, Vance Gerry, David Michener, Julius Svendsen, Frank Thomas
- Direction artistique : Don Griffith
- Styliste couleur : Al Dempster
- Supervision : Milt Kahl, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas et John Lounsbery
- Animation des personnages : Dale Baer, Don Bluth, Fred Hellmich, Hal King, Eric Larson, Burny Mattinson, Cliff Nordberg, Art Stevens
- Assistant animation clé : Stan Green, Bob McCrea, Dale Oliver, Chuck Williams
- Layout : Basil Davidovich, Joe Hale, Sylvia Roemer, Ed Templer
- Effets d'animation : Dan McManus, Jack Buckley
- Décors : Ann Guenther, Ralph Hulett, Bill Layne
- Styliste couleur : Al Dempster
- Montage : Tom Acosta et Jim Melton
- Musique : Floyd Huddleston, Roger Miller
- Composition originale : George Bruns
- Producteurs : Don Duckwall
- Production : Walt Disney Productions
- Distribution : Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
- Format : Couleurs (Technicolor) - 1,37:1 (1,75:1 étendu
- Durée : 80 minutes
- Budget : 1,5 million de USD
Réception
At the time leading up to its release, Robin Hood had a bit of a burden to carry — many observers were treating it as a benchmark to determine whether or not the studio could carry on without the late Walt Disney, since this was the studio's first animated feature produced without his involvement. Since Disney had attached his name to all his previous films, it gave the impression among many that the studio was nothing without him. Had the film failed, this impression might have been cemented, and might have done serious damage to the studio's reputation. However, Robin Hood was very successful upon its initial release, garnering around $9.5 million, the biggest Disney attraction at that time. Its 1982 re-release brought in even more income.
Critical response was (and remains) somewhat mixed. Judith Crist said it was "nicely tongue-in-cheek without insult to the intelligence of either child or adult." she also notes that the film "has class - in the fine cast that gives both voice and personality to the characters, in the bright and brisk dialogue, in its overall concept."[5] Vincent Canby said that the film "should ... be a good deal of fun for toddlers whose minds have not yet shriveled into orthodoxy" and he called the visual style "charmingly conventional"[6] The Montreal Gazette said that when "Disney cartoon films ... are good, they are very good" and that "there are not many films around these days which an entire family can attend and enjoy. Robin Hood is one of them."[7] New York Magazine called the film "a sweet, funny, slam-bang, good-hearted Walt Disney feature cartoon with a fine cast" and said it was "a feast for the eyes for kiddies and Disney nostalgics."[8] The Milwaukee Sentinel said that the film was "excellent children's fare" and singles out Ustinov's Prince John as "delightful" and says he "practically steals the movie."[9]
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that "although Robin Hood can't compare with the best Disney cartoon features (Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Cinderella among them), it's on a par with the company's most recent full-length cartoon, The Jungle Book.[10] The Calgary Herald called Prince John and Sir Hiss "the year's most endearing pair of movie villains." It added that "this offering may lack the dramatic and artistic peaks of the more legendary Disney triumphs of the Forties, but it is a good deal funnier than anything we have seen from this studio for several outings."[11]
Reviews written decades after the initial release of the film have been more mixed. At the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes it has a 55% "Rotten" rating based on 22 reviews. The site's overall assessment is that the film is: "One of the weaker Disney adaptations, Robin Hood is cute and colorful but lacks the majesty and excitement of the studio's earlier efforts."
The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song for "Love." It lost to "The Way We Were" from the film of the same name.[12] The American Film Institute nominated Robin Hood for its Top 10 Animated Films list.[13]
Voxographie
Voix Anglaises
- Brian Bedford : Robin Hood (Robin des Bois)
- Phil Harris : Little John (Petit Jean)
- Peter Ustinov : Prince John (Prince Jean) / King Richard (Roi Richard)
- Terry-Thomas : Sir Hiss (Triste Sire)
- Monica Evans : Maid Marian (Belle Marianne)
- Carole Shelley : Lady Kluck (Dame Gertrude)
- Andy Devine : Friar Tuck (Frère Tuck)
- Roger Miller : Allan-A-Dale (Adam de la Halle)
- Pat Buttram : Sheriff of Nottingham
- George Lindsey : Trigger (Pendard)
- Ken Curtis : Nutsy (Niquedouille)
- Billy Whitaker : Skippy (Bobby)
- Dana Laurita : Sis (Sœur de Bobby)
- Dora Whitaker : Tagalong
- Richie Sanders : Toby Turtle
- J. Pat O'Malley : Otto (Corniaud)
- Candy Candido : Tournament crocodile (Crocodile du tournoi)
- Barbara Luddy : Mother Rabbit (Mère Lapin) / Mother Church Mouse (Mère Souris)
- John Fiedler : Sexton (Croquenote), une souris
- Beulah Bondi : Mother Church Mouse (Mère Souris)
Voix Françaises
- Dominique Paturel : Robin des Bois, un renard
- Claude Bertrand : Petit Jean, un ours
- Jean Stout : Petit Jean (chant)
- Philippe Dumat : le prince Jean, un lion
- Jean Martinelli : le roi Richard, un lion
- Roger Carel : Triste Sire, un serpent
- Michèle André : Belle Marianne, une renarde
- Huguette Morins : Dame Gertrude, une poule
- Pierre Tornade : frère Tuck, un blaireau
- Pierre Vassiliu : Adam de La Halle, le coq-narrateur
- Jacques Marin : le shérif de Nottingham, un loup
- Albert Augier : Pendard, un vautour
- Francis Lax : Niquedouille, un vautour
- Christophe Bruno : Bobby, un lapereau
- Marie Francey : la veuve Lapin, sa mère
- Béatrice Bruno : la sœur aînée de Bobby
- Aurélia Bruno : Tagalong, la petite sœur de Bobby
- Fabrice Bruno : Toby, une tortue
- Henry Djanik : Corniaud, un chien
- Georges Atlas : le héraut du tournoi, un crocodile
- Guy Pierrault : Croquenote, une souris
- Colette Ripert : mère Souris
Scénario officiel de Walt Disney Productions
Avec un monarque fantoche sur le trône, l'Angleterre est en guerre! Le cupide prince Jean et son sinueux acolyte, Triste Sire, écrasent les habitants de Nottingham sous les impôts. Mais avec le rusé Robin des Bois, entouré de son fidèle ami Petit Jean et sa bande de joyeux lurons, une idée astucieuse pour déjouer le prince n'attend pas l'autre. Robin n'aura de cesse que lorsqu'il aura gagné la main de Belle Marianne et rendu le trône au Roi Richard!
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