Thoughts of the Day - The Legend of Robin Hood

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood

Richard Greene as Robin Hood

I have followed the legends of Robin Hood since childhood, from the gorgeous Errol Flynn (left) to the tv series starring Richard Greene (below). 

Richard had two Maid Mariannes, June Thorburn and Patricia Driscoll, but when their faces suddenly changed, he didn't seem to notice.  They say that love is blind!

I have to say that Kevin Costner was the one that most appealed to me, but then after the Bodyguard, he would appeal in anything! 

 The thing that stands out for me about those old films is the nice, clean, matching clothes, in expensive suede, with never a mark on it!  No wonder they felt the need to make the spoof film, Robin Hood Men in Tights!  Today's Robin is much more realistic clothing wise, even if Kevin Costner did have a telescope in the twelve century.

This new Robin Hood tv series I have been watching stars Jonas Armstrong as Robin, and he does look suitably scruffy and poverty stricken.  Having a muslim in attendance as a physician is highly unlikely, as is the fact that said muslim is a woman masquerading as a man.  The men must be a little lopsided if they cannot see at once that it is, in fact, a woman, or perhaps the men of the twelfth century thought that muslims were shaped differently to men.  But we cannot expect historical accuracy as well as great entertainment.

Yesterday's episode ended with Maid Marianne, who graduated to the Lady Marianne sometime about Kevin's time, if not earlier, actually dead.  Never have I seen that before, but lo and behold Jack, the muslim he/she physician gave her hemlock, which is a deadly poison, to send her back to sleep before she died and wow!  She returned to life.  I was so relieved! The legend always ends with the pair marrying in the presence of the ever grateful King Richard I, and I would want nothing to spoil that.  I was so pleased that they noticed before the burial, as well.

Of course, King Richard I, otherwise known as Richard the Lionheart, used England as a bank and was arguably one of the worst kings we ever had, but he was a great soldier.  He failed to leave any heirs, since nobody apparently told him that he had to consummate his marriage to the Princess Berengaria for that to happen, but rumours that he was homosexual are just that - rumours.  I have never believed that, since there is no evidence except his one sexual failure which could have had many causes.  I think he just got his sexual kicks from fighting wars and preferably winning them, which he usually did until he came up against Saladin in the third crusade.