Post by foresthermit on Feb 4, 2023 20:42:37 GMT
I've just seen this film, and I want to share my thoughts on it.
The Adventures of Maid Marian is a low-budget UK film directed by Bill Thomas, released direct to streaming.
The story departs from previous Robin Hood films by focusing on Marian (Sophie Craig). Marian is now living in a convent, Kirklees Abbey. Previously, she and her boyfriend Robin Hood (Dominic Andersen) exposed the corruption of the Sheriff of Nottingham, William de Wendenal, causing him to be removed for his office and publicly disgraced. A grateful King Richard took Robin with him to fight in the latter's war in France. Marian leads a double life, as a novice nun and as a outlaw secretly helping the poor. Then Marian receives good news in a letter - with the death of the Lionheart, Robin will return to England. However, there's also bad news. William de Wendenal (Bob Cryer, from Hollyoaks and Coronation Street) is back in Nottingham and wants revenge on the lovers for his humilitation....
Thomas previously worked on the special effects of the films V For Vendetta, Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. However, there's little of those films' big budgets here- TAoMM is a distinctly low-key production shot in woods and huts, and with about six soldiers in the battles. There isn't even a castle!
Now, a low-budget Robin Hood movie isn't necessarily doomed to fail. The 1973 film Wolfshead: The Legend of Robin Hood was also filmed on a low budget, but had a good script enlived by talented actors and a talented director, to make it worth watching.
Alas, TAoMM lacks the strenghts that made Wolfshead work. Craig is adequate as an action heroine, but her Marian doesn't have the warmth and courage that Audrey Hepburn, Ciaran Madden, Uma Thurman or Judi Trott brought to the role. (Also, why does Nun Marian have shampoo-model lengthy hair?)
Dominic Andersen, meanwhile, is an embarassment-he acts like a drip all the time. Everyone else in the film keeps telling us how heroic this Robin is, but Andersen never conveys this. Meanwhile, older male actors normally enjoy playing the Sheriff of Nottingham. But Bob Cryer's Sheriff sounds more like an annoyed middle-manager than someone who relishes terrorizing the poor. None of the other actors are particularly memorable- this film has a distinct "Am-dram", as if Thomas is making a fan film rather than a feature film. Director Thomas repeats a lot of scenes at different points in the story(two scenes of Marian running up a rocky hill!). He also keeps shooting the forest from above, which becomes repeititive and annoying. (Also, we see lots of Not-In-Medieval-England Coniferous Trees in these shots). I found myself looking at my watch half-way through the film.
There are some good ideas buried in the script. William de Wendenal was a real Sheriff of Nottingham in the time of King Richard. Like Philip Mark, some folklorists have suggested de Wendenal may have inspired the legendary Sheriff. Using him in the script is interesting. One element from the Robin Hood original ballads reappears:
Also, I think Bill Thomas is a RoS fan - the Sheriff calls Robin a "wolfshead" at one point, and one of the Sheriff's henchmen is a " Simon de Beleseme ".
But none of this can save the film. Unless you're a Robin Hood completist, I am afraid I cannot recommend The Adventures of Maid Marian.
The Adventures of Maid Marian is a low-budget UK film directed by Bill Thomas, released direct to streaming.
The story departs from previous Robin Hood films by focusing on Marian (Sophie Craig). Marian is now living in a convent, Kirklees Abbey. Previously, she and her boyfriend Robin Hood (Dominic Andersen) exposed the corruption of the Sheriff of Nottingham, William de Wendenal, causing him to be removed for his office and publicly disgraced. A grateful King Richard took Robin with him to fight in the latter's war in France. Marian leads a double life, as a novice nun and as a outlaw secretly helping the poor. Then Marian receives good news in a letter - with the death of the Lionheart, Robin will return to England. However, there's also bad news. William de Wendenal (Bob Cryer, from Hollyoaks and Coronation Street) is back in Nottingham and wants revenge on the lovers for his humilitation....
Thomas previously worked on the special effects of the films V For Vendetta, Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. However, there's little of those films' big budgets here- TAoMM is a distinctly low-key production shot in woods and huts, and with about six soldiers in the battles. There isn't even a castle!
Now, a low-budget Robin Hood movie isn't necessarily doomed to fail. The 1973 film Wolfshead: The Legend of Robin Hood was also filmed on a low budget, but had a good script enlived by talented actors and a talented director, to make it worth watching.
Alas, TAoMM lacks the strenghts that made Wolfshead work. Craig is adequate as an action heroine, but her Marian doesn't have the warmth and courage that Audrey Hepburn, Ciaran Madden, Uma Thurman or Judi Trott brought to the role. (Also, why does Nun Marian have shampoo-model lengthy hair?)
Dominic Andersen, meanwhile, is an embarassment-he acts like a drip all the time. Everyone else in the film keeps telling us how heroic this Robin is, but Andersen never conveys this. Meanwhile, older male actors normally enjoy playing the Sheriff of Nottingham. But Bob Cryer's Sheriff sounds more like an annoyed middle-manager than someone who relishes terrorizing the poor. None of the other actors are particularly memorable- this film has a distinct "Am-dram", as if Thomas is making a fan film rather than a feature film. Director Thomas repeats a lot of scenes at different points in the story(two scenes of Marian running up a rocky hill!). He also keeps shooting the forest from above, which becomes repeititive and annoying. (Also, we see lots of Not-In-Medieval-England Coniferous Trees in these shots). I found myself looking at my watch half-way through the film.
There are some good ideas buried in the script. William de Wendenal was a real Sheriff of Nottingham in the time of King Richard. Like Philip Mark, some folklorists have suggested de Wendenal may have inspired the legendary Sheriff. Using him in the script is interesting. One element from the Robin Hood original ballads reappears:
The murderous prioress of Kirklees Abbey is here, and tries to kill an injured Robin.
Also, I think Bill Thomas is a RoS fan - the Sheriff calls Robin a "wolfshead" at one point, and one of the Sheriff's henchmen is a " Simon de Beleseme ".
But none of this can save the film. Unless you're a Robin Hood completist, I am afraid I cannot recommend The Adventures of Maid Marian.