This virtually forgotten Hammer film is a real treat for fans; being as it is a fast-paced, action-packed and excellently-made little adventure film, which, while lacking any familiar faces in the cast, still manages to impress in all areas. The film visually looks as good as the best of the Hammer horrors; the photography is crisp and clear, it's very colourful, and the action scenes are well filmed and choreographed. This is just the kind of old fashioned adventure yarn for kids that they used to make in the '60s, of course replaced today by bloated blockbusters packed with dumb special effects, too much comedy and a lack of effort all round. Bitter, me? Despite the fact that only a couple of familiar Hammer names pop up in the cast and crew of this film, all involved are uniformly good. While Barrie Ingham may lack the same charisma as other famous Robin Hoods of the cinema, he looks the part and at least brings a good nature and a sense of justice and honour to the role of Robin, all important factors for me. The real scene stealer is James Hayter, who plays his Friar Tuck as comic relief. Hayter is excellent and frequently has very funny lines. Peter Blythe and John Arnatt make for a pair of thoroughly wicked villains, and the only character who's really underused is Maid Marian. Gay Hamilton is fine, fragile and beautiful in the role, but she's given nothing to do except stand in the background, be kidnapped or do old-fashioned "womanly" tasks, i.e. tending wounds etc.As per usual for a Hammer picture, the sets are authentic and the costumes are fine. You can really lose yourself in this film and totally forget about real life, which of course happens with all the best adventures. There is plenty of action and child-friendly violence, and the finale sees the hero battling the villain in the best ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD-style swashbuckling sense. Downsides? Only two I can think of. Rather too many of the bad guys all die exactly the same death, i.e. getting shot in the back with arrows. Maybe this was a cheap, non-violent effect but seeing it repeated a dozen times (albeit from a different angle each time) is kind of disappointing, and I'm sure a little imagination would have gone a long way. The sole other disappointment is the ending, which sees the evil Nottingham escape on horseback. This was obviously done to leave room for a possible sequel, although none materialised and indeed this turned out to be the last of Hammer's Robin Hood pictures. But I think a sequel to this film would have been stretching ideas a bit, and it sits proudly as a stand-alone movie as being one of the liveliest, colourful adaptations of the legend since the classic Errol Flynn film.

This is an excellent and underrated Robin Hood adventure. I really enjoyed it as a child, and it is interesting how well it stands up when viewing it as an adult.It has a lot of good scenes, even involving minor characters (such as Robin's cousin Henry, who is killed off early on but has several good scenes before he goes). The cinematography and costumes are also first rate. The story has several impressive twists on the familiar tale, which help it avoid being stale. And I do think Barrie Ingham does well in the lead role, although some disagree.Altogether, a highly enjoyable romp.

I like many others remember seeing this on HBO in the early 80s many times. I was able to procure a copy at a later date (You can get this title from Amazon.com for those looking for a copy) and found it just as enjoyable as I did when I was younger.Like most Robin Hood movies you have to take it with a grain of salt. In some places the acting is a little over the top, some of the combat feats are unbelievable and everything is very black and white but this is what Robin Hood is all about. I honestly enjoy this version much more than any others that come to mind. I thought that all the actors were very well cast and I like that they are all Englishmen so no bad accents to be found. The settings are perfect and one of the best things about the film as is the costuming. What I think I love most about this film is the scale. This story's take on the myth is Robin as the adopted son of a minor Norman lord who is in conflict w/ his cousin who wrongly inherits his father's title and lands and is in league w/ the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Prince John is nowhere to be found though he is mentioned. In all truth I think that a minor lord w/ the help of the Sheriff is more than enough for any group of outlaws to face.If you are a fan of the Robin Hood mythos I think you could do far worse than checking out this excellent take on this popular tale.

Hammer Studios, best known for a long string of excellent (and later, not-so-excellent) horror films, also produced adventure films. "A Challenge for Robin Hood" is one such example.Robin de Courtenay (Ingham) is a Norman nobleman falsely accused by his cousin Roger (Blythe) of murdering his other cousin Henry. Forced to turn outlaw, Robin flees the castle, joins a band of Saxon outcasts, and is dubbed Robin Hood. The fight for justice begins.This version of the Robin Hood legend features a number of twists, not the least of which is that Robin is a Norman and his close friends, Little John and Will Scarlet, are Norman retainers. Maid Marian (Hamilton) has a rather limited role when compared to most other adaptations. Most, but not all, of the characters generally associated with Robin Hood are present in this version.This well-made film is well worth a look, particularly for those who enjoy the Robin Hood genre or classic adventures. The cast is solid though Barrie Ingham simply lacks the charisma of others who have played the role (notably Errol Flynn, Richard Todd, and Richard Greene). James Hayter is excellent as Friar Tuck, a role he had previously played in the wonderful "The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men" (1952).