My review of “The Last of Robin Hood”
I saw the movie on Friday 13, 2013 at its world premier at the Toronto International Film Festival – TIFF.
It is a great movie and very, very tastefully done and I had a ball! One has to appreciate that this is not a high budget film, we all knew that anyway but for me it was done extremely well. Most likely the directors said afterwards maybe we could have done it this or that way. Hindsight is always 20/20 vision, we all do it and most likely I will do the same with my review. Oh, I forgot to say this and that!
The credits were enormous, I would say more than hundred names came up and of course our very own Robert Florczak was amongst them! Congratulation Robert, a job well done!
The actors are really well chosen!
Kevin Kline portrays Errol extremely well. What a great actor to duplicate Errol so well, which I would say – a most difficult task indeed! Kevin Kline has his gestures, how he applied his charm in various situations and or how he bewilders Florence, his haughtiness or flamboyancy at times or his fun loving nature, Kevin Kline shows it all.
The make-up artists did a great job as he looked quite a lot like Errol.
What a superb acting in his malaria attack and in particular the dying scene just gripping, totally outstanding. Tears came to my eyes!
Susan Sarandon plays Florence very well. Of course, not knowing Florence it is hard to tell how authentic Susan Sarandon was – but she made me believe – yes – this most likely was Florence. As a matter of fact one could feel how disappointed Florence was with her life and her dreams not materializing and as she tries to live her life through her daughter by trying to make her a star. Susan Sarandon reveals in her portrayal, right or wrong, that she tried her best to make a dream come true, if not for herself at least for Beverly. Florence not a well educated woman and therefore thought that Errol is the answer to her prayers. Susan Sarandon’s performance is so genuine of a stage struck mother who would walk on hot coals to get what she wants.
Dakota Fanning plays a very lovely Beverly and again as Beverly is not known to us at that time in her life the judgment of performance how the real Beverly was is very hard. In the movie she plays an obedient daughter and lives her mother’s dream until she meets Errol. She then is much more interested in Errol than in a stage carrier. At least that’s how it comes across in the movie. She plays a passive very nice Beverly not at all like described in Earl Conrad’s “A Memoir”. As a matter of fact, I did not really believe Earl Conrad’s description of Beverly as coarse, ill-mouthed teenager. Maybe he was out for sensational writing to sell his book. It is very sad that in our society writings have to have tainted, grimy and/or scandalous content in order to appeal to the public. And of course anybody who was in the writing business took advantage of Errol making his escapades 10 times worse than they really were. When ever there was a possibility they were over him like vulgers.
Dakota Fanning fits the role very well. She gives Beverly warmth and sensitivity. She had to have some of these qualities as Errol himself was always very well mannered. He would have not put up with bad, ill mannered and swearing behavior.
Dakota Fanning is a very good actress and gives a great performance in portraying Beverly!
The Film shows that Errol and Beverly had a very nice believable relationship. We must here consider what is written by authors that Errol never outlived his youth, judging by his often immature mischievous behavior. Maybe Beverly gave him a kind of reliving youth or fulfilled a yearning of his soul; we don’t know – only Errol and Beverly know what was what! I think their love for each other was genuine.
Who are we or anybody for that matter to judge this relationship or any relationship? Are we Judge and Jury like those scandalous News Mongers who are able to make out of a fly an elephant? It was the media who blew everything out of context, adding and weaving nasty vicious connotations into this relationship or into anything and with it brainwashing the public to believe these distortions. In my opinion it is a crime what these reporters and or critics are allowed to do with their vicious reporting and often destroy lives in their quest of sensationalizing news by twisting and turning the truth.
My mother always used to say and very wisely so “Sweep the dirt in front of your own door you will have no time to sweep at somebody else’s door”!
The movie does not show any actual places and leaves out Jamaica altogether. It does not say anything about the writing of MWWW.
But to show it all, most likely the movie would need to be five hours long. Yet it does touch on many of the places they were and it is very well done, considering the budget.
Beverly is seen in a shot on a yacht, representing the Zaca, so maybe there is truth in it that Errol and Beverly visited the Zaca on their way home from Africa. Or when they made a trip to England and went from there to see the Zaca. The trip to England is not mentioned in the movie either but like I said, it is impossible to show it all.
A very nice touch at the end was that they showed a picture of Errol and another one from Beverly.
I think it is a very good movie and everybody should see it. If I have a chance and find it playing some place I most definitely see it again or if a DVD is produced – I buy it.
I am so happy to have had the chance to see it! Maybe not so bad to live in Toronto after all!
I had a great time and I wish you the same when you will see it!
— Tina
Robzak
September 14, 2013 at 8:01 pm
Thank you so much for this review, Tina; a small vindication that is greatly appreciated. As you so wisely point out, to have attempted to include everyone’s expectations on so small a budget would have been impossible. That the filmmakers were able to capture the essence of the characters and the events on a shoestring was remarkable. So glad you enjoyed it!
Tina
September 15, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Hi Robert;
Thank you very much for your kind words! Not being a good writer I did try to put the spirit, the given projected feelings of the movie into words. Needless to say, I also tried to give my opinion about those film critics who are trying to condemn the movie and include nasty connotations in their write-up, which to me is extremely narrow-minded of the writer as he does not critic the movie at all, only borrows words from smut tabloid writers of the past. Also very well knowing that there were budget constraints, which all has to be considered in a fair evaluation of the movie! What did they expect the movie will be? Another “Gone with the Wind? This is just beyond me – am I wrong?
Robzak
September 15, 2013 at 7:24 pm
You are not wrong, Tina.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
September 15, 2013 at 10:56 am
Thanks for your terrific review Tina.It sounds wonderful,I can’t wait to see it!
Tina
September 15, 2013 at 5:28 pm
Hi Lollie;
I am glad you liked my review! It really is a good movie in particular as one has to consider that there were no millions around to spent on the production.
I wonder when it will show in the cinemas around the world for all his fans to see it? Maybe Robert will know we have to ask him!
I enjoy your comments!
Take care!
Robzak
September 15, 2013 at 7:27 pm
When I know this information, which is not yet available, I will immediately post it here.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
September 16, 2013 at 10:43 am
Thanks again Tina. :) Yes I really hope too that it gets a worldwide release,or at the very least a quick dvd release.
Tina
September 15, 2013 at 8:30 pm
Somewhere on the blog the question came up in regards to Dakota Fanning’s resemblance with Beverly.
Be your own judge:
[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/A-A-DB2.jpg[/img][img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/A-A-D3.jpg[/img]
Also, I found this on the TIFF website;
There was a second movie of Dakota at its world premier at the Film Festival and on top it Dakota is going to get an award.
Dakota Fanning hits the red carpet at the premiere of her new movie Night Moves held during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 8th at the Ryerson Theatre in Toronto, Canada.
It was recently announced that Dakota will be honored with the Bell Family Foundation Young Artist Award at the 2013 National Arts Awards, which takes places on October 21 in New York.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
September 16, 2013 at 10:45 am
Yes she has a good resemblance to Beverly for sure,she was a great choice to play her.It’s funny though,in that particular photo of Dakota Fanning she looks alot like Patrice Wymore when she was young.
Kathleen
September 16, 2013 at 2:21 am
Great review, Tina. I want to see for myself so I hope it comes to my area. Yes, lucky you to live in Toronto!
Robzak
September 16, 2013 at 5:15 pm
www.soundonsight.org…
Tim
September 17, 2013 at 12:26 am
Great to see such a favorable review, Robert!
Thank you.
Rachel
September 30, 2013 at 2:36 am
Thank you, Tina, for sharing your review here of this film! I’m glad to hear you liked it, and I’m SO looking forward to seeing “The Last of Robin Hood” for myself when it’s released to the general public. :-)