The reviews trickling out on the modestly budgeted Last Of Robin Hood have so far not been good. However the expensive, big-budget, grade ‘A’ production of Grace Of Monaco was screened at the International Cannes Film Festival. The reviews for this film which stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco are bad. In fact Kidman’s performancce is accused of being as frozen as her botox-enhanced face.
Ralph Schiller
— rswilltell
errolsfan1130
May 15, 2014 at 3:36 pm
I am still waiting for a film to capture Errol’s spirit and his life. Since Errol’s death, most of the venues (novels, films, tvs, etc.) rather used Errol’s name, public image (not his true self) and colorful life as their materials without giving him the dignity and depth he deserved. They treated Errol like a cliche.
Tina
May 15, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Hi Ralph;
I just found your post and thought I post my comment about “The Last of Robin Hood” here too.
I have seen “The Last of Robin Hood” as the premier was in Toronto and I attended it. I dit put a post on the blog about it at the time.
I don’t think the movie is shown anywhere just yet, as I am looking out for it and would love to see it again. I have Netflix and channels by demand but there is nothing on them. I thought that any movie has to play first in cinemas before it goes into all other movie suppliers. I really doubt that anybody from the PUBLIC has seen it unless they were at the premier in Toronto. Robert has seen it!
Anyway what I am reading amazes me and I don’t understand why someone would critique a movie without having it seen before.
But I will give you my humble opinion.
It is not a movie epic like “Gone with the Wind”, if you are thinking of seeing that then better don’t see it. But it is a very good “B” movie. The filmmakers couldn’t go on locations as they didn’t have a mega budget and had so many other restraints and difficulties to overcome. They are not Warner Brothers or Metro Goldwyn Mayer, they are a small movie company and on top of it they got very bad publicity because apparently they made some movies, which are not up to standards. Question is what are our standards? There are movies around made by the big companies with lots of money, with STAR actors, which make my hair stand up portraying all the crudeness possible.
The Last of the Robin Hood is made very tastefully, with Oscar winning actors and a credit to Errol. It is very clear-sightedly done and I think to tackle this story was a very brave undertaking. It’s always so easy to be critical but actually doing it is an entire different cup of tea. Considering all the odds the directors and writers had to work with in dealing with an ever so sensitive issue they produced a great movie and I repeat a credit to Errol.
Please see it when you have chance and judge it for yourself. I think Robert says it will come out in the fall, he posted it on the blog.
Take care!
rswilltell
May 15, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Tina;
Thanks for your very thoughtful review of Last Of Robin Hood. I do intend to see it for myself and will let you know what I think.
Not all films play in the theatres. Often the producers will write the film off as a loss and send it directly to cable/DVD. My California friend may not have seen it on cable but he definitely saw it. Tina why don’t you write a movie review for IMDb.com…. If you did you would be the first and have considerable impact on anyone searching for information on the film. The same applies to anyone who has already seen the film. If you go to YOUTUBE.com… and look at the trailer for Grace Of Monaco you will be astounded at the lavish sets, period costumes and splendid cinematography and yet the word of mouth is it’s a dud!
Tina
May 16, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Hi Ralph;
Thank you for your kind words and I will make my review with IMDd.com… it really deserves it. To me the story as written is much more life-like – sort of a realistic touch as it might really have been that way, than the sensationalistic write-ups and book of the past. Like I said for the money they had to work with it is an excellent movie. Kevin Kline is doing a fabulous job of Errol, Susan Sarandon, just great of a stage struck mother. She saw the chance of a lifetime to reach through Errol and her daughter the fame and fortune she hungered for so intensely. Dakota Fanning played a very nice Beverly. A teenager who never knew anything else but her mother’s ambition.
I have not seen Grace of Monaco, but as I see from Lollie’s post that Nicole Kidman is accused of being as frozen as her botox-enhanced face. I like Nicole and love her movie “Australia” and as far as I am concerned if she played Grace with a frozen face I think it was maybe required as for me and no criticism intended Grace Kelly never was an actress mirroring a lot of face expressions. At present I can’t think of a better word or term, all I can think of is the she was rather blasée more on the cold side – expression wise that is. She had an aura of untouchable about herself, at least this is the feeling she gave me. So don’t lets blame Nicole! I will seek out the movie and if Nicole give me the impression Grace Kelly does when I see one of her movies then Nicole did a great job. Just my humble opinion.
Take care.
rswilltell
May 19, 2014 at 2:52 pm
I’m responsible for the comment about Nicole Kidman’s face being frozen with Botox which I quoted from various bad reviews after the film’s premiere at Cannes. Tina I think this one is headed straight to DVD as it’s studio has lost all confidence in it. If the film is set in 1963 when Alfred Hitchcock hoped to bring Grace Kelly back to Hollywood to star in Marnie, her serene highness was just 34 years old. Nicole is 47, hence the Botox. Grace Kelly was certainly beautiful but she was already an outstanding dramtic actress at a very young age. In 1954 she won the Academy Award Oscar as Best Actress for her performance in The Country Girl with Bing Crosby and William Holden. She beat her competition Judy Garland for A Star Is Born. To her credit Nicole Kidman won the Best Starring Actress Oscar for The Hours in 2002, twelve years ago. However Grace Kelly’s children now ruling the tiny principality of Monaco condemn the film and Nicole’s portrayal of their mother.
Kidman’s problem is that like Jennifer Anniston she’s too old to keep on playing the young ingenue.
I still see no movie reviews on IMDb.com… for Last Of Robin Hood.
Ralph Schiller
Tina
May 19, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Hi Ralph:
My review of The Last of Robin Hood is up on IMDb.com… under my nickname, you will recognize it. IMDb does not publish the reviews immediately they peruse them first before publishing.
Maybe Robert would write one too?
Take care.
Robert
May 19, 2014 at 7:39 pm
Having worked on the film as the Flynn consultant, Tina, I don’t think it would be fair of me to post a review on IMDb.
Tina
May 19, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Hi Robert;
I thought so but was not quite sure, so I thought I ask.
Btw, why does it take so long for the movie to come out to the cinemas? Do you have any details? I would love to see it again!
Thanks for the info!
Take care.
Robert
May 19, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Despite what has at times been questioned here on the blog, Tina, independent films are often released a considerable time after completion (even studio films are sometimes released long after: you might remember one called “Escape Me Never”?). “The Last of Robin Hood” has followed a similar track in that it utilized exposure through film festivals–like the one you attended in Toronto–to raise interest in distribution. It worked, and Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired the distribution rights. Because of release schedules already in place with the company, the film had to wait for an available release slot and Goldwyn chose the fall of this year as that time. Most people never pay attention to these things and only become aware of a film when it’s about to be released. Those who, like fans of a particular actor, may be keeping an eye on a film’s production and become antsy when the film is not released in a manner they feel would be timely. But that’s just the way the business works and patience is the thing. As for IMDb reviews, those generally don’t start showing up until a film is released to theaters, and so far, the total attendance for TLoRH is fairly small, having only been screened at festivals so far, so it’s not surprising that reviews are slow in coming. But they will.
twinarchers
May 20, 2014 at 3:48 am
Thanks for the info Robert. Glad to have you on board here.
twinarchers
May 15, 2014 at 7:50 pm
I will look forward for any publicity and reviews for it. Because of who is in it I have to think it must be decent. It may not have scenes in it like in The Wolf Of Wall Street since Flynn had a reputation but a down to earth story instead. Who knows? Like you say, you have to see it yourself to be able to say anything.
Lollie
May 16, 2014 at 10:34 am
========================================
In fact Kidman’s performancce is
accused of being as frozen as her botox-enhanced face.
========================================
LOL !
rswilltell
May 20, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Tina;
I went over to IMDb.com… to look for your review of Last Of Robin Hood. Instead of finding it on th main page for the film one has to dig to a second page.
Never the less the review Lorrenie1 from Canada is both excellent and informative. I clicked that I found the review to be helpful. No doubt the film’s producers are very greatful for your posted review.
Ralph Schiller
Tina
May 20, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Hi Ralph;
I thought I put it where reviews go, I have to check it out. In the meantime I found this Trailer from the premier at TIFF in Toronto.
Take care
Tina
May 20, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Hi Ralph;
I thought I posted a review on this blog in February 2013 after seeing the movie and today I found it and here it is again. It is posted under the movie title!
Here it is – but I will delete it after you read it, as it doesn’t need to be twice on the blog.
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!