Disney
Released in 1973, Disney’s Robin Hood was the studio’s 21st animated film and the first of their animated features to make it past the 1 hour and 20-minute mark since Fantasia. The film was a hit with families and critics alike upon its released and in now families are watching Disney’s Robin Hood streaming. The film would feature Oscar-winning actors and would be nominated for three awards, including an Academy Award and a Grammy. The film’s soundtrack was included in the Legacy Collection released in 2017, and two of the songs were featured in the 60 Years of Musical Magic CD released by the company. With the launch of the Disney + service families are finding their enjoyment of the classic when they watch Disney’s Robin Hood online. It was only the second Disney feature to have no human characters, instead, all of the characters were anthropomorphized animals, including chickens, a rooster narrator, foxes, wolves, a buzzard, and even hippos and elephants. Here’s how to stream Disney’s Robin Hood right now:
How to Stream Disney’s Robin Hood – Exclusively on Disney+
Robin Hood is one of the fan-favorite Disney movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Robin Hood and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Robin Hood”
- 5. Tap on “Robin Hood”
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
Disney’s Robin Hood: Overview
Release Date: November 8, 1973
Creators: Larry Clemons, Ken Anderson, Vance Gerry, Frank Thomas, Eric Cleworth, Julius Svendsen, David Michener
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring: Phil Harris, Andy Devine, Brian Bedford, Monica Evans, and Pat Buttram
Rating: G
Synopsis: Robin Hood fights the tyrannical reign of Prince John, who is trying to steal England’s throne from King Richard, and tries to woo the Maid Marian.
How Long Is Disney’s Robin Hood?
Disney’s Robin Hood has a running time of 83 minutes.
Disney’s Robin Hood Plot
Prince John, the younger brother of King Richard the Lionheart, has taken control of Sherwood Forest and Nottingham in a big to unseat the King while he is away fighting the crusades. Robin Hood, an outlaw, and his friend Little John, fight against the prince, stealing from him and giving the money back to the poor people of the area. Robin and Little John steal from the prince, disguised as fortune tellers, which leads Prince John to officially name them outlaws and put a bounty on their heads. The Sheriff of Nottingham, one of the prince’s henchmen, goes to a family of rabbits and take even more taxes, and ruining the little boy rabbit’s birthday. Robin arrives, with gifts for the birthday boy, and money for his mother to help them survive. The kids go off with Robin’s present, an archery kit, and play in the woods. They lose an arrow in the courtyard of Marian’s castle where she is playing badminton with Lady Kluck, her attendant. They give the arrow back and tell Marian that Robin Hood is back. Marian and Robin have been in love since they were children but have been unable to be together because of the prince. Meanwhile, Little John disguises himself as a Duke to get close to the prince and learns about an archery tournament. Robin decides to enter when he learns Marian will give a kiss to the winner. He disguises himself as a stork and wins, but Sir Hiss, Prince John’s confidante and advisor, discovers who he is and a chase ensues as Prince John orders his guards to capture Robin Hood. Robin and Little John evade their pursuers. Maid Marian escapes with him and in the forest they fall in love again. Prince John triples the taxes and the Sheriff goes to Friar Tuck, Robin’s friend and a minister to the community, and jails him. Several other residents are jailed and the sheriff hopes to capture Robin Hood by luring him with the prisoners. Robin Hood and Little John manage to free the prisoners, but Robin is cornered by the Sheriff and, after fire breaks out in the castle, has to jump from the roof to the moat below. Little John watches as guards smatter the water with arrows and believes Robin is dead. Robin escapes by using a reed to breathe underwater. Prince John goes into a rage when he realizes his mother’s castle is now destroyed King Richard returns, jails the prince and his co-horts and pardons Robin Hood and Little John. Robin, now a free man, marries Maid Marian.
Disney’s Robin Hood Cast
The cast of Disney’s Robin Hood includes an Oscar winning actor and several big-name Western actors including George Lindsey, Ken Curtis and Pat Buttram. Here are the main cast members of the film:
Roger Miller as Allan-a-Dale, the Narrator
Allan-a-Dale is a rooster who acts as the narrator for the film. Roger Miller was a popular songwriter and actor who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995. His most famous song is King of the Road. In addition to Disney’s Robin Hood, he is known for his contributions to the soundtracks for movies including Talladega Nights, Into the Wild, and Superman III.
Peter Ustinov as Prince John and King Richard
Prince John is petty and mean, and wants to take over England from his brother, the brave and kind King Richard. Peter Ustinov was an award winning actor known for his roles in Spartacus and Topkapi, both of which earned him an Oscar. In addition to acting, Ustinov was an accomplished writer and worked at a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNICEF. He was knighted Sir Peter Ustinov in 1990.
Brian Bedford as Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a champion archer and rebel, fighting against the evil Prince John. Brian Bedford appeared in 39 movies over the course of his career. He is best known for his roles in Disney’s Robin Hood, Nixon, and Grand Prix.
Phil Harris as Little John
Little John is Robin Hood’s best friend, and he occasionally tries to dissuade him from his plans, but he always fights alongside Robin. Phil Harris was a bandleader, actor and radio star. He is best known for his work on the Disney films The Jungle Book, The Aristocats and Robin Hood.
Monica Evans as Maid Marian
Maid Marian is in love with Robin Hood, but Prince John wants to marry her. Monica Evans was an actress who is best known for her roles in Disney’s The Aristocats and Robin Hood. She also appeared in the TV series The Odd Couple.
Pat Buttram as Sheriff of Nottingham
The Sheriff of Nottingham takes pleasure in taking money from the citizens of Nottingham. He is one of Prince John’s henchmen. Pat Buttram was a well-known actor in rural TV series including Green Acres, and in several classic westerns before taking on the role of the Sheriff in Disney’s Robin Hood. From there he would do many more voice gigs, starring in movies and TV shows such as The Rugrats, The Fox and the Hound, and Garfield and Friends.
Andy Devine as Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is the minister for Nottingham, and worries about his congregation. Andy Devine was an award-winning actor. His best known roles were in western films including Stagecoach and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He would appear in 196 films and TV series during the course of his career.
Terry-Thomas as Sir Hiss
Sir Hiss is Prince John’s crony and friend, and he particularly enjoys pointing out the flaws in the prince’s plans. Terry-Thomas was a beloved comedian and actor who is best known for his roles in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, How to Murder Your Wife, and Robin Hood.
Disney’s Robin Hood Songs and Soundtrack
Disney’s Robin Hood was nominated for three awards, two of them for music. The love theme, ‘Love’, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and the soundtrack as a whole was nominated for a Grammy for Best Recording for Children. It didn’t win either award, but the songs remain popular, making it into commercials and internet memes even today.
Disney’s Robin Hood at the Box Office
The budget for Disney’s Robin Hood was $5 million and it would earn back $9.6 million during the initial box office run. Lifetime to date, the film has earned between $32 million and $35 million, with re-releases, soundtrack recordings, and a storybook record which released soon after the feature film.
Disney’s Robin Hood Reviews – What the Critics Said
Robin Hood became an instant favorite with families and even critics were favorable to the film upon its release. However, since the original release the film has received criticism with many saying it didn’t live up to past Disney films, either in the artwork or the original storyline/dialogue. Some have also panned the re-use of scenes, such as the animators recycling dancing scenes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Jungle Book, and The Aristocats. The film holds a generally positive review rating at the site Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences rating it at 84% and critics rating the film at 54% positive.
Where Disney’s Robin Hood Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
Disney’s Robin Hood remains a fan-favorite although it is considered a lesser film by many critics, primarily because of the reuse of dancing scenes. Still, many praise the artwork and the overall production, noting that songs from the film are still being used today in commercials and even internet memes like ‘Hamster Dance’. The film was nominated for three awards but would only win one, Germany’s Golden Screen award. The movie was nominated to the AFI’s 10 Top 10 films for animation, but wouldn’t make the final cut, and the love theme, ‘Love’ was nominated for an Oscar at the 46th Academy Awards; it would lose to the Barbra Streisand hit, ‘The Way We Were’.
Disney’s Robin Hood Trailer
Disney’s Robin Hood Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
With its cast of eccentric animals and engaging songs, Disney’s Robin Hood has remained a family favorite for more than forty years. Here are five facts you may not know about the film:
1. Disney Releases Movie and Record
In addition to the film, Disney would create a record, complete with storyboards, songs and score, narration, and dialogue for sale to the general public. The record played on typical record players and was detailed enough for children to read along while the record played.
2. No Human Characters in Robin Hood
Many movies have been released without any human characters, but Disney’s Robin Hood is only the second Disney film to feature only anthropomorphized animals without any human characters. The other Disney film to feature only animals was Bambi.
3. Robin Hood is Last Film in Which Disney’s Nine Old Men Would Collaborate
A group of nine animators, many who would go on to direct many Disney films, became legends in the business and were known as Disney’s Nine Old Men. Members of the group were Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnson, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Frank Thomas. All have been added to the Disney Legends list. Robin Hood would be the last animated Disney film in which all nine would participate.
4. Disney Uses University Fight Songs for Chase scenes
One of the more popular scenes from the movie is the chase scene, in which the Sheriff and his men chase after Robin and Little John after an archery contest. Disney used the USC fight song, ‘Fight On’ during the main scene, and switched to the University of Wisconsin’s fight song, ‘On Wisconsin’ during the football portion of that scene.
5. Four Characters Voiced by ‘Western’ Actors
Because one of the original settings for the film was the American Old West, Disney hired actors famous for their roles in Hollywood westerns to voice four of the characters. Pat Buttram voiced the Sheriff of Nottingham, Andy Devine voiced Friar Tuck, Ken Curtis voiced Nutsy, and George Lindsey voiced Trigger. Even after the setting was returned to England, Disney kept the ‘Western’ voices on board the film.