After a glitzy opening at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week Robin Hood is this week's big release and could give Iron Man 2 a run for it's money at the top of the box office this weekend.
Alongside Robin, Marion and the Merry Men, the film features a clutch of fascinating characters, not the least of whom is Sir William Marshal, played by William Hurt, and Sir Walter Loxley, portrayed by Max Von Sydow.
These gentlemen grew up as friends and colleagues of Thomas Longstride (Mark Lewis Jones), the author of the Forest Charter and the executed father of a then five-year-old Robin (Jack Downham).
To protect him from danger, Marshal and Loxley take Longstride’s son away from England. They leave the young Robin in a French monastery while they join the Third Crusade, and they earnestly plan to return for him.
Later, Marshal will take his position as a leading minister in Richard The Lionheart’s royal court, while Loxley will return to his Nottingham estate and eventually become Marion’s father-in-law.
"These two men left young Robin in the care of somebody else for three years when they went to war, and they come back and he’s not there," offers Crowe. "Their assumption is that he’s dead.
"So, for the previous 35 to 40 years, there wouldn’t be a 24-hour period in their lives where they didn’t feel some pang of that guilt. It’s an interesting journey for both William Marshal and for Walter Loxley to have that guilt overhang their lives.
"In fact, when Sir Walter hears the name Robin Longstride again, his first thought is that somebody is coming to kill him - that there’s going to be a revenge enacted because of his failure."
As it transpires, Longstride meets both men again, with Sir Walter helping Robin come to terms with both his tortured past and aspirational future. "It’s an interesting relationship," says Crowe. "Robin remembers nothing from that moment that his father was killed, except a residual love.
"He knows he was loved, but he never understood why it changed, and Sir Walter uses basic psychology to reach inside him and say, ‘The things that you need to know are actually inside you.’"
Hurt was quite pleased at his chance to play the epic hero who was a powerful consort to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Richard I. "Sir William Marshal is an amazing character from history," says the Oscar® winner.
"In this particular one, he’s a facilitator. He tries to maintain respect for the throne and, at the same time, facilitate change within the system. He has a philosophy that is intensely humane and fair-minded. But he’s also completely loyal to the throne, as in the need for people to have a leader. He combines these two things in a wonderfully diplomatic way."
While his old friend Sir Walter Loxley rejoices in Robin’s return, he also grieves for his son, Marion’s husband Robert Loxley, who meets his death in France in the wake of Richard’s demise. With her husband gone, Marion and Sir Walter form a close bond.
"She has become his caretaker, and he is her mentor and surrogate father," explains Blanchett. "Very few actors could carry off the soothsayer in the way that Max does.
"Playing opposite him was a privilege; his body of work is just astonishing. It’s a very poignant touchstone relationship for me in the film."
While many believe Robin’s primary nemesis to be the Sheriff of Nottingham, the writers crafted another villain in King John’s oldest friend, Sir Godfrey, played by Mark Strong. Godfrey, the man responsible for Robert Loxley’s death, uses his influence in the newly anointed court of King John to betray England to King Philip of France (Jonathan Zaccaï).
"What is fascinating about Godfrey is the fact that he exists on so many levels," says Strong. "He’s a friend of John’s, so you realize early on that he’s close to the seat of power. You also realize he’s a traitor.
"Every good morality tale has a good and a bad guy. Godfrey’s job in this, in broad strokes, is to be Robin’s nemesis, and the man we love to hate."
Cast as the royal sons of Eleanor were Danny Huston as King Richard the Lionheart and Oscar Isaac as Richard’s younger brother John, who takes the throne after his sibling is killed.
Isaac explains a bit about the ruler: "We meet him as Prince John, and he’s quite hedonistic, a libertine. Nothing is expected of him, so he gladly says, ‘Fine, if you don’t expect anything from me, I’ll give you nothing,’ and he spends his time in bed with his French mistress.
"Then he finds out that Richard has died and now it’s his turn to be king - his turn to prove everyone, particularly his mother, wrong. He’s full of fear and doubt, but he thinks he can be a better king.
"The problem is that he has a lot of anger and a maniacal ego; he believes through sheer will and intellect he can make England great."
Matthew Macfadyen, who shot to international acclaim after his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, stars as the archetypal villain, the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Explains Maid Marion herself, Blanchett, of his character and performance: "What I find so interesting about this version of the Sheriff of Nottingham is that it’s the weak who are often the most evil, because they’re the most compromised.
"There’s a moment, and it’s brilliantly played by Matthew, where he suddenly says, ‘I’m British! No, I’m French!’ and he’s prepared to go over to whichever side. It’s the weak people from whom you have the most to fear."
Robin Hood is out now.
After a glitzy opening at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week Robin Hood is this week's big release and could give Iron Man 2 a run for it's money at the top of the box office this weekend.
Alongside Robin, Marion and the Merry Men, the film features a clutch of fascinating characters, not the least of whom is Sir William Marshal, played by William Hurt, and Sir Walter Loxley, portrayed by Max Von Sydow.
These gentlemen grew up as friends and colleagues of Thomas Longstride (Mark Lewis Jones), the author of the Forest Charter and the executed father of a then five-year-old Robin (Jack Downham).
To protect him from danger, Marshal and Loxley take Longstride’s son away from England. They leave the young Robin in a French monastery while they join the Third Crusade, and they earnestly plan to return for him.
Later, Marshal will take his position as a leading minister in Richard The Lionheart’s royal court, while Loxley will return to his Nottingham estate and eventually become Marion’s father-in-law.
"These two men left young Robin in the care of somebody else for three years when they went to war, and they come back and he’s not there," offers Crowe. "Their assumption is that he’s dead.
"So, for the previous 35 to 40 years, there wouldn’t be a 24-hour period in their lives where they didn’t feel some pang of that guilt. It’s an interesting journey for both William Marshal and for Walter Loxley to have that guilt overhang their lives.
"In fact, when Sir Walter hears the name Robin Longstride again, his first thought is that somebody is coming to kill him - that there’s going to be a revenge enacted because of his failure."
As it transpires, Longstride meets both men again, with Sir Walter helping Robin come to terms with both his tortured past and aspirational future. "It’s an interesting relationship," says Crowe. "Robin remembers nothing from that moment that his father was killed, except a residual love.
"He knows he was loved, but he never understood why it changed, and Sir Walter uses basic psychology to reach inside him and say, ‘The things that you need to know are actually inside you.’"
Hurt was quite pleased at his chance to play the epic hero who was a powerful consort to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Richard I. "Sir William Marshal is an amazing character from history," says the Oscar® winner.
"In this particular one, he’s a facilitator. He tries to maintain respect for the throne and, at the same time, facilitate change within the system. He has a philosophy that is intensely humane and fair-minded. But he’s also completely loyal to the throne, as in the need for people to have a leader. He combines these two things in a wonderfully diplomatic way."
While his old friend Sir Walter Loxley rejoices in Robin’s return, he also grieves for his son, Marion’s husband Robert Loxley, who meets his death in France in the wake of Richard’s demise. With her husband gone, Marion and Sir Walter form a close bond.
"She has become his caretaker, and he is her mentor and surrogate father," explains Blanchett. "Very few actors could carry off the soothsayer in the way that Max does.
"Playing opposite him was a privilege; his body of work is just astonishing. It’s a very poignant touchstone relationship for me in the film."
While many believe Robin’s primary nemesis to be the Sheriff of Nottingham, the writers crafted another villain in King John’s oldest friend, Sir Godfrey, played by Mark Strong. Godfrey, the man responsible for Robert Loxley’s death, uses his influence in the newly anointed court of King John to betray England to King Philip of France (Jonathan Zaccaï).
"What is fascinating about Godfrey is the fact that he exists on so many levels," says Strong. "He’s a friend of John’s, so you realize early on that he’s close to the seat of power. You also realize he’s a traitor.
"Every good morality tale has a good and a bad guy. Godfrey’s job in this, in broad strokes, is to be Robin’s nemesis, and the man we love to hate."
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