Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

What becomes a legend

Swashes, buckled, in The Last of Robin Hood

The Last of Robin Hood: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, and Susan Sarandon survive a bristly rough cut.
The Last of Robin Hood: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, and Susan Sarandon survive a bristly rough cut.

“They’re real sticklers for the rules these days, not like in my time,” says Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline) while effortlessly trying to put across Hollywood’s attitude toward May/December romances to star-struck Florence Aadland (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his 15-year-old mistress, Beverly (Dakota Fanning).

The Last of Robin Hood chronicles the final two years of Hollywood’s storied swashbuckling lothario, a man whose dog-hungry addictions, among them an injurious dependence on fame, is topped by a decadent desire for young girls. It’s a time when all it takes is a pretty little thing in a red dress to signal a green light.

Sponsored
Sponsored

At her mother’s suggestion, Beverly elects to slip into the more colorful, age-embroidering garment for her big studio audition. Moments after Flynn spots her slinking through the backlot, his resident pimp — costume designer Orry Kelly (Bryan Batt) — has successfully arranged a meeting.

Beverly’s wouldn’t be the first cradle that Flynn was accused of robbing. In 1942, a pair of minors accused the actor of statutory rape. Though he was acquitted, the headline-grabbing trial put a permanent ding in the public’s perception of Flynn.

In her mind, Florence is both armchair celebrity and supportive stage mother, a peg-legged dynamo who will do anything — including sacrificing her marriage in order to turn a blind-eye to her adolescent daughter’s relationship with a moribund immortal — to secure a small piece (by association) of the limelight. Although much of the film’s dialogue is drawn from conversations Beverly shared with the filmmakers, the narration is entrusted to Florence. For her, conviction comes in the form of an all-encompassing faith in the salvational power of celebrity. Like any devout fame whore, Florence commits a lot of screwball sins in the name of Hollywood.

Movie

Last of Robin Hood ***

thumbnail

“They’re real sticklers for the rules these days, not like in my time,” says Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline) while effortlessly trying to put across Hollywood’s attitude towards May/December romances to star-struck Florence Aadland (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his 15-year-old mistress, Beverly (Dakota Fanning). <em>The Last of Robin Hood</em> chronicles the final two years of Hollywood’s storied swashbuckling lothario, a man whose dog-hungry addictions, among them an injurious dependence on fame, are topped by a decadent desire for young girls. Fanning plunges the depths of a character torn between a loving superstar on the way out and a conniving mother looking for a way in. Kline, a much better actor than the one he plays, knows what becomes a legend most and how to pull it off. It’s been some time since Sarandon was able to sink her teeth into a character as meaty as Florence Aadland. Apology accepted for <em>The Big Wedding</em> and <em>Tammy</em>.

Find showtimes

Some have taken filmmakers Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland to task for their objective approach to the material. The phrase “statutory rape” is voiced just once in the film, by Flynn’s lawyer during a closed-door conference. This was 1959, long before tabloid headlines catapulted the term into common usage. Wishing to neither justify nor judge, Glatzer and Westmoreland contextualize the facts to reflect the time in which they take place, as opposed to more contemporary thinking.

Fanning plunges the depths of a character torn between a loving superstar on the way out and a conniving mother looking for a way in. Kline, a much better actor than the one he plays, knows what becomes a legend most and how to pull it off. He is superb in the role. It’s been some time since Sarandon was able to sink her teeth into a character as meaty as Florence Aadland. Apology accepted for The Big Wedding and Tammy.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Next Article

Operatic Gender Wars

Are there any operas with all-female choruses?
The Last of Robin Hood: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, and Susan Sarandon survive a bristly rough cut.
The Last of Robin Hood: Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, and Susan Sarandon survive a bristly rough cut.

“They’re real sticklers for the rules these days, not like in my time,” says Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline) while effortlessly trying to put across Hollywood’s attitude toward May/December romances to star-struck Florence Aadland (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his 15-year-old mistress, Beverly (Dakota Fanning).

The Last of Robin Hood chronicles the final two years of Hollywood’s storied swashbuckling lothario, a man whose dog-hungry addictions, among them an injurious dependence on fame, is topped by a decadent desire for young girls. It’s a time when all it takes is a pretty little thing in a red dress to signal a green light.

Sponsored
Sponsored

At her mother’s suggestion, Beverly elects to slip into the more colorful, age-embroidering garment for her big studio audition. Moments after Flynn spots her slinking through the backlot, his resident pimp — costume designer Orry Kelly (Bryan Batt) — has successfully arranged a meeting.

Beverly’s wouldn’t be the first cradle that Flynn was accused of robbing. In 1942, a pair of minors accused the actor of statutory rape. Though he was acquitted, the headline-grabbing trial put a permanent ding in the public’s perception of Flynn.

In her mind, Florence is both armchair celebrity and supportive stage mother, a peg-legged dynamo who will do anything — including sacrificing her marriage in order to turn a blind-eye to her adolescent daughter’s relationship with a moribund immortal — to secure a small piece (by association) of the limelight. Although much of the film’s dialogue is drawn from conversations Beverly shared with the filmmakers, the narration is entrusted to Florence. For her, conviction comes in the form of an all-encompassing faith in the salvational power of celebrity. Like any devout fame whore, Florence commits a lot of screwball sins in the name of Hollywood.

Movie

Last of Robin Hood ***

thumbnail

“They’re real sticklers for the rules these days, not like in my time,” says Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline) while effortlessly trying to put across Hollywood’s attitude towards May/December romances to star-struck Florence Aadland (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his 15-year-old mistress, Beverly (Dakota Fanning). <em>The Last of Robin Hood</em> chronicles the final two years of Hollywood’s storied swashbuckling lothario, a man whose dog-hungry addictions, among them an injurious dependence on fame, are topped by a decadent desire for young girls. Fanning plunges the depths of a character torn between a loving superstar on the way out and a conniving mother looking for a way in. Kline, a much better actor than the one he plays, knows what becomes a legend most and how to pull it off. It’s been some time since Sarandon was able to sink her teeth into a character as meaty as Florence Aadland. Apology accepted for <em>The Big Wedding</em> and <em>Tammy</em>.

Find showtimes

Some have taken filmmakers Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland to task for their objective approach to the material. The phrase “statutory rape” is voiced just once in the film, by Flynn’s lawyer during a closed-door conference. This was 1959, long before tabloid headlines catapulted the term into common usage. Wishing to neither justify nor judge, Glatzer and Westmoreland contextualize the facts to reflect the time in which they take place, as opposed to more contemporary thinking.

Fanning plunges the depths of a character torn between a loving superstar on the way out and a conniving mother looking for a way in. Kline, a much better actor than the one he plays, knows what becomes a legend most and how to pull it off. He is superb in the role. It’s been some time since Sarandon was able to sink her teeth into a character as meaty as Florence Aadland. Apology accepted for The Big Wedding and Tammy.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Secrets of Resilience in May's Unforgettable Memoir

Next Article

Gonzo Report: Hockey Dad brings UCSD vets and Australians to the Quartyard

Bending the stage barriers in East Village
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader