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Thursday, February 11, 2010

William Marshall and… Robin Hood?

As I was reading through The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick, I kept thinking that King Richard and Prince John sounded like the King Richard and Prince John of Robin Hood lore. And guess what? I was right! So I figured that if William Marshall was actively involved with Richard and John, and they were involved in the tale of Robin Hood, maybe the Marshall and Robin would come together at some point? Right again!

I’m sure many of you have seen or heard about the new Robin Hood movie coming out soon staring Russell Crowe. But how many of you knew that William Marshall would be in this movie? I certainly didn’t. William Hurt will be playing William Marshall. Here is the trailer for the movie – I couldn’t tell if Hurt was in it or not, I’m not too familiar with him, but maybe some of you might spot him.



If I wasn’t completely convinced of seeing this movie before, I have to now, just to see how they present William Marshall.




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11 comments:

  1. I'm not a big Russell Crowe fan, but this does look like a good movie.

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  2. I'm not a huge Russell Crowe fan either - I personally think he is too old to play Robin Hood - I always envision him as a younger man. That was basically the reason I wasn't sure whether I wanted to see it or not.

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  3. I am just happy to see the medieval period in a film...I wonder how this one will turn out?

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  4. Hi there,
    I think I'm going to be watching it and peeping through my fingers. I live in Nottingham and even though I know the modern Robin Hood tales are 'only a story' I tend to thrown my toys out of the pram and have to be sent out of the room by my family when history gets skewed. I had heard that the Marshal was being played by William Hurt. My favourite for him myself would be Ioan Gruffydd (when he was younger) and Christopher Ecclestone for the older Marshal. Wm Hurt doesn't do it for me.

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  5. A PS to the above. I belong to early medieval re-enactment society Regia Anglorum, and we have been contracted to provide promotion for the film at Nottingham Castle in May. I will likely be there with my trusty cauldron and my mail-clad friends! :-)

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  6. Hi,
    I have just found your blog and love it! I also love historical novels!

    Firstly there is a film about William Marshall being released soon called 'Ironclad' and includes the dramatic siege of Rochester Castle. It is a British made film and stars James Purefoy. http://screencrave.com/2010-01-08/first-ironclad-photo-with-james-purefoy/

    And of course Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, which has gone through various script changes. The original story called just 'Nottingham' had the Sheriff of Nottingham as a fairly good guy and Russell Crowe's Robin not such a goody-goody!

    I have a blog dedicated to the Robin Hood legend ( which I have studied for many years) and a very underrated live-action Robin Hood movie made in 1952 at http://disneysrobin.blogspot.com/

    I will create a link on my blog to yours.

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  7. Crikey, Clement of the Glen, thanks for that. It's the first I've heard. In 'real' history, at the defence of Rochester, William Marshal would have been approximately 65, not a Templar (took the vows just before his death in 1219) and would have been fighting against those defending Rochester - although he wasn't actually there in person - so it'll be interesting to know more about the actual script! I rather like James Purefoy though!

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  8. I think any movie based on history is worth a watch.. maybe not for the astronomical Theater prices, but I'll certainly watch it when it comes to cable!! =)
    As Pricilla said on my blog post about Robin Hood The Movie.. Men in tights.. yumm..

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  9. I think they should make a movie on William Marshal the true robin hood who used his son to force the signing of the magna carda

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  10. I heard lots of things about robin hood. He is the fastest bowman in his time. He run faster than horse and lots of things. But don't know it is true or not. I already watch online this movie. It was great movie I had watched in my past.

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  11. I think there are some very unfair comments on here about the Ridley Scott "Robin Hood" I'm not quite sure where the assumption that Robin Hood was a young man at his peak activity. From much of the research I've studied over the past 40 years and growing up in Nottingham, he has always been noted at an age between 35-40 years old Russell Crowe was 44yrs old at the time of making the movie. His ruggedness in my opinion is more in keeping with a character of that time as opposed to the totally unrealistic Kevin Costner version. I hear Ioan Gruffud's name touted. Whilst I thought he was impressive in King Arthur I think he would have again been more in the romantic Costner mould. Cate Blanchett was very well cast as was William Hurt. I'm not a big Mark Strong fan but he was a quite convincing enemy.
    For those wanting a romantic fairytale type Robin Hood I would suggest watching a Disney version.

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