''Robin Hood Makes Good'' is a 1939

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'' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon short, directed by Chuck Jones and written by Dave Monahan. The short was released on February 11, 1939.

Plot

Three little squirrels, after reading a book about

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

, decide to act out the part of the legendary medieval outlaw. The smallest of the three declares that he will be Robin Hood, prompting the middle squirrel to breathe down his neck and demand, "''Who's'' gonna be Robin Hood?", prompting an intimidated reply of "''You're'' gonna be Robin Hood!" In turn, the biggest squirrel bullies the middle one, "''Who's'' gonna be Robin Hood?" "''You're'' gonna be Robin Hood!". That decided, the Robin Hood squirrel names the middle squirrel as

Little John Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin Hood and one of the two oldest Merry Men, al ...

, leaving the grumbling smallest squirrel to play the unwanted role of the

Sheriff of Nottingham The Sheriff of Nottingham is the main antagonist in the legend of Robin Hood. He is generally depicted as an unjust tyrant who mistreats the local people of Nottinghamshire, subjecting them to unaffordable taxes. Robin Hood fights against him, ...

. The small squirrel trudges off to await the inevitable song-and-dance attack of Robin Hood and Little John, while a fox, lurking on the side, sees them as his dinner and devises a ruse through which he pipes up, in a falsetto voice, claiming to be Robin's sweetheart

Maid Marian Maid Marian is the heroine of the Robin Hood legend in English folklore, often taken to be his lover. She is not mentioned in the early, medieval versions of the legend, but was the subject of at least two plays by 1600. Her history and circums ...

in trouble. Robin and Little John follow the bait into the fox's cabin, whereupon the fox drops his pretense and his falsetto and hangs the two up by their breeches on the wall, declaring his intention to make a stew out of them. The smallest squirrel, looking in from the outside of the cabin, devises a plan to save his friends. By means of voice imitations and sound effects, he makes the fox believe that hunters are after him. After he literally turns yellow and panics, in fear of his life, he runs away at maximum speed, beating the cabin door which accompanies him upright on his flight from reality. After being rescued, the two exit the cabin, only to be greeted by the smallest squirrel, who asks them with a grin, "''Who's'' gonna be Robin Hood?"

Reception

''The Film Daily'' (March 6, 1939) : Funny Squirrels: "The adventures of three squirrels who find a book all about the career of Robin Hood. So they decide to emulate the ancient hero, and merry outlaws of the woods start on adventure bent. A fox reads the book they have discarded, and starts taking advantage of their make-believe game. He lures the two older squirrels into a log cabin, locks them in and prepares to make a nice meal. The younger squirrel rescues them and as his reward insists on being Robin Hood".

References

External links

* * Short films directed by Chuck Jones 1939 films 1939 animated films Merrie Melodies short films Robin Hood films Animated films about squirrels Animated films about foxes Films scored by Carl Stalling 1930s Warner Bros. animated short films {{MerrieMelodies-stub