021 Robinhood Makes Good

Title: Robinhood Makes Good (tho it should be Robin Hood Makes Good)
Studio: Warner Brothers
Date: 2/11/39
Credits: None on viewed print (but directed by Chuck Jones)
Series: Merrie Melody (according to Blue Ribbon title)
Running time (of viewed version): 7:43

Synopsis: A little squirrel is treated poorly by bigger squirrels, but he eventually saves them from a fox when their game of Robin Hood gets them into trouble by pretending to be a hunt (and yes, that wording is intentional).









Comments: I'd prefer to go with two words for "Robin Hood" like the books in the cartoon, but the Blue Ribbon title actually appears to begin "Robinhood", and BoxOffice's listing for the cartoon makes it one word. The cartoon opens with an impressively long downwards vertical pan. You'd probably barely notice it if it was horizontal. The entire first third of the cartoon is squirrels standing around deciding what they're going to do. There are a couple of shots where they have impressive shading tho. A calendar looks like it says 1959. Even if it is '39, it's a month that ends in "ember" and starts with 3 letters, tho I think it says Octember. Unfortunately this cartoon is not on the Adventures of Robin Hood BluRay or HD-DVD. The cartoons that are on those discs are vastly superior to this one tho. Still, a complete (or more complete) collection of WB Robin Hood animated shorts would make sense in that package. The backgrounds keep being muddy and same-y and boring. The music kinda sits there; the song is interesting but doesn't really fit. The squirrel voices are awful WB cartoon kids voices. The Fox speaks too much in his Maid Marion falsetto, but one time when he breaks voice character is good. Well constructed but boring story. I think you're supposed to feel sympathy for the smallest squirrel, but he's too irritating to do so. And none of the other characters is sympathetic in any way. I'm not sure why people talk about this cartoon...

Edit: see promo photo belolo: