Princess of Thieves
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Actor: David Barrass, Del Synnott, Hannah Cresswell, Keira Knightley, Malcolm McDowellBrand: Walt Disney Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 88 minutes
Published: 2001-12-01
DVD Release Date: 2005-05-03
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Walt Disney Video
DVD Reviews of Princess of Thieves
DVD Review: "Wish for a thief, you'll get one."
Summary: 4 Stars
In 2001, Disney produced PRINCESS OF THIEVES, a made-for-television movie which not only dusted off the legend of Robin Hood but engagingly added to it. It featured the lovely Keira Knightley, who was then only 15 years old and took time off from school to shoot this picture. The following year would cause her star to prominently ascend with the release of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, but, even as early as in this film, one can plainly see the natural acting abilities and vivaciousness which radiated from this lanky snippet of a girl.
Plot SPOILERS begin:
The year is 1184 in the reign of Richard the Lionheart, King of England. The Sheriff of Nottingham (Malcolm McDowell) decides to rescind the price put on the head of Robin Hood's baby upon discovery that the infant is a girl. The Sheriff will grow to rue this act. The willful and plucky Gwyn (Keira Knightley), despite the determinedly sheltered existence her celebrated father had laid out for her, is not about to lead a life of meek and ladylike propriety as she instead seeks to follow in her father's footsteps. Possessing her father's archery skills and his habit of questioning wrongful authority, Gwyn will end up in more capers than one girl really should.
Now it's been five years since Gwyn has seen her father. Robin loves his daughter and, for the sake of her safety, has purposely made his visits unpredictable and very seldom. One day, Robin Hood and Will Scarlett are tasked to safely escort the dying King Richard's son, Prince Philip, so that the prince may properly assume the monarchy. En route, Robin Hood pays a call on Gwyn, who has long been left in the care of Friar Tuck at his abbey and reared with her childhood friend and monastery novice Froderick.
But an argument forms a barrier between Gwyn and her father (she wants to go with him, he thinks that's just stupid), which makes for a bitter departure for Robin. The undaunted Gwyn cuts her hair to pass for a boy (hah!) and sneaks away in pursuit of her father and her own very high ideals. When Robin Hood is taken captive by the Sheriff of Nottingham, it's suddenly left up to his rebellioius daughter to rescue him and prevent the wicked Prince John from usurping the throne of England. And, wouldn't you know it, an archery tournament figures into the rescue mission. Good thing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Plot SPOILERS end.
PRINCESS OF THIEVES is very good for a television feature. The focus is definitely on Gwyn, the daughter of Robin Hood, with a solid supporting role played by Robin Hood even if fans might be a bit disappointed that he doesn't get to do more; a minor beef of mine is that, even though Gwyn has seemingly taken on the mantle of the sharpshooter in this film, I still expected Robin to wield the bow and arrow more (in fact, I find it hard to recall even one scene in which he slings a bow). Also, in much of the movie, Robin is stern and lacking in humor and seems intent on playing the uncompromising father card. Only later on do glimmerings of his once rakish personality surface.
Now, sure, this movie's hampered by a very modest budget, which played a huge factor in having the film shot on location in affordable Romania. It's a given that the special effects, stunts, and sets would suffer a bit. But while there is a diminished sense of grandeur here and the skirmishes are done up with more enthusiasm than technical skill, there's still a sense of purpose to this film. The cast and crew, it seems to me, were fully behind this picture and I could sense the commitment in their performances (the behind-the-scenes featurette goes on to reveal that, of the entire cast and crew, only about 16 or 17 spoke English; so bonding was key).
Stuart Wilson, with his commanding presence and sketchy resemblance to an older Sean Connery (who himself portrayed this character), makes a fine Robin Hood, who's now more grizzled and may have lost a bit of his dash but remains heroic and can still muster up an irreverent comment when called upon ("You have egg in your beard"). Even at his most stodgy, he maintains a certain magnetic quality about him. Stephen Moyer provides romantic lead services and is decent as the initially self-serving Prince Philip; certainly, he calls on his Heath Ledger good looks to win over the hearts of the female viewing audience. Veteran actors Malcolm McDowell and Jonathan Hyde add villainous heft to their respective roles of the Sheriff of Notthingham and Prince John. And Keira Knightley? Well, she's simply luminous and one can see why things got bigger and better for her soon after, career wise. As the feisty Gwyn - who'll brazenly steal a horse but who then is insulted when the horse is offered to her because of her gender - Keira embodies modern girl empowerment to a tee. Boy, whenever she's on the screen, I can't take my eyes off her. Plus she has that sexy-cool Brit accent.
This dvd contains two noteworthy bonus features: "Princess of Thieves: The Adventure Behind the Adventure," which is the 8 and a half minutes long, behind-the-scenes segment and a so-so audio commentary by Director Peter Hewitt. These extras are certainly miniscule but apropos of a small screen feature. But it's not about the extras, it's about the film itself. Never mind the historical discrepancies. Watch this instead for the entertainment value. PRINCESS OF THIEVES effectively pays homage to the Outlaw of Sherwood, one of the all-time great historical legends. The climactic scenes may not be as rousing as or contain the magnitude of Errol Flynn's or even Kevin Costner's versions, but they'll certainly do. With ample servings of derring-do, false identities, royal intrigue, and star power as provided by Knightley, PRINCESS OF THIEVES is a breath of fresh air and an appealing addition to the mythos of Robin Hood. Once again, Keira Knightley rocks.
One question, though. Where's Little John in all this?
Description of Princess of Thieves
Features include:
?MPAA Rating: NR
?Format: DVD
?Runtime: 88 minutes
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