Kevin Kline in Like Flynn For ‘The Last of Robin Hood’

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CHICAGO – The term “in like Flynn” still gets used, when delusional dudes think they have the score. The saying is a product of former matinee idol Errol Flynn, whose tastes in young girls inspired the saying. Kevin Kline portrays him, and his tastes, in “The Last of Robin Hood.”

This is a decent character study – written and directed by the tandem of Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland – but has no real dramatic arcs or mysteries solved. However, there is plenty of bizarre 1950s-style tabloid coverage to drink in, and Susan Sarandon is gunning for Meryl Streep’s stranglehold on playing woman character roles of a certain age. Her mother role is delicious, and gives her a chance to be drunk and disorderly. Kline is perfectly suited for the aging Errol Flynn, much as he portrayed the aging Cole Porter and Douglas Fairbanks in previous films. He has the old-timey star look and attitude, and creates a world-weary persona for Flynn that matches his supernova in decline.

The film opens with death of Flynn, at the ripe old age of 50. The press are hounding the woman whose arms Flynn expired in. Beverly Aadland (Dakota Fanning) is a deer-in-the-headlights girlfriend of the dead star, and her young age and delicate nature is tested by the circumstance. She is estranged from her mother Florence (Susan Sarandon), who doesn’t mind sharing the story of her daughter’s affairs with a reporter.

Dakota Fanning, Kevin Kline
Beverly Aadland (Dakota Fanning) is ‘In’ with Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline) for ‘The Last of Robin Hood’
Photo credit: Samuel Goldwyn Films

The tale is of Errol Flynn, long past his film star status, hitting on Beverly while she works as chorus girl at the Warner Bros. Studio. She has a fake birth certificate that says she is 18 years old, when in fact she is 15. This truth does not prevent Flynn from seducing her – his penchant for very young women being documented – and her mother gives the blessing. This bizarre threesome interact over the last two years of Flynn’s life, until he dies in Beverly’s arms.

The independent nature of the film belies its ten-year journey to the screen, and the cut corners are evident in several anachronisms for this set-in-the-1950s narrative. And although the star power helps to save the tawdry revelations, it’s questionable whether the whole thing is even relevant for today’s audiences. Could anyone relate to who Errol Flynn is or was, beyond the film geeks and cable subscribers to Turner Classic Movies?

Fanning does a decent job as Beverly portraying her as a slaughtered innocent, but not enough is revealed about her motivations – beyond love – in her connection to Flynn. The fake birth certificate is one thing, but another is her desire to actually be a star. The screenplay depicts her as a bad actress, and yet that fact seems to elude the real Beverly – which is probably the point – but nothing is resolved in that assertion.

Kline and Sarandon are their usual glorious selves, especially in the few scenes of their interaction. They are locked into their showy roles, with several scenes of Kline recreating Flynn’s moves in Robin Hood, and Sarandon bites down hard on the sorrows of a one legged ex-dancer who lives through her daughter. Each brings something to the table that makes the film more alive in parts than as a whole, and makes it worth watching.

Dakota Fanning, Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon
Proof is in the Picture for Errol, Beverly and Florence (Susan Sarandon) for ‘The Last of Robin Hood’
Photo credit: Samuel Goldwyn Films

There are several tidbits of late 1950s Hollywood history that are juicy, besides the salaciousness of the story itself. Apparently, director Stanley Kubrick briefly considered Flynn and Aadland for the film version of “Lolita” (parts that eventually went to James Mason and Sue Lyons), and the lovers also made a B-movie called “Cuban Rebel Girls” (1959) which actually praised the Fidel Castro revolution, and Flynn was actually a supporter of the regime. He may be lucky he died before that hit the fan. His grandson Sean Flynn also appears in a brief scene on the set of the Cuban film, to complete the circle.

Although the story never really takes off, it is the legacy of “In like Flynn” that drives it. The cautionary tale of victimhood due to circumstances also has a touch of strange pride within the use of star status, as Flynn never really gives in.

“The Last of Robin Hood” continues its limited release in Chicago on September 5th. See local listings for theaters and show times. Featuring Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Dakota Fanning, Patrick St. Esprit and Sean Flynn. Written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. Rated “R”

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2014 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

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