Sir Robin of Locksley (Flynn) falls foul of the Norman authorities and turns outlaw when Prince John (Rains) usurps his brother's succession to the throne. Fleeing to Sherwood Forest, Sir Robin becomes Robin Hood, gathering around him a band of Merry Men. Robin woos and wins Lady Marian (de Havilland) who feeds him news of John's plots. When Marian is captured, Robin and his men storm Nottingham Castle to rescue her.

The film that set the all-action standard by which other screen swashbucklers would be judged, Curtiz's take on the Sherwood Gorest saga of "robbing from the rich to give to the poor" is distinguished by Flynn's thrusting charisma as the film's lead ( having pipped James Cagney, who was the director's original first choice, to the role).

Flynn plays Sir Robin of Locksley the renegade aristo who, with his merry band of forest-dwelling marauders, confronts the corrupt ruling class of the day. Graced with a brilliantly choreographed, climactic swordfight between Flynn and Basil Rathbone as the villainous Sir Guy of Gisbourne, during which the action cuts between the men and their shadows, The Adventures of Robin Hood is graced with an Oscar-winning score by Erich Korngold and still-sparkling Technicolor cinematography (an innovation in the 1930s) which was digitally enhanced for Warner's 2003 re-release of the film.