Filmmaker Mel Brooks has had a long career in the movie industry. He became well known for producing and directing comedy movies that parodied famous stories or characters. Fans will recall a more famous movie titled Robin Hood: Men in Tights from 1993. The movie is a hidden gem when it comes to spoof movies.
The storyline for the movie mimicked and made fun of the Robin Hood story, as well as other famous movies like Disney's Robin Hood and Prince of Thieves. The movie gives fans a good laugh but there are some questionable scenarios. Many scenes don't make much sense and are a bit of a head-scratcher.
10 The 'Life Saver'
Throughout the movie, there isn't any real magic to be seen. The only hint of magic is when Latrine (Tracey Ullman) uses a 'lifesaver' on Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Reese). The scene itself doesn't make much sense. The scenario is making fun of the famous mint candy and using it as a magical remedy.
Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) accidentally missed his sword sheath and impales Sheriff all the way through. For many, that type of injury would prove fatal. Latrine promises to save him with a 'lifesaver' that when ingested caused little spark-like magic as she removes the sword. But was it really magic?
9 Robin Never Opened The Box
When Robin returns from the Crusades, his family's trusted servant, Blinkin (Mark Blankfield) hands him a gift. Robin had just learned that his family had died while he was away and his father left him something valuable. The gift is a small metal box said to hold "the greatest treasure in all the land."
Fans of the movie will understand by the end what the greatest treasure was. The perplexing aspect of it all is, Robin never thinks to open the box, not once. The box never makes another appearance in the whole storyline until the very end. What also never made sense is how Robin's father came into possession of the key.
8 The Chasity Belt Debacle
Probably the most confusing yet comical plot element of the movie is Maid Marian's (Amy Yasbeck) chastity belt. Fans are introduced to it when she gets up from her bath. Looking beyond the fact that the belt is made by Everlast, the functionality of the belt is confusing. It seems as though Maid Marian never takes it off.
The chastity belt is an obvious metaphor for Maid Marian's virginity. It does raise the question of how Maid Marian went to the bathroom or bathed. It also implies that sleeping at night wasn't so comfortable. Absolutely no one had a key and by the end of the movie, Robin's key doesn't even open the lock.
7 Physical Events That Can't Actually Happen
Seeing as the movie is a parody, there obviously would be some scenarios that are impossible to see happen in real life. Seeing these scenarios on screen raises some questions. When Robin is imprisoned in Jerusalem, the torturers get a pair of pliers and literally pull out his tongue until it resembles Laffy Taffy.
The most bizarre and questionable moment is when he actually escapes and must return to England. Robin is in a hurry to get there and his comrade tells him he must catch the tide. Instead of taking a boat, Robin physically swims from Jerusalem to England. The trip is quite literally impossible without suffering hypothermia or dying. The same goes when Little John (Eric Allan Kramer) is scared of drowning in a two-foot-high river.
6 They Moved An Entire Castle
Moving property has never been easier when it can be hitched to a horse and rolled away. After Robin returns to England, he discovers his family's land to have been taken into the possession of Prince John (Richard Lewis). The part that had fans laughing and perplexed is how they take the castle.
The workers hitch the castle foundation to horse and roll it away. They leave behind the inner walls and fans can see the infrastructure of what the castle used to be. The move resembles taking away a TV show set that needs to be changed for a new scenario. Knowing the physical dynamics of moving an entire castle, this doesn't make sense.
5 Lend Me Your Ears!
Robin and his comrades realize that they need to stop Prince John and Rottingham from abusing their power. They band together the best men from various towns to become the Merry Men. At the recruitment meeting, Robin shouts "Lend me your ears!"
Audiences didn't expect the group of men to take off their ears and throw them at Robin. The men took Robin's phrase too literally. The scene also raises the question of how all the men can take off their ears as if it were a piece of jewelry.
4 How Did They Free The Other Prisoners?
When Robin is held prisoner, he gets help from his fellow inmate, Asneeze (Isaac Hayes). Together they use their feet to breaks the metal bar structure that holds their chains. Robin and Asneeze then help free the other prisoners. The fact that they can free the others doesn't make much sense.
Looking carefully at the scene, Robin and Asneeze can open their wrist cuffs with no key and so could the other prisoners. Robin and Asneeze then pull a chain on each side that frees the others. This seems impossible as each pair of prisoners is confined to their own barricade.
3 Prince John's Mole
Prince John isn't the scariest villain to exist. He's actually quite a dud and has no backbone. The movie played a fun gag on the character that doesn't make much sense in reality. Every time Prince John is introduced in a scene, the mole on his face changes location.
The mole is one day on his cheek, the next day it's in the middle of his forehead. The idea of a mole moving is plain bizarre. What's even more bizarre is that no one points it out except Rottingham. It gets more kooky as Prince John is shocked to discover he even has a mole. Pricing John must not like mirrors.
2 The Green Tights In Plastic Eggs
In the scene where the Merry Men are gathering their new gear, Ahchoo (Dave Chappelle) is taking green tights out of a white plastic egg. For the newer generations of audience members, this doesn't make much sense. What purpose do green tights have with a plastic egg?
The scene is making fun of the L'eggs Pantyhose & Hosiery company. Back in the '70s, the company had a fun packaging idea seeing as their company name has 'eggs' in it. They would sell their consumers their famous pantyhose in plastic eggs, like the ones used for Easter. The movie parodied the concept and had the Merry Men's tights in a much more exaggerated plastic egg.
1 The Characters Are Aware They're In A Movie
The movie raises some questions on whether or not the characters are 100% aware they're in a movie. Throughout the story, there are fourth-wall breaks addressing the audience or scenarios of movie production. Latrine turns to the audience stating she almost touched Rottingham's package.
When Maiden Marian is bathing, a camera guy accidentally breaks through her window. The most memorable scene is where Robin loses in the archery contest. Perplexed that he actually lost, he whips out his script to double-check. The rest of the characters also check their scripts.
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