Robin Hood

This 1922 silent picture was among the most expensive and most lavish productions of its day. King Richard leaves for the Crusades and installs his brother Prince John as regent, and John soon turns into a cruel and grasping ruler. The Earl of Huntingdon learns the state of England from a letter sent by Marian, the woman he loves, and returns, only to be outlawed and to believe her dead. Robin Hood is born from that. The first half is given to court and chivalric ceremony, the second to Douglas Fairbanks's acrobatics, and the enormous castle set was one of the largest Hollywood had built to that point. Fairbanks also produced. Who it's for: viewers who love silent film and classic adventure. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a fast start; the film only picks up after a long setup.