The correct answer, of course, is The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn and directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley. But there are many people in this world, so I'm told, and there are just as many opinions on such things, so I'm told, so my opinion is no more valid than any other.
The story takes place during the rule of Richard I of England, who has been away on the Third Crusade (presented as a noble but misguided endeavor) and then was captured by Leopold of Austria while on his way back from the Holy Land in the year 1191, his campaign having ended in an uneasy truce with Saladin. The king's younger brother Prince John (played by Claude Rains at his most oily charming), with the aid of the Norman aristocracy (which had supplanted the Saxon nobility after the Norman Conquest starting in 1066), specifically Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone), use this excuse to usurp the power of the realm from Richard's appointed regent and use the excuse of collecting the ransom for Richard's release to tax and abuse the Saxon peasantry.
Enter Robin Hood, played by Errol Flynn. Flynn played the part with his trademark charm, which works perfectly with the tradition of Robin Hood being the lovable rogue, all the way back to when his story consisted of a highwayman holding up passersby and inviting them to dinner, only to ask them for payment for his hospitality.
Robin, a Saxon noble, champions the cause of the commoners against the overreaches of the Norman nobility. However, his cause is not seen as such from all corners, including Lady Marian (Olivia de Havilland). And since Robin's land and title were confiscated and he was named an outlaw (even referred to as a "wolf's head" by Prince John at one point, a reference to the practice of paying a bounty on wolves and outlaws at the time), he was given no other recourse than to retreat into Sherwood Forest and gather a band of followers.
The usual Merry Men appear, Little John recruited during a dispute over a log bridge, Friar Tuck recruited with the promise of food, among others.
The most interesting relationship dynamic is between Robin and Marian. She's introduced at the banquet early in the film, and she is less than responsive to his charm, even suffering a sting from his wit. However, upon meeting him a second time, she begins to thaw toward him upon learning that the rumors she'd heard of his leading a band of outlaws for personal gain, rather than his actual goal of safeguarding the oppressed and freeing King Richard. Over time (it's unclear exactly how long it takes), Marian and Robin fall in love (of course, it's a film made in 1938, and that's just the way the story goes), and she begins forwarding intelligence from Nottingham Castle.
Modern audiences may take issue with Marian's passive role, but I'd argue that she's actually using her established skills as a lady of court to her advantage. Since knights and nobles began training at roughly the age of seven, she'd be at a distinct disadvantage if she were to take up arms openly against Prince John and Sir Guy.
I'll grant that she becomes a damsel in distress toward the end, after she's found out overhearing a conversation between Prince John and Sir Guy. But she doesn't beg for mercy.
Errol Flynn is, in my opinion, the definitive Robin Hood. He plays him with such swashbuckling charm, easy athleticism, and eternal optimism. It was the role he was born to play.
Robin Hood is given three grand entrances, each one exceeding the last. And the action scenes also up the ante with each occurrence. Howard Hill, Flynn's stand in for the archery skill scenes, puts his abilities on display with the amazing archery scenes. These include shooting directly into stuntmen's chests ("safely" covered in blocks of wood), massive sword fights, and one on one duels (the final duel is the oft parodied shadow fight). While the fencing is classic stage and movie dueling, it's still dynamic and energetic, never allowing the viewer to relax.
But this leads to the reason why there are two directors. Flynn had just finished making a couple of films with Michael Curtiz, resulting in a rocky relationship due to personality and safety differences. So Flynn was excited to work with William Keighley, but Keighley suffered delays in production, mostly non-action pieces being filmed. And so the studio stepped in, pulling Keighley and replacing him with Curtiz, who streamlined the production at the cost of some safety precautions. There's a story that Flynn had to face a stuntman during the climactic battle who didn't have a safety sleeve on his sword because it'd look better without one. Flynn climbed up to the balcony that Curtiz was directing from and threatened him with the sword.
Despite all this, they were able to pull it all together and create a truly classic film, with arguably more accurate costuming than most modern films (contrary to Hollywood belief, people had access to different colored dyes for their clothes and bathed more than twice a decade) while making full use of the Technicolor format they had available.
So, with the perfect Robin Hood, the perfect blend of charm and swashbuckling action, a Maid Marian who played to her strengths while also having a personality and reasons for her actions beyond trying to appease the hero, great use of the format, and a great score, this is THE greatest version of the story of England's lovable rogue who robs from the rich and gives to the poor.
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