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  Average Rating for Robin And Marian [1976] - 4 out of 5

  
  (based on 1 user reviews)
• Robin And Marian [1976]

  Kashif Ahmed 20 July 2010

  

  From the initially absurd, but thematically relevant, opening shot of apples rotting under the Frankish sun to a pointless, barbaric siege of an undefended fort and the worthless spoils it yields. Richard Lester's 'Robin And Marian' (1976) appears to bypass all notions of romantic escapism, instead, opting to tell the story of a mature, disillusioned Robin Hood (Sean Connery on fine form as usual) and a distant, conflicted Lady Marian (Audrey Hepburn in her first role after a nine year hiatus).
  
  A stellar supporting cast includes the always entertaining Nicol Williamson as gentle giant Little John, a sympathetic, complex turn from Robert Shaw as The Sheriff of Nottingham, Denholm Elliot as a Lute playing Will Scarlet and comic relief in the rotund form of Ronnie Barker as Friar Tuck. Ian Holm also makes an amusing, one scene appearance as the pompous, megalomaniac King John, against whom Robin, his merry men and the peasants of Nottingham aim to make their stand.
  
  The first fifteen minutes are a showcase for an excellent, bonkers cameo by Richard Harris as King Richard I, Harris's performance as 'The Lion Heart' serves to illuminate the meandering, self destructive folly of imperial misadventure: "Led 300,000 men to the Holy Land, and came back on a boat with 50" recalls Richard. For 'Robin and Marian' isn't prepared to play ball with nationalist mythos thus Richard is openly denounced as "...a bloody bastard" whilst Robin's painful recollection of the siege at Acre, Palestine; ignites and burns the lies of Crusade to a smouldering cinder.
  
  Now Robin Hood is to Sherwood Forrest what Mullah Umar is to Helmand Province, so we get a real sense of the depth and space of both the weald and the guarded coppice, with an excellent long shot of Robin and John riding in from the Nottingham plains into Sherwood. The scenery, filmed with a keen eye for detail, is almost a character unto itself and really gives the movie its sense of place / period as well as signifying the physical divide between rich and poor, royal servitude and individual freedom.
  
  Connery and Hepburn share a good onscreen rapport and we're never at a loss to understand or appreciate their love for one another, or relate to their memories of what was and poignant observations on what could've been had not two decades been lost in England's wars. Hepburn is at her elegant, brittle best whilst Connery puts in one of his most charismatic and subtle performances as an amiable but understandably embittered veteran. His Robin Hood echoes an old soldier's sentiments and carries the plight of ages, unable to sheathe the broadsword but loathe to see it shed more blood: "I've hardly lost a battle and I don't know what I've won", he muses, 'The day is yours', Richard used to say...and then there was tomorrow: But where did the day go?".
  
  Now 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves' (1991) was a fun, albeit clichéd, rip roaring action-adventure played out to the husky tones of Bryan Adams's ridiculously popular 'Everything I Do, I Do It For You'. I even liked Ridley Scott's revisionist epic with Russell Crowe, the sombre and somewhat unimaginatively titled; 'Robin Hood' (2010). But in terms of character development, narrative structure and sheer believability, Connery's incarnation of the magnanimous outlaw is the most genuine by far; the story establishes his famous code of conduct in a clear and decisive manner: "You're the enemy" says Robin to one of the knights sent to raid Sherwood and even makes veiled reference to William Langland's poem 'Vision of Piers Plowman', one of the first known literary appearances of the Robin Hood character.
  
  Ideal for a Sunday matinee, 'Robin And Marian' is a film where dramatic events seem to occur without the slightest sense of urgency, where legend seldom survives first contact with reality and folklore passes history on the road to redemption. This is a film about the unspoken, mutually agreed upon terms of the last hurrah, between friends and lovers, allies and enemies alike. A forgotten masterpiece.
  

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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play Robin Hood aging none too gracefully returns exhausted from the Crusades to woo and win Maid Marian one last time

A continuation of the Robin Hood legend. An ageing Robin Hood (Sean Connery) returns to England after many years in exile and rekindles his romance with Marian (Audrey Hepburn). However, when Robin's old enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw), intervenes, the scene is set for a final confrontation between the two men.