Rent Robin and Marian (1976)

Entertaining Robin Hood Adventure - Robin and Marian review by GI

Robin Hood has been an enduring film character from the silent film age and into the 21st century. This is an interesting addition in that it takes the legendary story and tells us what happened after those events ended. Director Richard Lester showed in his 'Musketeers' films that he had a unique style in the historical adventure genre with his roustabout humour and a modern twist in presenting the narrative. This film isn't as funny nor as enjoyable as the Musketeer ones but it is still a solid romantic adventure with a top cast. Robin (Sean Connery) returns to Sherwood twenty years after his outlaw days fighting the Sheriff of Nottingham. He's aging and tired having been in the army of King Richard (Richard Harris) fighting in France. On his return he finds that the Sheriff (Robert Shaw) still commands the area and his old flame, Marian (Audrey Hepburn) is now a nun. But soon events force Robin once again to take on the tyranny of the Sheriff in defence of Marian. The film is beautifully shot and has some muted fight scenes but overall it's an enjoyable adventure film with Nicol Williamson, Denholm Elliott and Ian Holm as support. It's a quite clever idea to tell a story of these protagonists and lovers as they've become older and utilises some aspects of the ancient legends to weave a good story.

Revisionist Adventure. - Robin and Marian review by Steve

Eccentric medieval comedy-adventure which imagines Robin Hood (Sean Connery) returns from the Crusades to reunite with his band of freedom fighters/bandits, and for one last time resist feudal oppression and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw). And rekindle the embers of his long ago romance with Marian (Audrey Hepburn).

Except, they are much older and a little wiser. The humour touches on the absurd, but the film mainly resonates because of its melancholy. Robin reflects on a life misused by the ambitions of idiot kings, the murder in the name of god and all the senseless slaughter and persecution. Plus regret for his great lost love.

It's an arthouse adventure, with more dialogue than action. There's a sweet score from John Barry, ambient locations (in Spain) and an authentic feel for the period, despite obvious budget constraints. Also, an immense cast of British actors as the legends who have grown weary and shabby. There's Richard Harris as the Lionheart...

...Nicol Williamson as Little John... Ronnie Barker as Friar Tuck! And many more! But Connery dominates. It also addresses Robin as a mythic figure. Some momentum is lost in the last third, but recovers for a lovely, elegiac finale. There is something of Monty Python in the comedy, but also bass notes of anguish and mortality.