Robin and Marian (1976)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Absolutely Fantastic

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Robin Hood (Sean Connery), aging none too gracefully, returns exhausted from the Crusades to woo and win Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn) one last time.Roger Ebert was positive towards Connery and Hepburn as Robin and Marian although he was uncertain about "history repeating itself" in regards to the plot. According to Ebert, "What prevents the movie from really losing its way, though, are the performances of Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn in the title roles. No matter what the director and the writer may think, Connery and Hepburn seem to have arrived at a tacit understanding between themselves about their characters." Although it may not be quite what Ebert meant, I do feel that Connery and Hepburn are what make this worth watching. The plot is just alright and the costumes are pretty good. But Connery shines, and Hepburn -- despite being past her best years -- makes a triumphant return to the screen. What brought her out of retirement?

Sherwood forest 20 years later , Robin Hood (Sean Connery , he was the oldest actor to play him up to that point) along with Little John (Nicol Williamson) , aging none too gracefully , return exhausted from the Crusades , a land of mud and grime . After a long separation , Robin is reunited with Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn , she took the role , in part, from the insistence of her sons) who is now a nun . Robin attempts to woo and win Maid Marian one last time . Love is the greatest adventure of all , as their dormant feelings for each other reawakened ; then , Robin spirits her to Sherwood forest . But the wicked sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) is still in there kidnapping nuns , and oppressing peasants . Credit this retelling of the Sherwood legend with attempting to be something different , including elderly Robin and Marian as well as a veteran collection of Merrie men . The movie has adventure , romance , great action sequences well staged with stylish and vitality , grueling as well as pulsating combats , blood stuff , and results to be pretty entertaining . Although is a little revisionist and twilight about characters , history and time when is developed the action in a dirty , gritty Middle Age ; as a lot of spectators disapproved the changes of Robin Hood's classic canon . Too long in places doesn't hurt an otherwise enjoyable film . The action is reasonable well staged though of it is so unlikely as not be thrilling . Interesting and inspired script by James Goldman , he had already written The lion in Winter (1968), which included the characters of Richard and John Plantagenet in their younger years , besides : Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine .Connnery is nice as exhausted Robin ; however , the producers originally wanted Albert Finney to play Robin and Sean to play Little John . This was Audrey Hepburn's first film in nine years after she had taken a break to raise her family , here she gives a marvellous acting . Richard Harris agreed to play the cameo role of King Richard the Lionheart as a favor to Sean Connery, whom he had befriended while filming Molly McGuire (1970) . Connery himself later made a cameo appearance as Richard the Lionheart in Robin Hood , prince of thieves (1991) . Excellent support cast such Ronnie Barker as Friar Tuck , Kenneth Haigh , Kenneth Cranham , Ian Holm as King John and brief acting by Victoria Abril as Queen Isabella . In addition , including four Oscar nominees : Richard Harris, Denholm Elliott, Ian Holm and Robert Shaw . Being this one of three movies starring Sean Connery and Denholm Elliott , being the other two Cuba (1979) and Indiana Jones and the last Crusade (1989). Sean Connery and Robert Shaw previously played adversaries in Fron Russia with love (1963) . Sensitive and thrilling musical score by the classic composer John Barry . Colorful cinematography with breathtaking scenarios by magnificent cameraman David Watkin , shot in Spain : Pamplona, Navarra, and Villalonso, (Castle) Zamora . The motion picture was well directed by Richard Lester providing attractive images in its own right , being filmed in his peculiar style coupled with typical surrealist comic touches . At the beginning Lester directed various Beatles vehicles and subsequently made known comedies : ¨The knack¨ , a satire : ¨The bed sitting room¨ and a drama : ¨Petulia¨ . He got a big success with ¨The Three Musketeers¨ (1973), which he shot simultaneously with ¨The Four musketeers¨ (1974) for producer Ilya Salkind , resurrected his career . When the Salkinds (Ilya and his father Alexander Salkind) were in the midst of filming ¨Superman¨ (1978) simultaneously with its sequel, Lester was hired as a supervising producer, then took over the filming of the sequel, ¨Superman II¨ (1980), when original director Richard Donner was fired . The sequel was a financial and critical success , and he was hired to direct the far-less successful ¨Superman III¨ (1983). At the end of the 1980s, Lester returned to the storyline that had revitalized his career back in the early 1970s, filming a second sequel to "The Three Musketeers" titled : ¨The return of the musketeers¨ . However, after his close friend, actor Roy Kinnear died during the shooting , Lester seemed to lose heart with the movie-making business , he has not directed another film.Other versions about this famous personage are the followings : ¨Robin Hood price of thieves (1991) ¨ by Kevin Reynolds with Kevin Costner , Alan Rickman and Morgan Freenan , the same year was exhibited ¨Robin Hood¨ by John Irvin with Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman but was a flop though the critics considered best adaptation . Plus , ¨Robin Hood¨ (2010) by Ridley Scott with Russell Crowe , Cate Blanchett , Mark Addy , Kevin Durand . The classic rendition is ¨The adventures of Robin Hood¨ by Michael Curtiz with Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland.

Well, this is a strange and depressing entry into the post-modern 70s sweepstakes of "what can we do with iconic characters these days?", coming a few years before "Tarazan: Legend of Greystoke" and "Excalibur", and directed by the guy who made The Monkees famous, Richard Lester. What the F? Anybody who's seen the film knows how reprehensible the ending is, how out of focus and how lacking in dramatic impetus it truly is. What I want to talk about is what a wasted opportunity we have here, because Lester's comedic talent is still very strong, and there's some really great moments in the film which really kind of add up to... what? A kind of self-serious betrayal.In generic terms, not much else to comment on. The action scenes are really awful, not bad in the terms of Richard Greene era Robin Hood, but I mean the movie starts off with a scene of a guy literally throwing an arrow into King Richard's (Richard Harris) neck, felling him with a blow as ridiculous as his presence in the film. Harris hams it up, Nicholson wishes he'd got the fun and short part, Connery doesn't seem to want to support the film... yet, it all works amazingly well, up till the last reel or so of the film. A pity. Better luck next time Robin?

Ready for an analogy? "The Adventures of Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn is to "The Road To Morocco" with Hope and Crosby, as "Robin And Marian" starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn is to the t.v. skit "The Road To Medicare" starring Hope and Crosby.It's certainly nice to see Sean Connery as an old Robin Hood with little swash left in his buckle and Audrey Hepburn as Maid Marian who has become a nun. But there are some problems with this film.First off, what do you think of when you think of Sherwood Forest? Lush England? Oops...the movie was filmed in Spain, so it's rather arid.I know Robin has just come from years fighting in the Crusades, but did he have to look old and scruffy like one of the homeless men who lives under a local bridge? Couldn't Marian have at least trimmed his beard? So, Robin and Little John sneak into the village...looking exactly the same as they did before. And of course, they are immediately recognized by the Sheriff Of Nottingham. Gee, that was bright of them.Now, don't get me wrong. This movie is worth watching. The acting is quite good. You've got Sean Connery, who is very good as an over-the-hill Robin Hood, and Audrey Hepburn is very good as an over-the-hill Lady Marian. Robert Shaw is nastiness personified as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Nicol Williamson is good as Little John. Richard Harris -- only in the opening scenes -- is good as Richard the Lion-Heart. And Denholm Elliott is around as Will Scarlet...although he is so young I didn't recognize him.And the story is quite good...to a point (more about that shortly). Robin once again rescues Marian from the Sheriff Of Nottingham. And all the while they reminisce about the good old days.However. I must condemn this film. SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT ****** How would you feel if at the end of the new Superman film if Lois Lane committed suicide and murdered (of course by using Krptonite) Superman? Well, Robin Hood was an early hero, and the idea that the love of his life -- Marian -- would commit suicide and murder him is just too much for me to swallow. Particularly when he has just intervened to save her from prison. Therefore, this film gets a "1" for me.