Robin and Marian [DVD] [1976] [2002]

Funnily enough, the film crossed my mind a few weeks ago, thought I'd like to give it a spin, must be around 20 years ago I last saw it.With the sad passing of Sean Connery a few days ago thought I'd check the search pages on Prime not really expecting to find it earlier today, much to my surprise it was there and could be hired to watch - so at £3.49 I did.The story tells of how 20 years ago Robin Hood (Dean Connery) had left Nottingham to follow and fight for his friend and King, Richard the Lionheart (Richard Harris) alongside his trusted friend Little John (Nicol Williamson )When staging a castle siege the King suffers a wound that would after a while prove fatal.With the King dead, Robin with John return to Nottingham to find the Sherriff (Robert Shaw) still ruled the roost.Robin also learns that the young woman he'd left behind Marian (Audrey Hepburn) without saying goodbye still lived but was now a servant of God in the local convent.Robin and John whilst checking out their old haunts in Sherwood are attacked, they find their attackers to be old comrades Friar Tuck (Ronnie Barker) and Will Scarlett (Denholm Elliot)Well, Robin and the Sheriff even after all this time miss the rivalry and the chase which resurfaces when the Sheriff sets out to imprison Marian.Well, Robin isn't going to let that happen.With old memories stirred the Sheriff wants to bring Robin to book by his own hands.A climax between the two inevitable....Though after 44 years the film feels somewhat dated when watching the memories of all those well-known faces involved in the film bring back many a happy reflection.Well worth another glance...

I was very very surprised when I first saw this film. Starring Sean Connery as Robin Hood, both of them legends of heroic fantasy, I was expecting a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride, full of big action and adventure. Very unexpectedly, it turned out to be one of the most touching and moving films I have ever seen. I absolutely loved it.Richard Lester and Connery present us with a Robin Hood who is growing old and feeling his years. Coming back from the Crusades after the death of King Richard (a superb cameo from Richard Harris), he finds England under the heavy hand of John, and he sets out again to e the hero, saving the day and the girl. But it's not as easy as it was 20 years before!At the heart of the film is the reignited love between Robin and Marian, now the local abbess. There is a real chemistry between Connery and Hepburn, and their time on screen together is most touching.Robert Shaw puts in an excellent performance as the Sherriff, a more human character rather than the usual evil cipher. And Nicol Williamson is a superb Little John, who cares for Robin almost as much as Marian. Look out also for Ronnie Barker, Peter Butterworth, Bill Maynard and Ian Holm in memorable cameos.Richard Lester brings all his usual touches to the direction of the film. The era is brought to life with a gritty realism, and the various fights are very realistic. No Hollywood choregraphed fights that look like ballet, it's dirty, bloody, exhausting, and the actors looks as though they really want to hurt each other. It's great stuff.The ending, which I will not spoil for those who have never seen it, is almost Shakespearean, and is so moving I am almost brought to tears every time I see it.This is a decent presentation. Widescreen, with a nicely cleaned up picture that looks really good, and shows every line on Robin and Marian's faces. There are no extras, apart from a trailer for the `seventh voyage of Sinbad', which is a bit of a shame.An excellent DVD, I cannot recommend it enough.

I missed this film when it was originally released and have not viewed it on TV. I purchased it because I inverably enjoy the performances of the lead actors, Connery, Hepburn and Shaw. I vaguely remember that it was not a huge success when it was released in cinemas, perhaps this is why I did not go to see it.Seeing it now for the first time I can appreciate that everyone who went to see it expecting the usual rumbustious action movie with Robin rushing from place to place, lots of flashing swords and extraordinary feats of bowman-ship, may well have been rather disappointed. This is certainly not your typical Robin Hood movie.This story picks up Robin's life after his return to England, following 20 years away at the Crusades and in France, serving King Richard. Robin, Marian and the Sheriff of Nottingham are all middle aged, Sherwood Forest is [almost], devoid of outlaws. The story is of the reacquaintance of three people who formerly were deeply important in one another's earlier lives; however much has changed in twenty years not least of which is that age has diminished them and live has seemingly overlooked them."Love is the greatest adventure of all', is the endorsement below the title, and indeed the reuniting of Marion and Robin is central to the story but equally important is the relationship of the two old advisories, Robin and the Sheriff, which is more nuanced than you might expect. Another interesting switch from the typical tale, which has always presented King Richard as a heroic and splendidly noble and just man, is that he [played by Richard Harris], is here shown to be a deeply unpleasant, moody, petulant and ruthless slaughterer of innocent defenceless people.I was amused to see that a relatively slim Ronnie Barker is cast as Tuck.The production quality is excellent and the scenery of the natural landscape is quietly splendid.This is an interesting take on the Robin Hood tale and is worth seeing.