Robin and Marian

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Robin and Marian
original theatrical poster
Directed by	Richard Lester
Produced by	Dennis O'Dell Richard Shepherd Ray Stark
Written by	James Goldman
Starring	Sean Connery Audrey Hepburn Robert Shaw Nicol Williamson and Ronnie Barker
Music by	John Barry
Cinematography	David Watkin
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	11 March 1976
Running time	106 min.
Country	United Kingdom/ United States
Language	English
Budget	£5,000,000
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Robin and Marian is a 1976 film starring Sean Connery as Robin Hood, Audrey Hepburn as Maid Marian, Nicol Williamson as Little John, Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Richard Harris as King Richard. It also features comedian Ronnie Barker in a rare film role as Friar Tuck.

Director Richard Lester made Robin and Marian amid a series of period pieces, including The Three Musketeers. The screenplay was written by James Goldman. The original music score was composed by John Barry.

1 Plot
2 Style and content
3 Cast
4 External links

[edit] Plot

An aging Robin Hood (Connery) is a trusted captain fighting for Richard the Lion-Heart (Harris) in France, the Crusades long over. When he is ordered to take a castle that is rumoured to hold a great treasure, he refuses since it is held by a single old man, sheltering harmless women and children. Richard is furious and orders Robin's execution, but before it can take place, the king is fatally wounded by an arrow from the old man. Richard then orders the massacre of the residents.

When Richard dies, Robin and Little John (Williamson) return to England and are reunited with old friends Will Scarlett (Denholm Elliott) and Friar Tuck (Barker) in Sherwood Forest. When Robin casually inquires about Maid Marian (Hepburn), they tell him she has become a nun. When he goes to see her, she finds him as impossible as ever. He learns that his old nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Shaw), has ordered her arrest. She goes willingly, but Robin objects and rescues her against her will.

The Sheriff and Robin gather their men for a final showdown, but agree to a personal duel to settle the matter. Robin kills his enemy, but is badly wounded. The Sheriff's men then attack, scattering the ragtag band. Little John and Marian help him back to the nunnery, where he optimistically believes that he will recover and return to his adventurous ways. Marian prepares a draft and takes a drink of it herself. John stands guard outside while Marian tends to Robin. He drinks the medicine and notes that the pain has gone away and his legs have gone numb. As Marian herself gets weaker he realises that she has poisoned them both and he cries out for Little John.

Robin then sees that Marian has acted out of love because he would never be the same man again if he lived. She tells him:

"I love you. More than all you know. I love you more than children. More than fields I've planted with my hands. I love you more than morning prayers or peace or food to eat. I love you more than sunlight, more than flesh or joy, or one more day. I love you...more than God."

Little John kicks the door in and weeps at Robin's bedside as Robin consoles him. Robin picks up a bow and tells Little John to bury them where the arrow lands. He shoots it from his deathbed through an open window.

[edit] Style and content

The film is marked by a sense of autumnal melancholy, with almost sepia toned photography and aging actors. Whereas films about Robin Hood are usually action adventures, marked by swashbuckling fights, Robin and Marian scarcely has any action at all (two or three swordfights aside), and is a character piece, examining the relationship between two lovers who had been separated for many years. It is one of the only films of the Robin Hood Genre which features mounted longbowmen.