Robin and Marion is a bittersweet look at the last days of Robin Hood. Sean Connery was born to play Robin Hood and his easy going charm and grace gives fact to this. Audrey Hepburn gives a stunning portrayal of Maid Marion who has arrived at a point in her life where she is not happy but content. Robin has returned from the crusades and he is neither happy or content King Richard is dead and the throne has returned to King John and the Sheriff of Mottingham wonderfully played by Robert Shaw is once again doing the King's dirty work. Robin returns home to England only to find he's a legend and a hero and that a tyrant once again sits on the throne. Robin brings the merry men back together but finds that old age has crept up on them and nothing is easy. Then King John orders all priests and nuns jailed and churches closed because if they do not support him he considers it treason and Robin finds out Marion is now an nun and her abbey is targeted by the sheriff. Robin and his men rescue her only to find shes bitter and angry at Robin. But you know the rest they are still in love and there is one final well put together sword fight with the sheriff. And then the Death of Robin Hood in what has to be one of the most emotionally packed scenes I have ever saw. This is not Errol Flynn's Robin Hood but this one deserves to stand beside it as one of the greatest Robin Hood films of all times.

I WANTED to enjoy this movie so much. I love adventure movies and Sean Connery yet I was shocked the movie seemed so lifeless and unengaging. Part of this is due to the dreary and deadly serious plot--Robinhood returns after a very long absence to find that Maid Marian is old and you just can't go back. Talk about depressing! I bet Errol Flynn's Robinhood wouldn't have behaved that way--he would have swept Marian off her feet and gone on 1001 NEW adventures. Well if that's what you are looking for, find another movie. No, this one's just dreary and ultimately culminates in Marian killing herself and Robin. Huh?! Did they REALLY need to go THERE with the plot?

Robin and Marian is a beautiful, elegiac film, that I feel is underrated. It is not perfect, due to its length and rushed latter half, but it is worthy of more respect than it has been denied. Richard Lester has a great eye for historical detail, the scenery is breathtaking, the colours are audacious to the eye and the costumes lavish, and James Goldman's script mixes satire and poignancy pretty much brilliantly. Robin and Marian also has a lovely, engaging story, while the love story is poignant, the more dramatic parts are done with genuine bite. And the acting is great, Robert Shaw is superb as the Sheriff as is Richard Harris as King Richard. Audrey Hepburn is exquisite as Maid Marian, she's been better, but she was really touching here, Ronnie Barker is delightfully comic as Friar Tuck and Nicol Williamson is perfect as Little John. But Sean Connery is the actor who positively dominates the film, he plays older Robin with real charisma, sensitivity and edge it was a wonderful performance. Overall, it was a shame that Robin and Marian flopped, it is a lovely film. 8/10 Bethany Cox