Robin and Marian **** (1976, Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Shaw, Ian Holm, Nicol Williamson, Richard Harris) – Classic Movie Review 2249

Director Richard Lester’s delightful 1976 Sherwood Forest saga finds gainful work for the gracefully ageing Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn (lured back to the screen after a decade’s break from filming), who are splendid as Robin and Marian.

The two great stars bring a rare blast of real personality and depth of feeling to Sherwood Forest in director Lester’s impressive, elegiac re-interpretation of the old tale, set some 20 years after most versions of the story.

Connery is a grizzled, war-scarred, middle-aged Robin when he returns from the Crusades to find that his still alluring beloved Maid Marian is now the abbess of the local Nottingham priory, while of course King John (Ian Holm) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) have their usual evil plans afoot. Robin has to rescue, woo and win Marian one last time, while sorting out former cohorts Friar Tuck and Will Scarlett and his old Merrie Men and putting paid to the Sheriff, who tries to arrest Marian on religious grounds.

Written by James Goldman (the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Lion in Winter), this intelligent adult adventure yarn is a winner, paying close and respectful attention to all the details of period and character, is a fine achievement. It represents a surprise and profitable change of pace for the normally jokily-minded director of A Hard Day’s Night, The Three Musketeers and Superman II and III, even if it was too sombre to attract large numbers the public of the day, who seemingly preferred their Robin Hood lighthearted and youthful rather than a middle-aged tragicomedy adventure.

Lester is always good with his actors and here he extracts committed and intelligent playing from a sweet cast, many of whom are playing above their average game.

It also stars Nicol Williamson (Little John), Richard Harris (King Richard the Lionheart), Denholm Elliott (Will Scarlett) and Kenneth Haigh (Sir Ranulf), along with Ronnie Barker (inevitably as Friar Tuck), Bill Maynard, Esmond Knight, Peter Butterworth, Veronica Quilligan, John Barratt and Kenneth Cranham.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2249

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