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Set some 20 years after Robin Hood left to join Richard the
Lionheart on the Crusades, the former outlaw returns to England
a bitter and disillusioned man.
Richard (Richard Harris) proved to be a complete swine who
thought nothing of England and his talents were marred by
temper and brutality.
Back near Sherwood Forest he finds his Marian a nun and about
to be dragged before the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw)
for some church misdemenour.
Helping her escape, albeit against her will, Robin and Marian
explore their lives since they parted and get to know each
other again as adult lovers.
Robin and Marian is a hugely enjoyable movie that
changes the legend as we have known it and takes it down a
more realistic path.
It is gritty, mind you, so is the original the transfer was
taken from, and it just screams of a real effort of recreating
the look and feel of the 12th Century. The castles are not
grand, the clothes homespun, and there is not a speck of make-up
or trimmed beard to be seen.
Connery and Hepburn are magical together and you can just
imagine them as young people being quite the golden couple.
The support actors are all terrific - Harris, Nicol Williamson,
Ian Holm, Kenneth Haig, Ronnie Barker and more - although
Robert Shaw's Sheriff comes across as one of the greatest
yet done. He is not evil, or glowering, but an experienced
ruler who respects his foe - but is ruthless at the same time.
There is humour aplenty for fans of Robin Hood and the scene
where Robin and Little John (Williamson) break into Nottingham
castle to free captured nuns is very funny. The guys can still
fight well, but their ageing bodies find escaping over the
stont walls not as easy as they once did.
Highly recommended.
Conclusion: 85% Extras: 30%.
Continued: DVD
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