( "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." - Can you say more ? A strange film that hold me hostage from the first time I saw it. Yes love moves in the most misterious ways)
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.
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 rumored 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. John stands guard outside while Marian prepares medicine for Robin. He drinks it and notes that the pain has gone away. However, when his legs go numb, he cries out for Little John, realising that he has been poisoned.
He then sees that Marian acted out of love, seeing that 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 out an open window.