A horrible addition to the Robin Hood myth

Well, quintshawfan, whether you like this movie or not is your business. But I have to disagree on what you said about Robin Hood "...looking for one last shot of glory." I think the movie made it abundantly clear that Robin was finally going home and he got into the bloody business with the Sherrif only because he wanted to save Marian from going to jail. So I don't think there is any glory seeking elements in Robin's motives, only his love for Marian, which is the underlying theme of the story.

Robin and Marian asks the question, what happens to an legend when they grow old?

The film is about love, but I wouldn't be fooled into thinking Robin wanted to rescue Marian - he is mainly looking for adventure. Although he has some feelings for her, his first priority is battling the Sheriff and reliving his glory days.

Robin has become more than a man - he's a legend, but finds himself outside of his own legend that he has created.

Robin and Marian is quite simply one of the best Robin Hoods, only behind John Irvin's Robin Hood in my opinion.

If you watched this movie expecting Eroll Flynn to be dancing around in a anachronistic medieval representation of Merrie England then I can understand why you didn't enjoy it!

By saying that Robin Hood is a let down, you've almost captured the idea of the film: Robin is just a man, it is his legend that has raised your expectations above reality.

you're certainly entitled to your opinion-- it's a free country-- but you're so wrong. i wish they told us something about the authors here, but they don't. i can certainly understand your opinion if you're a teenager or in your 20s or maybe 30s, but you obviously don't understand legend and romance and how this movie manages to combine the two of them in a matter of fact way. i first saw this movie when i was in my mid-20s, younger than the characters, and liked it then. but now that i'm in my 50s and older than the characters, i appreciate it even moreso. perhaps you might try looking at movies from a perspective other than your own. you might get more out of art that way. "robin and marian" never set out to be "jaws," which is what it seems that you were looking for.

This is an excellent movie - great scenario, magnificent acting, brilliant music by John Barry... Very much under-appreciated, just because people expect some action "larger-than-life" scenes in a movie about Robin Hood.
Fight between Robin and Sheriff is one of the greatest sword fights in any film I've ever watched... Very realistic.
Deep, sad voice of Little John when he sees his friend is dying in front of him still ringing in my head...
I love it... masterpiece!

I'm a little saddened that you didn't enjoy this film. You may more, as you age.
As for me, I'll lift a line from it that applies so well, for me:

"I was right to have loved you, all those years ago."

What I had in mind was boxing the compass.

You are missing the point. This is not your well worn traditional swashbuckling arrow shooting Robin Hood movie. It belongs to the genre of films made to appeal to the pretentious cognoscenti who incline towards the philosophy of existentialism with a healthy dose of epicureanism. Get it? They love love and the pleasures of life but then they view life as meaningless and hopeless. They live for the moment. Morals and eternal truths hold no cache for them. Recognizing it for what it is, I enjoyed it but I don't subscribe to the ideology behind it.

Well to add my opinion in about the movie… I thought that it was a great story about life. I believe in the end Marian and Robin (after being poisoned) get this sense of life and what it’s about. They both finally get what they want and are unable to live and enjoy it. I feel this connection to Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych by using this ending. But as I have just seen this movie for the first time I am still sorting it out. I know I am vague in my explanation but hopefully it will give a different perspective for everyone to think about.

This movie really is a "Adult Love Story" as one reviewer put it so wonderful. Just watched this movie since long time. Last time I watched this I was teenager. There's huge difference now to the understandment of the story. For example my little brother (21) thinks this movie sucks big time.


I remembered that this one had an awful (depressing) ending, but now that I have my own wife/love this whole story suddenly makes sense. Only if you don't understand the (awesome) ending you won't like this or if you were expecting an action flick. Think about the ending this way: Robin first acts like "teenager" as he notices he is poisoned, then he "grows up" to adult and submits to love. It was so great moment when Robin understand that it isn't so bad that he is going to die, because his battles are over and is "time" for his love Marian... finally!

An epic ending to Robin Hood.

Great movie 9/10!