MovieChat Forums > Robin and Marian (1976) Discussion > My take on the movie and the ending.

My take on the movie and the ending.

posted 13 years ago by RynoII
7 replies | jump to latest

A lot of people hate the ending on this forum. I won't give it away, at least until some responses come in, but I liked it. And I liked the climatic sword fight too. In fact the ending to this movie, is the best ending to a Robin Hood movie I've seen and the sword fight was the best swordfight in possibly movie history. The last 15 minutes were excellent.

However, the rest of the movie did not seem to know what it wanted to be or where it wanted to go. Robin and Marian's romantic chemistry is trying to be both poignant and cheesy, but the two often clash. There is not much plot at all with the villains, and the plot there is, with the Sheriff arresting Marion for somewhat unclear reasons, are just there, cause they needed to have something.

Another thing I didn't like was that Marian kept trying to stop Robin, from fighting, but they were being hunted by the Government, so it seems that such a smart women would have realized they had to fight, rather than just choosing not to, and be in hiding the rest of your life.

There is also the one knight who wanted to rise above the Sheriff, with King John's permission, but we don't really get his story much either. So I loved the climax and ending, but didn't care as much for the rest. Thoughts?

[–] BoultersCanary 13 years ago

Another thing I didn't like was that Marian kept trying to stop Robin, from fighting,

She was trying to stop him from doing any more damage both to himself and to everybody else - her, his followers... in fact the entire county of Nottingham.

but they were being hunted by the Government

And whose fault was that?

but we don't really get his story much either.

We don't need it. He is an oaf and a bully. That's all we need to know.

The church may shout but Darwin roars

[–] RynoII 13 years ago

Yeah I guess that's all we really need to know. But for a bigger movie, they would have explored the Sheriff movie. It's all we need to know for a 3 star type of movie, but they could have made it a 4 star one. I don't consider it Robin's fault that they were being hunted. Robin wanted to rescue an innocent woman from being executed, and the government chose to go after him, since he prevented them from succeeding in their evil act.

[–] koppmeier_kevin 13 years ago

There was never any mention of Marian being executed. King John had ordered all religious to leave England and she refused. She was willing to accept the consequences for her decision and would have gone with the sheriff if Robin had not interfered. The reason for their being hunted had nothing to do with this incident. John was told that Robin and his followers planned to move against him and he forced the sheriff to go after them.

[–] IceboxMovies 11 years ago

The plot of this film is irrelevant. It's more about a great love story than anything. The scenes with Connery and Hepburn together are cinema at its finest. The others are just "good". But the Connery/Hepburn scenes... wow.

And yes, the point of the ending is that Marian realizes there can be no peace for her and Robin in anything except death..

[–] elena-28 11 years ago

I love this movie, think it's beautiful, melancholy, humorous, and fair to all three main characters.

Just now, I watched most of it on TCM, and watched the duel - I love how, after the prayer, Robin helps the Sheriff to his feet before they start. Oh, I get the feeling that both men have really outgrown and out-aged the old hatred and have developed a respect, affection, and sense of connection between them. There's no relish in the duel, only a sense of inevitability and truth, down to the Sheriff daring to confess to Robin that he's tired.

The dialogue from Robin on the way to the abbey and once they arrive leads me to believe that he's probably dying - he says the day's gone so fast and it must be vespers. What kind of abbey doesn't ring the bells (for vespers): His sight is fading: he thinks it's evening. Even before the poison, he isn't feeling pain, which is shock, of course, but together with failing vision indicates to me that it's more than that. In the late twelfth century, it would be rare, probably, for a man past his prime to recover from this kind of injury, and, even if he did recover, to be whole. When he says, at the end, that it's better this way, I believe he believes it, in the practical sense as well as in the poetic sense.

And the very last seconds of the movie are so quiet, so poignant, and so right. For me, this is the way it has to end.

[–] Wuchak (8833) 3 years ago

leads me to believe that he's probably dying

Yeah, he was definitely mortally wounded in light of the Sheriff's formidable sword strike to his side. Marian simply wanted them to depart this earth together and the concoction made it easier.

[–] MikeyAB 10 years ago

The movie is all about the ending - beautifully shot and acted and one of the most poignant in movie industry - Marion's little farewell speech is wonderful beyond description. As a mere male I dare only watch it alone!!