Robin and Marian

Robin and Marian
Theatrical release poster by Drew Struzan
Directed by	Richard Lester
Written by	James Goldman
Produced by	Denis O'Dell Richard Shepherd Ray Stark
Starring	Sean Connery Audrey Hepburn Robert Shaw Nicol Williamson Denholm Elliott Ronnie Barker Kenneth Haigh Ian Holm Richard Harris
Cinematography	David Watkin
Music by	John Barry
Production company	Rastar
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	March 11, 1976 (1976-03-11)
Running time	106 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$5 million

Robin and Marian is a 1976 romantic adventure film from Columbia Pictures, shot in Panavision and Technicolor, that was directed by Richard Lester and written by James Goldman after the legend of Robin Hood. The film stars Sean Connery as Robin Hood, Audrey Hepburn as Lady Marian, Nicol Williamson as Little John, Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Richard Harris as Richard the Lionheart, and Denholm Elliott as Will Scarlet. It also features comedian Ronnie Barker in a rare film role as Friar Tuck. Robin and Marian was filmed in Zamora, as well as Artajona, Urbasa, Quinto Real and Orgi, all small medieval villages in Navarre, Spain. It marked Hepburn's return to the screen after an eight-year absence.^[1]

Lester made Robin and Marian amid a series of period pieces, including The Three Musketeers (1973). The original music score was composed by John Barry. The film originally was titled The Death of Robin Hood but was changed by Columbia Pictures to be more marketable,^[2] and perhaps give equal billing to Hepburn.

It is the only theatrical film based on the Robin Hood legend that makes use of a very old story (found in A Gest of Robyn Hode)^{[citation needed]} depicting his murder at the hands of a prioress he was related to but turns the legend on its head by making Marian the prioress, and making it an act of love, not betrayal.