'Masterpiece' Sean Connery film with 'legendary' cast on TV today

Sean Connery's 1970s film that's been called a "masterpiece" is airing later today (Tuesday, 21st October) on Film 4.

The iconic Scottish star, who passed away in 2020, is best remembered for being the first actor to portray Ian Fleming's roguish MI5 agent James Bond on the big screen.

However, one of his most acclaimed films, released in 1976 and featuring an incredible all-star cast, has slipped into obscurity in subsequent decades.

Robin and Marian paired the Bond legend with Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn in a sweeping and romantic adaptation of the classic Robin Hood tales.

It's airing on the Film 4 channel today at 4:30pm and will then be available to stream totally free of charge with adverts on Channel 4.

Joining Connery and Hepburn is a glittering ensemble cast from some of your favourite classic films, including Jaws' Robert Shaw as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Richard Harris, Harry Potter's original Professor Dumbledore, as Richard the Lionheart.

The film also includes the likes of Nicol Williamson (Excalibur), Denholm Elliott (A Room With a View), The Two Ronnies' Ronnie Barker as Friar Tuck and an early performance from The Lord of the Rings' Ian Holm.

Fans have continued to love the film over the years, with one five-star Google review calling it "one of my favourite films".

"John Williams soundtrack. Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Audrey Hepburn, Richard Harris... How could it not be great?"

Another made a bold claim: "This is the best Robin Hood film adaptation, the characters on both sides are a lot more fleshed out and given a more human touch."

A third called it "a great love story", and wrote: "An excellent film with so many brilliant actors. If you're English from the 50s or 60s you were brought up on Robin Hood and saw many unbelievable versions of the story.

"This version is believable and lets you wallow in that time in history. It's a little tongue in cheek and funny and sensitive and you want to believe that this is exactly what happened."

The praise continued over on Letterboxd, where one gushing review called it director Richard Lester's "emotionally affecting masterwork".

"The world of Robin and Marian is a world in which you wish you could live forever," they added.

"I cried 5 times while watching this," another reviewer admitted. "I am really glad that happened. I know that I always say that but I can not describe what I felt while watching this.

"I am in awe because once again, I felt the magic of cinema. The movie feels real, it's humane cinema at its finest, and I never wanted it to end."

They continued to gush: "The movie has some of the most breathtaking compositions I have ever seen, some of the most passionate, fragile and emotional acting I have ever seen and I swear to god it even has one of the most powerfully moving pieces of music I have ever heard."

And one final fan called it "still a masterpiece" all these years later. Will you be taking a nostalgic trip through British history with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn this week?

Robin and Marian will air at 4:30pm on Film 4 on Tuesday, 21st October and will be available to stream on Channel 4.