Richard Marquand is most famously known for directing Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Beyond that, he's also recognized for other projects like Eye of the Needle, a World War II thriller featuring Donald Sutherland, and Jagged Edge. In Return of the Jedi, Marquand took on the role of the AT-ST pilot Major Marquand. Furthermore, he provided the voice for EV-9D9, belonging to Jabba's droid. Jim Marquand is his son.
After Return of the Jedi was released, Marquand voiced his desire to direct one of the prequel movies. Sadly, he passed away from a stroke on September 4, 1987, at the age of 49. His last movie, Hearts of Fire, which included Julian Glover in the cast, came out later that year.
Numerous actors and crew members expressed experiencing various difficulties with Marquand's directorial style, although these accounts sometimes conflicted. Having a background primarily in television, Marquand had relatively little experience in film, so Lucas was almost always present during filming to ensure a smooth production. Robert Watts stated, "George arrived and stayed; Richard didn't quite understand, and George was worried, so he remained." Kit West mentioned that "George was constantly looking over his shoulder."
Norman Reynolds commented on Marquand, saying: "He really tried to make the best of the situation, and I believe he succeeded."
After the main filming of Return of the Jedi was done, Marquand and his editor Sean Barton put together the initial version of the movie. Lucas didn't like this version, which led him to take charge of the editing for later versions. Howard Roffman says that "George was aware it wouldn't be great" even before the first screening. Barton admitted, "We didn't get it right for George," and Steve Starkey noted that "Richard's interpretation of George was incorrect, or his instincts were leading him in a different direction." However, Lucas did admit that "The first version of a movie is never perfect."
Carrie Fisher frequently complained about Marquand in interviews, stating that he didn't treat her or Mark Hamill well. She recalled an incident where Marquand told her she was "f*cking up" a scene, which made her cry. Fisher mentioned that Marquand was "great to Harrison." Harrison Ford remembered getting along well with Marquand, but according to Sean Barton, "Harrison didn't like Richard at all." Mark Hamill stated "I liked Richard a lot, he was very friendly" and "I was surprised that Carrie had issues."
- " Anthony Daniels: Remembering That Galaxy Far, Far Away " — The Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine 1
- " Richard Marquand 1938-1987 " — The Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine 2
- " Back on Set! " — Star Wars Insider 160
- The Star Wars Archives: Episodes IV–VI, 1977–1983
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – The Official Collector's Edition
- " Rewind of the Jedi " — Star Wars Insider 218
- Jedi at 40 | ILM Legend Thomas G. Smith on the Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on StarWars.com (backup link)