‘Movies D’Arthur’

Bill Knight column for 4-18, 19 or 20, 2019

Thursday is not only National Columnists Day, according to the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. It’s also Holy Thursday, the day before Camelot’s last four knights (Bors, Ector, Blamor and Bleoberis) perished during Good Friday battles in the Holy Land, according to some tales: a good time for a column about King Arthur on video.

There are many stories within the Arthurian world, and many versions of each. All of them share elements, as do the lore’s ties to movies. The medieval romance dates to the 6th century and prevailed from the 12th to the 15th centuries, with courtly love and adventures, pseudo-historical narratives and Celtic folklore. Poets (Tennyson, Dryden, Swinburne, others) used Arthur, as have other writers (Green, Malory, Pyle, White...). Throughout are basics in time, tone and theme: Somewhere in the darkness between the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of William the Conqueror, a British hero named Arthur arose to fight villains who threatened society and Christianity. Stories chronicled his birth and ascension to the throne, his kingdom and knights sitting as equals around a table with no head seat.

In films, Arthurian tales have universality and adaptability, with actors as varied as Clive Owens in 2004’s “King Arthur” and George Reeves in 1949’s “Adventures of Sir Galahad.” So both big, sweeping pictures and modest, moving movies have been used for different times, places, genres and reasons.

For your Arthurian video quest, here are 10 to seek:

“Camelot” (1967). Based on Broadway’s musical, this has been described as a “musical tragedy” instead of a musical comedy. Richard Harris is Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave Guinevere, and Franco Nero Lancelot in a plot loosely drawn from White’s “Once and Future King” and stressing the illicit lovers’ responsibility for the realm’s downfall, but character and plot are less important than memorable music and lyrics.

“A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” (1949). There’ve been three movies based on Mark Twain’s novel, here with Bing Crosby as the clever American and Cedric Hardwicke as the allergy-ridden king. Truer to Twain’s story than the 1921 or ’31 efforts, this suffers some from director Tay Garnett’s yielding to the temptation of featuring music. Rhonda Fleming and William Bendix co-star.

“Excalibur” (1981). John Boorman directed this lush version of the legend, from Arthur’s conception to his last battle, drawing on Malory. The main character is Merlin (Nicol Williamson), a magician who connects past and future and sees the passing of the Nature-based, Druid ways and the emergence of Christianity, but his power is fading. Opposing Merlin and Arthur (Nigel Terry) are Morgana (Helen Mirren) and her son Mordred.

“Gawain and the Green Knight” (1973). Using the classic 14th century poem plus stories of Percival and Yvain, director Stephen Weeks created a beautiful, sometimes-confusing drama: A mysterious Green Knight comes to Arthur’s castle and challenges Gawain, who beheads him only to witness the knight leave – his head beneath his arm. Gawain begins a quest to prove himself worthy, and Weeks provides a surprise ending.

“A Kid in King Arthur’s Court” (1995). Merlin (Art Mialik), imprisoned, transports a modern Little Leaguer to Camelot to restore glory to the kingdom in this retelling of Twain’s yarn. Thomas Ian Nicholson (“Rookie of The Year”) stars as an ordinary teen who tries to help. Kate Winslet and Joss Ackland co-star.

“Knightriders” (1981). Before filmmaker George Romero did “Night of The Living Dead,” he wrote and directed this modern variation of the Arthurian legend. A traveling stunt show performs on motorcycles, replacing horseback jousting with fighting from “steel steeds.” Ed Harris and Amy Ingersoll star.

“Knights of the Round Table” (1953). Mel Ferrer is Arthur, Ava Gardner Guinevere and Robert Taylor Lancelot in this costume-drama featuring Percival, Elaine, Gawain and others. The Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot triangle is chaste, but the big-budget outing buckles some swash.

“Lancelot du Lac” (1974). Filmmaker Robert Bresson used the final section of the 13th century rendition of the legend called the Vulgate Cycle, focusing on chivalry’s doom and the ideal’s death. It won the International Critics’ Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

“The Sword in the Stone” (1965). The boy Arthur is taught life lessons by Merlin in this gem based on White’s “Once and Future King.” The first full-length animated version of some of Arthur’s legend, it follows “Wart” from a kid eager to be a squire for his oafish brother Kay, through experiences as animals, to a fight against the evil Mad Madam Mim, and the eventual acquisition of the sword proving his destiny. Sebastion Cabot and Ricky Sorenson star.

“The Sword of Lancelot” (1963). This Cornel Wilde vehicle (which he also produced and directed) is big on spectacle and action. Jean Wallace and Brian Aherne co-star.