Starring: Brian Aherne, George Baker, John Barrie, Reginald Beckwith, Adrienne Corri Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC Label: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: January 11, 2000 Running Time: 115 minutes Theatrical Release Date: January 11, 2000
Product Description: Adapted from Thomas Mallory's Morte D'Arthur, Sword of Lancelot depicts the passionate secret romance that blossoms between a knight, Sir Lancelot, and Lady Guinevere. But when the authoritative King Arthur learns of their love affair, he is infuriated, and consequently wages a deadly war.
Amazon.com: A lesser version of the Camelot legend, Sword of Lancelot is practically a one-man show by Cornel Wilde, who coproduces, directs, and plays the title role in this 1963 film. The major plot points are all here: Lancelot is King Arthur's most valued Knight of the Round Table and a paragon of courage and virtue. Things change, however, when the good knight falls for Guinevere (Jean Wallace, Wilde's wife), bride of Arthur (Brian Aherne, who has essayed this character more than once), and she for him. Ten years after Richard Thorpe's Knights of the Round Table, the illicit romance this time is portrayed as a more intimate affair, and the sword fights have a more menacing reality (Wilde was an excellent fencer). A subplot concerns Arthur's effort to forestall a challenge from a rival king, a problem that will inevitably catch Lancelot up in a personal conflict. As a director, Wilde (The Naked Prey) knows what he wants, though his skills are generally outmatched by the size of his themes. Still, there is something very likable about this movie, and it's definitely recommended for anyone who can't get enough of Camelot. --Tom Keogh
"Great Action Yarn" This is one of those classic "Hollywood" versions of the Arthurian legend. It is filled with pageantry, taut action, and of course the forbidden romance of Lancelot and Guinevere. Cornel Wilde is more than convincing in the lead role. And his real life wife, Jean Wallace, is a striking as Wilde's love interest. When watching this version, keep in mind of the period in which it was made and for the audience for whom it was intended. To put it simply, just enjoy. With all that said, I cannot recommend this DVD. The quality of the transfer is horrific! Save your money and wait for a remastered edition to be released.
Good movie, poor transfer to DVD As other reviews note, this film focuses on the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere and how their love, aided by Mordred's desires to be king, destroys Camelot. This version put out by Platinum is a poor transfer to DVD with colors, brightness and sound quality fluctuating throughout the film.
60'S HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF LANCELOT-GUENEVERE-ARTHUR Cornel wilde was sort of the bridge wetween Errol Flynn and Kevin Costner. He started out in swashbuckling adventures, then tried his hand directing epic movies, attempting to re-interpret each genre he tackles. Here he tackles the Arthurian romance/medieval epic with a focus on the suffering of passionate love against loyalty and duty.
One can say that a parallel of passions is played out here. Both Guenevere and Mordred want something they can't have, and Lancelot's duty to King Arthur is to deny them both. These two desires wind up working for each other, though in Mordred's case it's deliberate, Gwen's passion makes her not realize the danger she is putting the kingdom in.
Hollywood movies had gotten a little less stiff in how they portrayed romance and love scenes by this time, and Wilde takes advantage of it, giving the romantic leads a little bit more steam than they had in "Knights of the Round Table." It doesn't make the romance much more convincing, however. The trouble with many Arthurian movies is the unconvincing set up for the love between Lancelot and Guenevere ("Camelot" is a significant exception to this). The slightly stilted writing and silly French accent that Wilde puts on doesn't help.
There is plenty of sword-swinging action scenes. There's a joust, two battles, a fight through the castle, and a rescue. There is some innovation in the fight scenes; heads and body parts are cleaved, rather than sanitary thrusts to the armpit. Unfortunately, there is a degree of stiffness to the fighting and battles (unlike the love scenes) that detract from the drama. In the joust Lancelot sits on his horse, standing still, and recieves a lance with nary a quiver. Perhaps the pan-and-scan ("full-frame") presentation is at fault in some bits. In several battle scenes the figure in the center is the guy standing around like he doesn't know what to do. It also seems that some of the weapons, axes and maces, are too big for the one-handed use they are given.
The production design follows 11th-12th century styles of costume, armor, and architecture (mostly). This would match the period in which was written Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain," the foundation of much of the Arthurian legend (ironically, Lancelot is not in that version). Unfortunately there is some stiffness here also. Certain pieces of costume and armor look clumsy and awkward, and of course the chain mail is all Hollywood fake stuff.
This film does have more appeal to fans of the genre than the average movie viewer. It is interesting as a transitional piece between "Knights of the Round Table" and "First Knight" ("Excalibur" is in a different league).
A bit of trivia: In one scene, Gwen talks about a bowman named Diccon. Diccon bowman was a charater in Henry Pyle's "Men of Iron," made into the movie called "Black Shield of Fallworth."
Neither Flynn nor Havilland Mr and Mrs Wilde (Jean Wallace) suffer a lot, but all their suffering does not touch the heart. Mr Wilde is perhaps too old for this part and uses terrible intonations. Brian Ahearne as a King is very good. Fights are good with a lot of fighters. I recommend Flynn and Taylor epics instead of this. It is not bad, but something is lacking.
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