No. 38 - Excalibur (1981)

Forged By A God. Foretold By A Wizard. Found By A King.

Rated: Rated: PG 

Director: John Boorman; Screenplay: Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg; based on the novel Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory

Starring: Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Nicol Williamson, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Cherie Lunghi

Movie Introduction: The famed sword Excalibur, retrieved by the sorcerer Merlin (Williamson) from the Lady of the Lake, is given to the British lord Uther Pendragon (Byrne) who plunges it into a massive stone just as he dies.  Years later, the sword finds its way to the young squire Arthur (Terry). It is revealed that the boy is the son of Pendragon and the rightful king. Aided by Merlin, Arthur fulfills his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the many warring fiefdoms on the land. However, this flawed monarch faces greater tests ahead as love betrays him. He and his knights must find the Holy Grail to save his kingdom once more.

Defining Moment: the knighting of Arthur

When the young Squire, Arthur, pulls the sword from the stone, loyalties divide. Half are loyal to King Loedegrance and embrace the new king. The rest, who follow Sir Uryens, reject the boy's legitimacy. After some valuable council from Merlin, Arthur joins the fight, and leads his men to help Loedegrance defend this castle. The boy battles bravely with his new weapon, eventually bringing Sir Uryens to sword point. Uryens refuses to yield to a lowly squire. The young Arthur, in a surprising show of bravery, and wisdom, agrees with him. He flips Excalibur around and bids that Sir Uryens knight him, a shocking move indeed.  Sir Uryens’ cohorts urge him to keep the sword for himself! (watch the full scene on YouTube)

Something subtle you might have missed:  familiar faces

Every time I watch this film I notice an actor who gained significant notoriety afterwards. There’s the ageless Helen Mirin (The Queen, Calender Girls) as the evil Morgana, and Gabriel Byrne (The Man in the Iron Mask) as Uther Pendragon. Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men fame) plays the role of King Leodegrance, the father of Guinevere. Finally, there is a very young Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List, Love Actually, Gangs of New York) as the passionate Sir Gawain.  

Memorable Quotes:

"Looking at the cake is like looking at the future, until you've tasted it what do you really know? And then, of course, it's too late." - Merlin

"I've lost, for all time, the ancient sword of my fathers, whose power was meant to unite all men... not to serve the vanity of a single man. I am... nothing." - King Arthur

Dad's Review:

This is the best film of the Arthurian legend. It's visually stunning; many scenes are hypnotic, as if in a dream. This perfect film is a wonderful blend of romance, action and mythology. I particularly find compelling the concept that the land, and its health, is linked to Arthur’s success or failure. When Arthur falls into darkness, the only way to save him, and the kingdom, is by finding the lost holy grail.

The legend of King Arthur has long been associated with Britain’s Welsh mythology. Most of what we call the legend arose from Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain, written in the 12th century. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and ruled for years. His story contains these elements regarding Arthur: His father was Uther Pendragon, his council was Merlin the magician, his wife was Guinevere, he wielded the sword Excalibur, his final battle was against Mordred, and his final resting place was the mythical island of Avalon. All these elements are wonderfully present in this fine British film.

I first learned the Arthurian legend from my high school English teach, the legendary Mrs. Naoma Huff. When the film came out, she went to see it with much enthusiasm. However, a few minutes into the film there is rape scene with some nudity - so she walked out. That was not a surprise as Mrs. Huff, a very prim and proper teacher, could not endorse a film containing those elements. I respected her for that. Yet, what a shame, because it really is a superb film. I wonder if she watched it years later. I certainly hope so.

Filmed in Ireland, director John Boorman maintained that Excalibur was one of the hardest films he ever made.

Mr. Boorman, I applaud your hard work to produce this middle age masterpiece! 

Onto No. 39... The Basin of Beastie