Sword of Lancelot (1963)
"Lancelot and Guinevere" (original title)

Director:

Cornel Wilde

Writers:

Richard Schayer, Cornel Wilde

Stars:

Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Brian Aherne

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cornel Wilde	...	Sir Lancelot
Jean Wallace	...	Guinevere
Brian Aherne	...	King Arthur
George Baker	...	Sir Gawaine
Archie Duncan	...	Sir Lamorak
Adrienne Corri	...	Lady Vivian
Michael Meacham	...	Sir Modred
Iain Gregory	...	Sir Tors
Mark Dignam	...	Merlin
Reginald Beckwith	...	Sir Dagonet
John Barrie	...	Sir Belvedere
Richard Thorp	...	Sir Gareth
Joseph Tomelty	...	Sir Kaye
Graham Stark	...	Rian
Geoffrey Dunn	...	Edrick

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

axe fight | combat | flaming arrow | sword and sorcery | sword duel | 

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Taglines:

All the fiery passions of the lusty age of great kings....beautiful queens.....that heroic age of King Arthur and the gallant Knights of the Round Table!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Romance | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

5 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sword of Lancelot

Filming Locations:

Divicibare, Yugoslavia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Emblem Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the main battle scene, a soldier - apparently thinking he was out of camera range - can be seen at the bottom of the screen standing with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder and smoking a cigarette.

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Quotes

Guinevere: I should have known better than to trust a Frenchman!

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Crazy Credits

The Universal logo does not appear on this film.

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Connections

Version of Excalibur (1981)

User Reviews

One of the few medieval epics scripted for an adult audience.

A good action film that is reasonably faithful to the Arthurian legends as interpreted (and sometimes actually written) by Thomas Malory in the 15th century. The addition of the "Viking Invasion" dates only to the movie itself, but provides for some good action sequences. And action is the hallmark of this movie. The battle scenes are very well done and the arms and armor (except for the Vikings' horned helmets) are reasonably authentic for the late 11th century. The individual sword fights seem like hard and deadly work----no dancing and prancing or choreographed acrobatics as in most films of this genre. Just clanging metal and men straining in their armor, with gory and graphically depicted consequences.

The film is indeed part soap opera, as is the Lancelot/Guinevere part of the Arthurian Cycle, but these interludes are done in a matter of fact, rather stark manner. This and the copious action scenes make for a fast moving, absorbing pace with little down time. The dialogue is a bit clipped and less theatrical than in most epics but this only adds to its realistic qualities.

An excellent film by a man (Cornel Wilde) very underrated as both an actor and filmmaker.