Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1984)

Director:

Stephen Weeks

Writers:

Stephen Weeks (screenplay) &
Howard C. Pen (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

Gawain was a squire in King Arthur's court when the Green Knight burst in and offered to play a game with a brave knight...

Plot Keywords:

Knight | Riddle | King Arthur | Bow And Arrow | Swashbuckler

Cast

Miles O'Keeffe	...	Sir Gawain
Cyrielle Clair	...	Linet (as Cyrielle Claire)
Leigh Lawson	...	Humphrey
Sean Connery	...	The Green Knight
Trevor Howard	...	The King
Peter Cushing	...	Seneschal - Gaspar
Ronald Lacey	...	Oswald
Lila Kedrova	...	Lady of Lyonesse
John Rhys-Davies	...	Baron Fortinbras
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Porter
Bruce Lidington	...	Sir Bertilak
Douglas Wilmer	...	The Black Knight
Brian Coburn	...	Friar Vosper
David Rappaport	...	Sage
Emma Sutton	...	Morgan La Fay
Thomas Heathcote	...	Armourer
John Serret	...	Priest
Mike Edmonds	...	Tiny Man
John Pierce Jones	...	Sergeant (as John Pierce-Jones)
James Windsor	...	1st Recruit
Richardson Morgan	...	2nd Recruit (as Ric Morgan)
Peter Mackriel	...	3rd Recruit (as Peter MacKriel)
Jerold Wells	...	1st Torturer
Harry Jones	...	2nd Torturer
John J. Carney	...	Messenger
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Firth	...	Sir Gawain (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Weeks

Writing credits
Stephen Weeks		(screenplay) &
Howard C. Pen		(screenplay) &
Philip M. Breen		(screenplay)
Rosemary Sutcliff		(additional dialogue) &
Therese Burdon		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Philip M. Breen	....	executive producer
Yoram Globus	....	producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer
Michael J. Kagan	....	executive producer (as Michael Kagan)
Basil Keys	....	associate producer
Sture Rydman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ron Geesin

Cinematography by
Peter Hurst
Freddie Young

Film Editing by
Richard Marden
Barry Peters

Casting by
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Maurice Fowler
Derek Nice

Costume Design by
Shuna Harwood

Makeup Department
Ernest Gasser	....	makeup artist (as Ernie Gasser)
Ramon Gow	....	hair stylist
Ilona Herman	....	hairdresser: Mr. Connery
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. Connery
Marcello Longhi	....	hairdresser: Mr. O'Keeffe
Marcello Longhi	....	makeup artist: Mr. O'Keeffe
Richard Mills	....	makeup artist
Régine Navaro	....	makeup artist: Miss Claire (as Regine Navarro)
Mary Sturgess	....	hair stylist
Norma Webb	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Adam Kempton	....	production manager
Basil Somner	....	unit manager: France

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Bracknell	....	first assistant director
Jerry Daly	....	third assistant director
Richard Hoult	....	first assistant director: second unit
Rod Lomax	....	third assistant director
Michel Mercy	....	second assistant director
Zsuzsanna Mills	....	second assistant director
Sture Rydman	....	second unit director
Ken Tuohy	....	first assistant director
Andrew Warren	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Dennis Bovington	....	carpenter (as Denis Bovington)
Les Butterfield	....	carpenter
John Chisholm	....	stand-by propman (as Johnny Chisholm)
Derek Creedon	....	stand-by propman
Bob Douglas	....	stand-by propman (as Robert Douglas)
John Field	....	rigger (as John Fields)
Eddie Francis	....	property master (as Eddy Francis)
Bert Gadsden	....	stand-by propman
Julie Graysmark	....	draughtsperson
Timothy Hayes	....	stagehand (as Tim Hayes)
Gary Hedges	....	carpenter
John Hedges	....	construction manager
Bill Howe	....	rigger
Harry Newman	....	property master
Michael Pickwoad	....	assistant art director
Brian Read	....	production buyer
David Reilly	....	stand-by propman
Ray Rose	....	property storeman
Dennis Simmonds	....	stand-by propman
Alfie Smith	....	dressing propman (as Alf Smith)
Eric Strange	....	dressing propman
Jack Towns	....	stand-by propman
Danny Tuhey	....	painter
David Williams	....	rigger
Val Wolstenholme	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Malcolm Davies	....	sound recordist
Richard Fettes	....	assistant sound editor
Teddy Mason	....	sound editor (as Ted Mason)
Tony Message	....	sound editor
Dennis Nisbett	....	sound assistant (as Denis Nisbett)
Robert Robinson	....	assistant sound editor
George Stephenson	....	sound recordist
Nicholas Stevenson	....	sound editor (as Nick Stephenson)
Hugh Strain	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mike Turner	....	boom operator
Colin Wood	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Nobby Clark	....	special effects supervisor (as Nobby Clarke)
Philip Clark	....	special effects technician
Peter Davey	....	special effects technician
Daniel Parker	....	special effects prosthetics
Tim Rose	....	creator and maker: toad
Aaron Sherman	....	effects: Green Knight head
Geoffrey Smith	....	special effects crew
Geoffrey Smith	....	special effects technician
John Warkwell	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Cliff Culley	....	visual effects
Neil Culley	....	visual effects

Stunts
Brian Bowes	....	stunts
Tim Condren	....	stunt coordinator
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunt coordinator
John Lees	....	stunts
Gareth Milne	....	stunts
Dinny Powell	....	stunts
Tim Walsh	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Anstiss	....	camera operator: first unit
Tom Brown	....	electrical gaffer
Trevor Coop	....	camera operator: second unit
Tony Cridlin	....	camera grip
John Deaton	....	camera focus: second unit
David Farrell	....	still photographer
Roy Ford	....	camera operator: first unit
Ken Groom	....	clapper loader: second unit
Ian Henderson	....	camera focus: second unit
Peter Hopkins	....	camera grip
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	camera grip (as Chunky Huse)
Dickie Lee	....	camera grip: second unit
Brian Martin	....	electrician
Graham Miller	....	electrical gaffer
Russell Padwick	....	electrician
Reg Parsons	....	best boy
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator: second unit
Chris Pinnock	....	camera focus
Peter Robinson	....	camera focus: second unit
Roy Rodhouse	....	electrical gaffer
Mike Rutter	....	camera focus
Danny Shelmerdine	....	clapper loader
James Smart	....	electrician
James Terry	....	electrician
Ken Thoms	....	best boy
Toby Tyler	....	electrician (as David Tyler)
David Watkins	....	clapper loader
Les Weighell	....	electrician
Jack White	....	electrician

Casting Department
Ann Stanborough	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alan Flyng	....	wardrobe assistant
Vanessa Mimms	....	wardrobe assistant
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe master
Judy Shrewsbury	....	wardrobe assistant
James Smith	....	wardrobe master (as Jimmy Smith)

Editorial Department
Roy Birchley	....	assistant editor
Simon Manley	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ron Geesin	....	musician

Transportation Department
Jack Coggins	....	driver: generator

Other crew
Craig Barwick	....	location cashier
Marilyn Clarke	....	continuity
Peter Corrigan	....	armorer
Glen English	....	armorer (as Glyn English)
Terry English	....	armor designer
Terry English	....	armory maker
Ceri Evans	....	continuity: second unit
Jeanne Ferber	....	production assistant
Claude Gresset	....	location manager: France
Michael Hartman	....	production coordinator
Ron Hickson	....	titles
Patrick Isherwood	....	production accountant
Sandy Langdale	....	production accountant
Ben Laycock	....	location manager: Wales
Dominique Lefèvre	....	production secretary: France
Joan McLoughlin	....	secretary to director
Gerard Naprous	....	horse master
Felicity Newton	....	secretary to producer
Sally Pardo	....	production secretary
Patrick Rattray	....	production runner
Anthony Squire	....	director: action sequences
Frances Stephenson	....	production secretary
Juliette Toutain	....	location manager: France
Roger Towne	....	story consultant

Production Companies

• Golan-Globus Productions
• Stephen Weeks Company (produced in association with)

Distributors

• Cannon Group, The (1984) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Cannon Film Distributors Ltd. (1984) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cannon Film Distributors (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Guild Home Video (1985) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Federico de la Cruz Martín (1986) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Video Collection International (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by (as J. Dunton Cameras Ltd.)
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment (as Lee Electric Lighting Ltd.)
• Grip House  grip equipment (as Grip House London Ltd.)
• D&D Film & TV Location Facilities Ltd.  transportation
• Lily-Value Travel Agency  travel agency
• Location Facilities  motorhomes
• Southland Air Services Ltd.  freight forwarders
• Berman's and Nathan's  costumes
• National Theatre Company  costumes
• Bristol Old Vic  costumes (as Bristol Old Vic Company)
• Aristide Boyer  costumes
• Cornejo  costumes
• New Central Film Services  cutting rooms
• Delta Sound Services  sound re-recording
• Fairlight Music Computers  music score created at
• Fuji Photo Film  film stock supplied by
• Tony Long Opticals Ltd.  titles
• Westbury Design & Optical Ltd.  opticals
• Solters/Roskin/Friedman Inc.  national publicity representation
• The Welsh Office  thanks: for the use of Caerphilly Castle - Castell Coch
• Cardiff Corporation  thanks: for the use of Cardiff Castle
• Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites, Paris  thanks: for the use of Pierrefonds Castle and the Papal Palace of Avignon

Also Known As:

"Sword of the Valiant" - USA (video box title)

Runtime:

USA:102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Spain:T | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly, Wales, UK

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

The words of the riddle said: "Where life is emptiness, gladness. Where life is darkness, fire. Where life is golden, sorrow. Where life is lost, wisdom."

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the final scene when Linet asks Gawain to touch her cheek before she leaves. The boom mic is visible at the bottom of the frame in the foreground and is hastily retracted as the scene progresses.

Quotes:

Sir Gawain:I forgot to ask one question during my quick initiation into knighthood.
Humphrey:Oh? What's that?
Sir Gawain:How to relieve myself in this tin suit.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Bad film yes, but plenty to appreciate

This is certainly a dodgy film on many levels, but it has some redeeming moments. Sean Connery is terrific as The Green Knight, he obviously has a heap of fun in the role and steals the show.

If you come across this film you could do a lot worse.