First Knight (1995)

Director:

Jerry Zucker

Writers (WGA):

Lorne Cameron (story) &
David Hoselton (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 July 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Their greatest battle would be for her love.

Plot:

Lancelot falls in love with Guinevere, who is due to be married to King Arthur. Meanwhile, a violent warlord tries to seize power from Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Plot Keywords:

King | King Arthur | Knight | Excalibur | Queen

Cast

Sean Connery	...	King Arthur
Richard Gere	...	Lancelot
Julia Ormond	...	Guinevere
Ben Cross	...	Prince Malagant
Liam Cunningham	...	Agravaine
Christopher Villiers	...	Sir Kay
Valentine Pelka	...	Sir Patrise
Colin McCormack	...	Sir Mador
Ralph Ineson	...	Ralf
John Gielgud	...	Oswald
Stuart Bunce	...	Peter, King's Stableman
Jane Robbins	...	Elise
Jean Marie Coffey	...	Petronella
Paul Kynman	...	Mark
Tom Lucy	...	Sir Sagramore
John Blakey	...	Sir Tor
Robert Gwyn Davin	...	Sir Gawaine
Sean Blowers	...	Sir Carados
Alexis Denisof	...	Sir Gaheris
Daniel Naprous	...	Sir Amant
Jonathan Cake	...	Sir Gareth
Paul Bentall	...	Jacob
Jonty Miller	...	Gauntlet Man
Rose Keegan	...	Mark's Wife
Mark Ryan	...	Challenger
Jeffery Dench	...	Elder
Neville Phillips	...	Elder
Oliver Lewis	...	Marauder
Wolf Christian	...	Marauder
Angus Wright	...	Marauder
Jonathan Jaynes	...	Guard
Eric Stone	...	Guard
Ryan Goldstein	...	Young Lancelot (as Ryan Todd)
Albie Woodington	...	Scout
Richard Claxton	...	Child
Dido Miles	...	Grateful Woman
Michael Hodgson	...	Young Man in Crowd
Susannah Corbett	...	Young Woman in Crowd
Susan Breslau	...	Wedding Guest
Kate Zucker	...	Flower Girl
Bob Zucker	...	Little Boy with Birds
Charlotte Zucker	...	Bread Vendor
Burton Zucker	...	Bread Vendor (as Burt Zucker)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sacha Bennett	...	Unidentified Role (uncredited)
Rob Brydon	...	Man in Crowd (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Bearded Villager (uncredited)
Bernard Hill	...	A Knight of King Arthur (uncredited)
Leslie Maier	...	Wedding Guest #2 (uncredited)
Royston Munt	...	Horse Stunts (uncredited)
Derek Pykett	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tony Rycyk	...	Action Knight in Opening Sequence (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Zucker

Writing credits (WGA)
Lorne Cameron		(story) &
David Hoselton		(story) and
William Nicholson		(story)
William Nicholson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Hunt Lowry	....	producer
Kathryn J. McDermott	....	associate producer
Gil Netter	....	executive producer
Eric Rattray	....	executive producer
Janet Zucker	....	executive producer
Jerry Zucker	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg

Film Editing by
Walter Murch

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
John Box

Art Direction by
Robert W. Laing		(supervising art director) (as Bob Laing)
Giles Masters
Stephen Scott
Michael White		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Malcolm Stone

Costume Design by
Nanà Cecchi

Makeup Department
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup artist
Elaine Short	....	hair stylist
Caroline Greenough	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jules Korshoonoff	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Hunt Lowry	....	unit production manager
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Carreras	....	assistant director
Jamie Christopher	....	second assistant director
Robert Grayson	....	third assistant director
Cliff Lanning	....	key second assistant director
Mark Layton	....	second assistant director: second unit
Terry Madden	....	first assistant director: second unit
Josh Robertson	....	second second assistant director
Richard Whelan	....	second assistant director
Arthur Wooster	....	second unit director
Geoff Dibben	....	co-second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Steven Michael	....	scenic artist
Alex Aitken	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Pierre Bohanna	....	supervising modeler (uncredited)
Mick Chubbock	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Dean Coldham	....	chargehand plasterer (uncredited)
Peter Dorme	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Alan Hausmann	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Darren Holland	....	construction stagehand (uncredited)
Peter Mann	....	constructor (uncredited)
Ginger McCarthy	....	scaffolder (uncredited)
Ron Nicholls	....	stagehand (uncredited)
Steve Payne	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Graeme Purdy	....	chargehand standby propman (uncredited)
Richard Roberts	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer (uncredited)
Martin Smith	....	gardener (uncredited)
David Warren	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ulrika Akander	....	adr editor
Colin Charles	....	sound editor
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cindy Marty	....	sound effects editor
John Morris	....	supervising sound editor
Walter Murch	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Ed Callahan	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
John Hughes	....	sound (uncredited)
Ian MacGregor-Scott	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Thomas P. McNamara	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Fred Peck III	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Gibbs	....	special effects
Dave Chagouri	....	prop maker (uncredited)
Jason Chalmers	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Simon Cockren	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Jim Davey	....	scanning and recording (uncredited)
Dan Frye	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Alan Hedgcock	....	special effects makeup (uncredited)
Matthew Horton	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Cliff Wallace	....	special effects makeup (uncredited)
David Watkins	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	optical cameraman
Mitchell S. Drain	....	supervising digital artist: CRC
Dennis Lowe	....	visual effects supervisor
Mark Nettleton	....	senior compositor
Nicholas Brooks	....	visual effects (uncredited)
John Decker	....	blue screen unit (uncredited)
Doug Ferris	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist (uncredited)
José Granell	....	model unit supervisor (uncredited)
Ed Hawkins	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Antony Hunt	....	executive producer: The Magic Camera Company (uncredited)
Sharon Lark	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Kim Libreri	....	chief technology officer (uncredited)
Sue Rowe	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Marc Scott	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Joseph Thomas	....	digital tracking (uncredited)
Courtney Vanderslice	....	head of production: Cinesite (uncredited)
Pete Williams	....	scanning and recording manager (uncredited)
Aviv Yaron	....	data operator: Cinesite (uncredited)
Craig Zerouni	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Kim Billings	....	stunts
Georges Branche	....	stunts
Ken Buckle	....	stunts
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts
Steve Dent	....	stunts
Jamie Edgell	....	stunts
Sarah Franzl	....	stunts
Joss Gower	....	stunts
Steve Griffin	....	stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunts
Lyndon S. Hellewell	....	stunts (as Lyndon Stuart Hellewell)
Paul Herbert	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Sy Hollands	....	stunts
Billy Horrigan	....	stunts
Rowley Irlam	....	stunts
Paul Jennings	....	stunts
Jazzer Jeyes	....	stunts
Vincent Keane	....	stunts
Dianne Kelly	....	stunts
Eddie Kidd	....	stunts
Simone Le Lievre	....	stunts
Les Maryon	....	stunts
Peter Miles	....	stunts
Gerard Naprous	....	stunts
Adrian O'Neil	....	stunts
Nigel Oliver	....	stunts
Miguel Pedregosa	....	stunts
Eric Petch	....	stunts
Andreas Petrides	....	stunts
Dinny Powell	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Powell	....	stunts
Greg Powell	....	stunt coordinator
Nosher Powell	....	stunts
Dane Rawlins	....	stunts
José María Serrano	....	stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunts
Mark Southworth	....	stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunts
David Ware	....	stunts
Peter White	....	stunts
Nick Wilkinson	....	stunts
Riky Ash	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Carey	....	stunt rider (uncredited)
Marc Cass	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Delmar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nrinder Dhudwar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark Henson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sy Hollands	....	stunt double: Julia Ormond (uncredited)
Sean McCabe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert Patton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Phillip Van Dyke	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steen Young	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chuck Finch	....	gaffer
Gordon Hayman	....	camera operator
Martin Hume	....	camera operator: second unit
Billy Merrell	....	best boy
Tim Ross	....	camera operator
Micky Wilson	....	gaffer: second unit
Robert Binnall	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Borg	....	electrician (uncredited)
Mark Evans	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kenny Groom	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Scott Holland	....	video assistant (uncredited)
Gifford Hooper	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
John Lake	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dean Morrish	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ian Murray	....	rigger (uncredited)
Mike Valentine	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Sophia Wellington	....	camera trainee (uncredited)

Animation Department
Marianne I. van Abbe	....	background artist (uncredited)

Casting Department
Suzy Freeman	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Crouch	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)
Stephen Kill	....	costume maker (uncredited)
Jo Korer	....	costumer (uncredited)
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Dan Farrell	....	first assistant editor (as Daniel Farrell)
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Joe Woo Jr.	....	associate film editor
Kimberly Adams	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)
Tom Barrett	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Catherine Chase	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator
Kelly Mahan-Jaramillo	....	assistant music editor
Paul Salamunovich	....	conductor: Los Angeles Master Chorale
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Hector Salomon	....	driver
Mark Davies	....	driver: Hunt Lowry (uncredited)
'Chico' Hernandez	....	driver (uncredited)
Barry Stevenson	....	unit bus driver (uncredited)
Gerry Turner	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	script supervisor
Bob Anderson	....	sword master
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Steve Dent	....	horse master
Simon Downes	....	floor runner
Allan James	....	location manager: Wales
June Randall	....	script supervisor
Mark Ryan	....	assistant sword master
Caroline Sax	....	script supervisor: second unit
Charles Bodycomb	....	armorer (uncredited)
Aron Clayton	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Bill Darby	....	location manager: Wales (uncredited)
Teresa Darby	....	location manager: second unit, Wales (uncredited)
Laurence Edwards	....	trainee crane technician (uncredited)
Mark Ivie	....	assistant swordmaster: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Marianne Jenkins	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Abbe Lanning	....	stand-in: Julia Ormond (uncredited)
David Lanphier Jr.	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Warren	....	video coordinator (uncredited)
Pam Weaver	....	animal handler (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• First Knight Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1998) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia Pictures (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1995) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1995) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1995) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (1995) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (video)
• Egmont Entertainment (1995) (Finland) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (1998) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Egmont Film (1998) (Sweden) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Nelonen (1999) (2000) (2004) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (1996) (Greece) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Available Light Productions (animation visual effects)

Other Companies

• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Cinema Research  titles (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Cinesite  digital film services
• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Foxtrot Productions  actor training and extras supplies
• Foxtrot Productions  costume supplies
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Nina Saxon Film Design  title design
• Pacific Title  opticals

Also Known As:

"True Knight" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some brutal medieval battles

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 (w) | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #33590) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | France:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Ashridge Park, Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Julia Ormond was paid $350,000 for the film. Her two male co-stars' combined fee was $14 million.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Lancelot saves Guinevere the first time, she uses a small crossbow to shoot a guy trying to kiss her. She shoots the crossbow straight up into the guy's stomach. When the guy falls to the ground, the crossbow bolt comes out of the man's stomach horizontally, not vertically.

Quotes:

Lancelot:I've never believed in anything before. But I do believe in Camelot, and I would serve it best by leaving.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

A pleasant fairytale and action movie

This film deserves recognition for what it is : a good interpretation of part of a legend, with an excellent casting.

Who else but Sean Connery as an ageing and dignified King Arthur ?

Julia Ormond is a convincing and stunning princess with her graceful, touching beauty; her looks are also refreshing and different from all the ever-present boring blondes who get a part in anything because of their hair colour.

As for Richard Gere he is as handsome, charming and fearless as Camelot would be.

This film is not for historians or purists nor does it claim to have a documentary value. It has a sense of magic and the pace is well alternated between romance and action. The emotion and intensity are present thanks to the actors and the music, appropriate to all the scenes in the movie. That is what matters.

Who cares about details such as a castle looking a bit dodgy, blue clothes (we have seen much worse and tackier in cinema history) or the odd line or fact. Never mind that. Just relax and escape : it is only entertainment at the end of the day, not a time for History or Legend Reconstruction. You are better off going to a course or reading a book, do not rely on films to educate you all the time.

Why comparing films ? Let's just say there are different approaches to a subject, that is what makes the interest. Enjoy !