The Black Knight (1954)

During King Arthur's time, a sword maker wishes to win Lady Linet's heart but first he must become a noble knight.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Alec Coppel (original screenplay), Dennis O'Keefe (additional dialogue)

Stars:

Alan Ladd, Patricia Medina, André Morell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Ladd	...	John
Patricia Medina	...	Linet
André Morell	...	Sir Ontzlake (as Andre Morell)
Harry Andrews	...	Earl Of Yeonil
Peter Cushing	...	Sir Palamides
Anthony Bushell	...	King Arthur
Laurence Naismith	...	Major Domo
Patrick Troughton	...	King Mark
Bill Brandon	...	Bernard
Ronald Adam	...	The Abbot
Basil Appleby	...	Sir Hal
Thomas Moore	...	The Apprentice
Jean Lodge	...	Queen Guenevere
Pauline Jameson	...	Lady Yeonil
John Kelly	...	The Woodchopper

Storyline

As a blacksmith John can't hope to win the hand of Linet, daughter of the Earl of Yeonil. Off he goes to prove himself a noble knight. He makes himself a suit of armor with a winged chicken helmet and runs around fighting for King Arthur as the Black Knight. Evil doings include plots by visiting kings and a Druid sacrificial ceremony at Stonehenge.

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Plot Keywords:

king | knight | king arthur | sword duel | arthurian legend | 

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Taglines:

New excitement ! New thrills ! Alan Ladd's biggest adventure !

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Genres:

Adventure | History

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alan Ladd was the biggest box-office attraction in the UK in 1954.

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Goofs

At the close, King Arthur bids his trumpets sound, and the attendants impressively move in unison to do so. Examination of the guttering brazier flames behind them reveals that the film was simply reversed to obtain the effect.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: The Earl of Yeonil's Castle.

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Connections

Featured in Everything or Nothing (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Whistling Gypsy
(uncredited)
Written by Leo Maguire
Performed by Elton Hayes

User Reviews

Abandon hope all who enter here...

Ah the swords and shields movie, a once thriving genre of film from yore where big bucks was thrown at the productions, and spectacle was unleashed. There were one or two exceptions, mind...

Directed by Tay Garnett, produced by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli and starring Alan Ladd, Peter Cushing and a whole host of British thespians lining up for some costume shenanigans. Story is a reworking of Arthurian England, with Ladd as a brave blacksmith who reinvents himself as the Black Knight to foil a dastard plan to overthrow King Arthur, and of course to impress the Lady Linet (Patricia Medina) who he has the major hots for. Sword play, fights, swinging about, jousts and Royal machinations do follow.

In the context of its budget it's hardly the awful stinker some have lined up to proclaim it as. Oh it definitely has problems, not the least that Ladd is badly miscast and Medina just isn't good enough, but there's a great sense of fun about the whole thing. One only has to look at Cushing's performance as the villainous Sir Palamides, he's having a great old time of it prancing about in tights and smothered in so much make-up he looks like a Satsuma! If you can get into Cushing's mindset then there's fun to be had here, intentionally or otherwise!

It's very colourful, costuming is impressive and with Garnett the wise old pro not wasting any chance for an action scene - or to encourage his male cast members into macho posturing - it's never dull. True, the editing is shoddy, the script (Alec Coppel) poor and some of the choreography is amateurish, but this is medieval malarkey 101. A film for the forgiving genre fan whose after a simple hour and half of robust swordery and chastity belt tamperings. 6/10

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1954 (UK)

Also Known As:

Le serment du chevalier noir

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warwick Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1