Prince Valiant (1954)

A young Viking prince strives to become a knight in King Arthur's Court and restore his exiled father to his rightful throne.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screenplay), Hal Foster (based on King Features Syndicate's "Prince Valiant" by) (as Harold Foster)

Stars:

James Mason, Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Mason	...	Sir Brack
Janet Leigh	...	Princess Aleta
Robert Wagner	...	Prince Valiant
Debra Paget	...	Ilene
Sterling Hayden	...	Sir Gawain
Victor McLaglen	...	Boltar
Donald Crisp	...	King Aguar
Brian Aherne	...	King Arthur
Barry Jones	...	King Luke
Mary Philips	...	Queen of Thule
Howard Wendell	...	Morgan Todd
Tom Conway	...	Sir Kay

Storyline

Young Prince Valiant, son of the exiled King of Scandia, journeys to Camelot to become a knight at King Arthur's Round Table. He hopes to help his father reclaim his throne from the pagan Viking usurper Sligon and restore the Christian faith to their homeland. On his journey he stumbles upon a mysterious Black Knight plotting with Sligon's representatives to overthrow Arthur. Barely escaping with his life, Valiant encounters Sir Gawain, one of the most illustrious knights of the Round Table, and an old friend of his father's, who tutors the young Viking in the skills needed to be a knight. Valiant and Gawain's pupil-mentor relationship is complicated by their romantic involvement with Princess Aleta and her sister Ilene, daughters of the King of Ord. If Valiant is to restore his father's throne and prevent the coup d'etat against Arthur, he must uncover the true identity of the Black Knight.

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Plot Keywords:

knight | viking | king arthur | based on comic strip | pageboy hair cut | 

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Taglines:

See It Without Glasses In CinemaScope

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Wagner confesses in his autobiography that he had many problems with his wig, which he said was ridiculous. Once Dean Martin passed by on the set, he first thought he was talking to Jane Wyman, instead of Robert Wagner, because of the wig.

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Goofs

As Prince Valiant leaves the Abbey and his parents to go to Camelot, he departs standing upright in a simple "serving tray" shaped boat. As he shakily pushes off from the shore, you can clearly see a pontoon like arrangement hidden under the craft, obviously designed to try to steady it. In later shots, pulled up on shore, it is flat bottomed.

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Quotes

Sir Brack: Traitor is a word that winners give to losers, and you've lost.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Jack Frost (1997)

User Reviews

I just love this movie!

Henry Hathaway's 'Prince Valiant' is an epic adventure story set in the Golden Age of Chivalry... It is the story of a Viking Prince who pledges to go to Camelot and there strive with honor and diligence to become a Knight at King Arthur's Round Table...

'Prince Valiant' is about a ghost who plots treason, a black-armored knight who appears and vanishes at will... It is about a deadly Black Knight, who uses his disguise to make a pact with a Viking traitor to overthrow a great king...

'Prince Valiant' is about a desperate squire who dares to wear the armor and identity of a chivalrous Knight of the Round Table... And about a loyal squire who crowns a mighty knight with a rock, and tries to win a beautiful princess for himself...

'Prince Valiant' is about the son of an exiled king who seeks King Arthur's help against the usurper, and becomes involved in a court plot... It is about a courageous lad who faces the treachery of a mysterious black knight, who is scheming betrayal and murder...

James Mason portrays the shining knight Sir Brack who suffers the indignity of being challenged on the field of honor by a squire in the guise of a knight...

Janet Leigh plays the lovely damsel with one purpose, to answer love fully...

Robert Wagner plays the young hothead with one vow to fulfill before he can think of anything else...

Debra Paget plays the shy and charming dark-haired princess with a secret wish...

Sterling Hayden plays Sir Gawain, the perfect knight who knows that his duty is to find the Black Knight and destroy him before his treason ripens...

Victor McLaglen plays the Christian Viking hiding behind a red curtain with a long knife in his hand...

Donald Crisp plays the exiled King of Scandia who was overthrown by a Viking traitor and escapes with his wife and son across the North Sea to Britain...

Brian Aherne plays Arthur, King of the Britons, who assures Valiant that 'knighthood cannot be had for the asking...' It must be won! Barry Jones plays the father of two lovely princesses who suffers to get the best knight for one of his daughters...

Well... I just love this movie! Its good old magic moves me to some of the most cherished memories stored in my mind... It is an agreeable historical piece that has prowess, romance, and grace, and a breathtaking duel, one of the best you will ever see...

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Prince Valiant

Filming Locations:

Arroyo Sequit Park, Ventura County, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,970,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,373

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1