Plot: What’s it about?
King Arthur (Mel Ferrer) has ruled England with courage and fairness, providing his people with the greatest period of prosperity the nation had ever seen. He is a beloved ruler and has a trusted stable of knights, known as The Knights of the Round Table. This inner circle of knights is Arthur’s most trusted, skilled branch of warriors, the men he turns to when he needs to be sure something is carried out. While many of the knights are close to Arthur, none are as close as Sir Lancelot (Robert Taylor). The two have a bond few men could accomplish, one of trust, respect, loyalty, and genuine friendship. This bond is tested however, when Lancelot is conflicted between serving his king and serving his own heart. Arthur has found a bride in the beautiful Guinevere (Ava Gardner), a woman who has all the elements a man could want. So its no surprise that Lancelot is attracted to her, but she also happens to be attracted to him. Lancelot fights his feelings, but he always returns to his affections for Guinevere. At the same time, the treacherous Morgan le Fay (Anne Crawford) and her knight Sir Modred (Stanley Baker) attempt to stoke the fire between the two, in order to cause chaos within Arthur’s realm. Can Arthur’s court withstand this turmoil, or will it be the end of his might reign?
The first Cinemascope picture from MGM, Knights of the Round Table tried to capture the epic world of swords & chivalry. I love these medieval movies, as I am quite taken with the knights, sword battles, social class structure, and overall romance of the time, even if Hollywood glosses over most of the time’s bad traits. The stories based on King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table are well known, but when done in proper form, they can hold infinite cinematic magic. But does Knights of the Round Table have that special magic? A lot of good can be seen in this picture, but in the end, it falls short of its vast potential. I mean, its fun to watch all the cool period production design elements, as well as the sweeping action and romance, but with Knights of the Round Table, some ingredients were left out of the mix. There is an attempt to inject passion into the material, but it doesn’t pan out too well, so we’re left with a flaccid production. When the tone should be tense and powerful, it remains rather flat and as such, it lacks that epic scope it strives for and other such films manage to capture. The performances are mostly to blame, as the cast seems wooden and uninspired, instead of bold and energetic. If you’re a genre diehard, then give Knights of the Round Table a look, but don’t expect a classic.
In the lead role here is Robert Taylor, who was no stranger to projects loaded with action and romance. I can’t knock Taylor’s work on the whole, as he turned in some terrific efforts in his career, but his performance here is lackluster. This is kind of weird too, since he was surrounded by gifted workers, such as his costars and his frequent director Richard Thorpe (The Prisoner of Zenda, Jailhouse Rock), which should have enabled him to perform at a high level. So it wasn’t his fellow cast or crew members, nor his own level of talent, which leaves the blame to fall on the material he was given to work with. I admit the source material is excellent, but this adaptation lacks the kind of passion it needs, which detracts from the experience. So Taylor isn’t able to throw himself into the role and the result is a flat, wooden performance. I would have thought he could have elevated things a little more than he does, but you can only ask so much. Other films with Taylor include Devil’s Doorway, Westward the Women, Lady of the Tropics, and Waterloo Bridge. The cast also includes Ava Gardner (On the Beach, The Snows of Kilimanjaro), Mel Ferrer (Eaten Alive, The Antichrist), and Anne Crawford (Street Corner, Two Thousand Women).
Video: How does it look?
Knights of the Round Table is presented in 2.55:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a nice visual treatment, one that has some flaws, but looks much better than previous release. The laserdisc was solid, but this new presentation offers a sharper, more refined visual presence that should delight fans. The print has minimal defects, with only a few medium flaws to mention and some light grain throughout the picture. These issues never prove to be much of a distraction however, so I see no reason to be concerned. The colors have worn a little, but still look bright and vivid, with accurate flesh tones at all times. No troubles in terms of contrast, as black levels are consistent, though not as deep and rich as I would like. But for a movie from 1953, I think Warner has done some great work here with Knights of the Round Table.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround option is by no means top shelf, but it provides a better than expected experience. The various battle scenes and such allow for some nice separation effects, which creates a deeper atmosphere. A new 5.1 remix might have opened up some additional scenes a little, but this material doesn’t need too much more of a boost. The music has solid presence also, given the film’s age and such, which enhances things even more. As far as dialogue, vocals sound crisp and clean throughout, with no signs of trouble to report. A few instances of harshness and distortion could be detected, but nothing worth worrying about. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a new introduction with star Mel Ferrer, a newsreel from the film’s premiere, a vintage concert hall musical short, an essay on King Arthur’s cinematic adventures, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
