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Camelot (film)
Encyclopedia
Camelot is a 1967 film adaptation
of the musical of the same name
. Richard Harris stars as Arthur
, Vanessa Redgrave
as Guinevere
, and Franco Nero
as Lancelot
. The film was directed by Joshua Logan
.
(Richard Harris) is preparing for a great battle against his friend, Sir Lancelot (Franco Nero
). While brooding over the circumstances that led him to this moment, he asks Merlin
(Laurence Naismith
) for help. Merlin appears to him and tells Arthur to think back. It is now that the main plot begins.
Arthur has fled to the woods of ancient England
to quell his nerves as he awaits his first meeting with Guinevere
(Vanessa Redgrave
), his fiancée by an arranged marriage. After singing "I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight," he is startled when his solitude is interrupted by Guinevere and her entourage. Guinevere, whose introduction to the story features her opening song "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" expresses nervous misgivings similar to those of Arthur, and has likewise escaped momentarily into the forest for a brief moment of solitude. Guinevere appeals to St. Genevieve in prayer, and unknowingly reveals her identity to Arthur, who is hiding in a tree. The king falls from a branch, startling Guinevere but keeping his own identity a secret. It is during this first meeting that Arthur introduces Guinevere to Camelot, singing the title song, "Camelot". After their identities are revealed to each other, they are married. As the plot develops, Arthur confides to Guinevere his idea for a "Round Table" that would seat all the noble knights of the realm, reflecting not only a crude type of democratic ideal, but also the political unification of England. As knights are gathered, word reaches France, where Lancelot hears word of the table. Inspired by Arthur’s ideas, Lancelot makes a journey to Camelot, singing his introductory song "C’est Moi." Making his way to England, Lancelot quickly enters the highest echelons of Arthur's court due to his great prowess in combat.
During a tournament, Lancelot defeats three of the best of Arthur’s other knights, highlighting his athletic prowess and nobility - both of which are noticed by the Queen Guinevere. Ultimately Lancelot and Guinevere fall in love, leading to the famous love triangle
involving Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. As the personal drama unfolds, Arthur and "Jenny" - as Guinevere is called by her intimate familiars - sing together the world-weary song "What Do The Simple Folk Do?." Nothing seems able to stop the deepening love between Lancelot and Guinevere, however, and the film implies that their secret affair spans several years, especially in the classic song "If Ever I Would Leave You," sung by Lancelot to Guinevere. Arthur realizes that there is something going on between Lancelot and Guinevere, but out of love for them both, does nothing, instead banishing every knight who accuses them of adultery. Mordred
(David Hemmings
), the illegitimate offspring of King Arthur's premarital tryst with the Queen Morgause
, arrives at Camelot, bitter at Arthur's refusal to recognize him and determined to bring down the fellowship of the Round Table by stirring up trouble. He organizes the return of all the banished knights and convinces Arthur to stay out all night hunting in order to test the loyalty of Lancelot and Guinevere.
Arthur does so reluctantly, and Mordred sees to it that Lancelot and Guinevere are caught during a final tryst. Lancelot escapes, but Guinevere is sentenced to die at the stake. Arthur, who has promoted the rule of law throughout the story, is now bound by his own law; he can make no special exceptions for the Queen and/or his own wife. In a climactic scene, Lancelot returns and rescues Guinevere at the stake, to the relief of Arthur. In the film’s final scene, we return to the opening. Arthur is preparing to battle against Lancelot, at the insistence of his knights who want revenge, and England appears headed into the Dark Ages. He is visited one last time by Guinevere, who has now joined a convent, and Lancelot. Arthur forgives them both and bids them a heartfelt farewell. Despite the fact that he and Lancelot are still friends, Arthur is obligated to fight because of the other knights' lust for revenge. Prior to the battle, however, Arthur stumbles across a young boy named Tom, who wishes to become a Knight of the Round Table. Arthur is skeptical at first, but Tom espouses his commitment to Arthur's original ideal of "Not might makes right, but might for right." Arthur realizes that, although most of his plans have fallen through, the ideals of Camelot still live on in this simple boy. Arthur knights Tom and gives him his orders - to run behind the lines and survive the battle, so he can tell future generations about the legend of Camelot. Watching Tom leave, Arthur regains his hope for the future.
include Arthur getting a bath while discussing the round table, Arthur stating that Merlin 'youthened', and the entire flashback of Arthur in the forest recalling Merlin's schoolhouse.
In 1978, the Cinerama theater had a "Broadway on Broadway" festival and an uncut, unfaded 70mm print of Camelot played on the deeply curved screen for the last time. It continued to play in revival theaters in the seventies and eighties, but it was the cut general release version.
Some television broadcasts and later home video versions contain the complete, uncut copy of the movie.
for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
(John Truscott
, Edward Carrere, John W. Brown
), Best Costume Design
, and Best Music-Scoring of Music (Adaptation or Treatment). It was also nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. It also won three Golden Globe Award
s and was nominated for an additional three.
The film is also notable as the only instance in which a song written for a Broadway show won a Golden Globe award. The category it won in, Best Original Song Written for a Motion Picture, is reserved only for songs explicitly written for films, not stage musicals, but in this instance, an exception was made, and the song If Ever I Would Leave You (mislabeled If Ever I Should Leave You on the award) won the Golden Globe that year. Whether this was an accidental oversight on the part of the Foreign Press Association, or a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules, is unknown, but it had not ever happened before, and has not happened since. In addition, Frederick Loewe was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, although the score was written for the Broadway stage, and not for film.
Harris won the 1968 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
.
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the musical of the same name
Camelot (musical)
Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe . It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King....
. Richard Harris stars as Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
as Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
, and Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
as Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
. The film was directed by Joshua Logan
Joshua Logan
Joshua Lockwood Logan III was an American stage and film director and writer.-Early years:Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Susan and Joshua Lockwood Logan. When he was three years old his father committed suicide...
.
Plot
Unlike the original stage version, the main plot of the film is presented as a long flashback. In the opening scene, King ArthurKing Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
(Richard Harris) is preparing for a great battle against his friend, Sir Lancelot (Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
). While brooding over the circumstances that led him to this moment, he asks Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
(Laurence Naismith
Laurence Naismith
Laurence Naismith was an English actor.Naismith appeared in films such as Carrington VC , Richard III , Sink the Bismarck! , Jason and the Argonauts , and Diamonds Are Forever . He also starred in a children's ghost film The Amazing Mr Blunden...
) for help. Merlin appears to him and tells Arthur to think back. It is now that the main plot begins.
Arthur has fled to the woods of ancient England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to quell his nerves as he awaits his first meeting with Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
(Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
), his fiancée by an arranged marriage. After singing "I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight," he is startled when his solitude is interrupted by Guinevere and her entourage. Guinevere, whose introduction to the story features her opening song "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" expresses nervous misgivings similar to those of Arthur, and has likewise escaped momentarily into the forest for a brief moment of solitude. Guinevere appeals to St. Genevieve in prayer, and unknowingly reveals her identity to Arthur, who is hiding in a tree. The king falls from a branch, startling Guinevere but keeping his own identity a secret. It is during this first meeting that Arthur introduces Guinevere to Camelot, singing the title song, "Camelot". After their identities are revealed to each other, they are married. As the plot develops, Arthur confides to Guinevere his idea for a "Round Table" that would seat all the noble knights of the realm, reflecting not only a crude type of democratic ideal, but also the political unification of England. As knights are gathered, word reaches France, where Lancelot hears word of the table. Inspired by Arthur’s ideas, Lancelot makes a journey to Camelot, singing his introductory song "C’est Moi." Making his way to England, Lancelot quickly enters the highest echelons of Arthur's court due to his great prowess in combat.
During a tournament, Lancelot defeats three of the best of Arthur’s other knights, highlighting his athletic prowess and nobility - both of which are noticed by the Queen Guinevere. Ultimately Lancelot and Guinevere fall in love, leading to the famous love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
involving Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. As the personal drama unfolds, Arthur and "Jenny" - as Guinevere is called by her intimate familiars - sing together the world-weary song "What Do The Simple Folk Do?." Nothing seems able to stop the deepening love between Lancelot and Guinevere, however, and the film implies that their secret affair spans several years, especially in the classic song "If Ever I Would Leave You," sung by Lancelot to Guinevere. Arthur realizes that there is something going on between Lancelot and Guinevere, but out of love for them both, does nothing, instead banishing every knight who accuses them of adultery. Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
(David Hemmings
David Hemmings
David Edward Leslie Hemmings was an English film, theatre and television actor as well as a film and television director and producer....
), the illegitimate offspring of King Arthur's premarital tryst with the Queen Morgause
Morgause
Morgause , known in earlier works as Gwyar or Anna, is the sister or half-sister of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. In her earliest appearance she is Arthur's full sister by Uther Pendragon and Igraine; Gwyar is her name and she is the mother of Gwalchmei...
, arrives at Camelot, bitter at Arthur's refusal to recognize him and determined to bring down the fellowship of the Round Table by stirring up trouble. He organizes the return of all the banished knights and convinces Arthur to stay out all night hunting in order to test the loyalty of Lancelot and Guinevere.
Arthur does so reluctantly, and Mordred sees to it that Lancelot and Guinevere are caught during a final tryst. Lancelot escapes, but Guinevere is sentenced to die at the stake. Arthur, who has promoted the rule of law throughout the story, is now bound by his own law; he can make no special exceptions for the Queen and/or his own wife. In a climactic scene, Lancelot returns and rescues Guinevere at the stake, to the relief of Arthur. In the film’s final scene, we return to the opening. Arthur is preparing to battle against Lancelot, at the insistence of his knights who want revenge, and England appears headed into the Dark Ages. He is visited one last time by Guinevere, who has now joined a convent, and Lancelot. Arthur forgives them both and bids them a heartfelt farewell. Despite the fact that he and Lancelot are still friends, Arthur is obligated to fight because of the other knights' lust for revenge. Prior to the battle, however, Arthur stumbles across a young boy named Tom, who wishes to become a Knight of the Round Table. Arthur is skeptical at first, but Tom espouses his commitment to Arthur's original ideal of "Not might makes right, but might for right." Arthur realizes that, although most of his plans have fallen through, the ideals of Camelot still live on in this simple boy. Arthur knights Tom and gives him his orders - to run behind the lines and survive the battle, so he can tell future generations about the legend of Camelot. Watching Tom leave, Arthur regains his hope for the future.
Cast
- Richard HarrisRichard HarrisRichard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
as King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and... - Vanessa RedgraveVanessa RedgraveVanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
as GuinevereGuinevereGuinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot... - Franco NeroFranco NeroFranco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
(Gene Merlino, singing) as Lancelot du Lac - David HemmingsDavid HemmingsDavid Edward Leslie Hemmings was an English film, theatre and television actor as well as a film and television director and producer....
as MordredMordredMordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his... - Lionel JeffriesLionel JeffriesLionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
as King Pellinore - Laurence NaismithLaurence NaismithLaurence Naismith was an English actor.Naismith appeared in films such as Carrington VC , Richard III , Sink the Bismarck! , Jason and the Argonauts , and Diamonds Are Forever . He also starred in a children's ghost film The Amazing Mr Blunden...
as MerlinMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures... - Pierre Olaf as Dap
- Estelle WinwoodEstelle WinwoodEstelle Winwood was an English stage and film actress who moved to the United States in mid-career and became celebrated for her longevity.-Early life and early career:...
as Lady Clarinda - Gary Marshal as Sir LionelSir LionelSir Lionel is the younger son of King Bors of Gaunnes and Evaine and brother of Bors the Younger in Arthurian legend. He is a double cousin of Lancelot and cousin of Lancelot's younger half-brother Ector de Maris...
- Anthony Rogers as Sir DinadanDinadanSir Dinadan is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is the son of Sir Brunor Senior, the 'Good Knight without Fear,' and brother of Sirs Breunor le Noir and Daniel. A close friend of Tristan, Dinadan is known for his good humor and joking nature...
- Peter BromilowPeter BromilowPeter Bromilow was a British-born actor.-Select Filmography:* Camelot * The Railway Children * Nasty Habits * Semi-Tough...
as Sir SagramoreSagramoreSir Sagramore of Hungary is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. His characterization varies from story to story, though he is surprisingly prolific; he appears in a number of early stories, such as Chrétien de Troyes' works, and he turns up in all the cyclical versions... - Sue CaseySue CaseySue Casey, born April 8, 1926, in Los Angeles, California, was an American actress and Hollywood extra who appeared in over 75 productions between the years 1945 and 2002....
as Lady Sibyl - Gary Marsh as Tom of WarwickThomas MalorySir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
- Nicolas Beauvy as young Arthur
Releases
While the official running time was 179 minutes plus overture, entre'acte and exit music, only the 70mm blow up prints and 35mm magnetic stereo prints contained that running time. The general release version ran 150 minutes. Cuts were made in dialogue throughout the film and a number of songs including "Cest Moi" and "What do the Simple Folk Do". Omitted scenesDeleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
include Arthur getting a bath while discussing the round table, Arthur stating that Merlin 'youthened', and the entire flashback of Arthur in the forest recalling Merlin's schoolhouse.
In 1978, the Cinerama theater had a "Broadway on Broadway" festival and an uncut, unfaded 70mm print of Camelot played on the deeply curved screen for the last time. It continued to play in revival theaters in the seventies and eighties, but it was the cut general release version.
Some television broadcasts and later home video versions contain the complete, uncut copy of the movie.
Awards
The film won three Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
Academy Award for Best Art Direction
The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
(John Truscott
John Truscott
John Truscott was an Australian actor, production designer and costume designer. He won two Academy Awards for his work on the 1967 film Camelot....
, Edward Carrere, John W. Brown
John W. Brown (set decorator)
John W. Brown was a set decorator. He won an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film Camelot.-External links:...
), Best Costume Design
Academy Award for Costume Design
The Academy Award for Best Costume Design is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievement in film costume design....
, and Best Music-Scoring of Music (Adaptation or Treatment). It was also nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. It also won three Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
s and was nominated for an additional three.
The film is also notable as the only instance in which a song written for a Broadway show won a Golden Globe award. The category it won in, Best Original Song Written for a Motion Picture, is reserved only for songs explicitly written for films, not stage musicals, but in this instance, an exception was made, and the song If Ever I Would Leave You (mislabeled If Ever I Should Leave You on the award) won the Golden Globe that year. Whether this was an accidental oversight on the part of the Foreign Press Association, or a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules, is unknown, but it had not ever happened before, and has not happened since. In addition, Frederick Loewe was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, although the score was written for the Broadway stage, and not for film.
Harris won the 1968 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
.