Knights of the Round Table (1953)

Very weak, populist, adaptation of the famous tale. Plot is full of holes and doesn't follow King Arthur legend very closely. Not at all gritty, concentrating more on contrived, unconvincing sword- fight sequences and flowery, empty language than on any substance. So devoid of any substance, if it was made in the 2000s it would have been directed by Michael Bay!Acting is incredibly unconvincing. Think John Wayne trying to do Shakespeare. Shallow, hammy, machismo actors reciting lines they hardly understand.Even the presence of the stunningly beautiful Ava Gardner can't save this.If want to see a good adaptation of the King Arthur legend, see Excalibur (1981) instead.

Sir Thomas Malory's traditional tales of King Arthur and Lancelot are made even more commercially palatable with this costumed version from the British arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The narrative has become so basic (and dull), presumably for mass consumption, that all we have left to respond to is the ornate production. Robert Taylor's Lancelot devotes himself to being Guinevere's champion (not that her husband--Mel Ferrer's vacuous King Arthur--would notice!), but Taylor seems to have wandered in from another picture; his diction is thudding and his hangdog face never brightens, not even in the presence of a ravishing Ava Gardner as Guinevere (who doesn't so much flirt with Lancelot as she does beam and glow with silent affection). The overlong film is a sumptuous spread, and there's plenty of action, but the episodes fail to come together as a whole and the sound recording (Oscar nominated!) is barely adequate. Consequently, the legendary characters rarely come to life. ** from ****

In this story about King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and the Lady Guenevere, the acting is superb and the English countryside is beautiful. Mel Ferrer shows forth great dramatic ability as the calm-yet-firm King Arthur, Robert Taylor (in one of finest roles, I feel) is the consummate actor as the arrogant Sir Lancelot, and Ava Gardner as the very beautiful Lady Guenevere would make anyone want to fight over and for her. Stanley Baker truly wants anyone want to kill the mean and heartless Mordred. And too, Miklos Rozsa provided a very fitting and well-done music score. You never tire from watching the movie, thanks to the romance, sword-fighting, and even the aesthetics of it; it is exciting from beginning to end. The movie is unique in another sense: it is the first Cinemascope movie of MGM. Because of the acting, excitement, intrigue, and aesthetics, this movie is a favorite of mine.

In fifth century England, chivalrous Sir Robert Taylor (Lancelot) falls in love with beautiful Ava Gardner (Guinevere), the beautiful wife of his beloved King Mel Ferrer (Arthur). Try as they might, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Gardner are unable to resist the urge to lock lips, which gives enemy Mr. Ferrer's enemies, led by Stanley Baker (as Modred) and Anne Crawford (as Morgan Le Fay), their ammunition. This version of Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" never lets you forget it is a SPECTACLE.Director Richard Thorpe has the players take full advantage of the fact that this is a "CinemaScope" production, and, in COLOR. Everything is obvious. The two top-billed "stars" (actually, Taylor is the star, and Gardner has little to do) make it look even more showy. Taylor goes through the motions. Gardner walks beautifully, stands beautifully, and sits beautifully. Others in the cast are more natural - in fact, Gabriel Woolf (Percival) and Maureen Swanson (Elaine) might have made a much more convincing Lancelot and Guinevere. The ingredients are here, but they're misused.**** Knights of the Round Table (12/22/53) Richard Thorpe ~ Robert Taylor, Mel Ferrer, Gabriel Woolf, Ava Gardner