Sword of the Valiant

Lore & Background

The film follows Gawain, a young squire, who accepts a challenge from a green knight at King Arthur's castle during Yuletide. After beheading the knight, Gawain must seek the answer to a riddle within a year to save his life. His quest involves encounters with Morgan le Fay, a guardian knight, the maiden Linet, and various adversaries, including Prince Oswald and Baron Fortinbras. The story diverges significantly from the original poem, incorporating elements such as an invisibility ring, a green sash, and a transformed dove.

Reader's Guide

Sword of the Valiant is notable as Stephen Weeks' second adaptation of the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tale. The film features a cast including Sean Connery and Peter Cushing, and was shot in Wales, Ireland, and French châteaux. Its reception was largely negative, with Time Out London calling it 'underwhelming' and noting dreary jousting and an excruciating score. On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 12 out of 100, indicating 'Overwhelming dislike'. The film has seen varied home video releases, with the Polish release preserving the original 2.35:1 Cinemascope ratio, while the US DVD was criticized for a 4:3 pan and scan transfer. It received a US Blu-ray release in 2020.

Did You Know?

• Director Stephen Weeks originally hoped to cast Mark Hamill as Gawain, but producers insisted on Miles O'Keeffe.
• The film's period wardrobe came from stock rooms of the Royal National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, and other collections.
• Wilfrid Brambell, known for Steptoe and Son, made a guest appearance in the film, though it was not his final performance.
• The film is currently unreleased in the United Kingdom.