First Knight Movie Review 1995

King Arthur/Camelot legend comes to life again, but isn't worth the time it takes to watch. Wandering swordsman Lancelot (Gere) saves beautiful Guinevere (Ormond), soon to be Arthur's (Connery) queen, from evil renegade knight Malagant. They yearn, they gaze, they kiss--you gag. Written like a Harlequin romance, the dialogue (especially when uttered by Gere) is unintentionally funny, and the plot will cause much eye-rolling. Connery's regal (he knows his costume epics) and Ormond's lovely, but Gere is badly miscast. He offers a contemporary take on the flawed hero complete with American accent, an amazing feat in the 13th century. Big-scale battles, betrayals, passion, even Disneyland-like Camelot sets--the pieces for a tremendous epic are all here, it just doesn't work.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 134 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Romantic Triangles, Camelot (Old), Medieval Romps, Royalty, Tragedy, Big Battles, Funerals

Screenplay

William Nicholson

Cast

Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, John Gielgud, Liam Cunningham, Christopher Villiers, Valentine Pelka

Cinematography

Adam Greenberg

Director

Jerry Zucker

Music

Jerry Goldsmith

Producer

Jerry Zucker, Hunt Lowry, Eric Rattray, Gil Netter, Zucker Brothers Productions, Columbia Pictures