Cristi_Ciopron SWORD OF LANCELOT, crafted as Cornel Wilde's gift to himself, shows Guinevere as a strong and determined character—far from an 'etiolated princess …--and her character is also played with brio and charm.From the whole tale, the script picked as characters truly brought out the love triangle—the knight, his queen, and the oldster—and, in fact, only the couple of lovers—the others are too marginal …. Yet this couple of characters who are indeed defined and portrayed are alive and interesting. The score is, on the other hand, conventional and banal.It is not a kids' movie; it's occasionally piquant and playful, a nice French woman at an inn is introduced by her tits. As an adventure flick, it features a tournament and a battle with the pagan invaders, and it ends with the defeat of Mordred.Directed by Wilde, the movie has something sincere and straight and respectable, even a note of originality.

wes-connors In and around the castle Camelot, brave Cornel Wilde (as Lancelot) and virtuous Brian Aherne (as King Arthur) vie for the affections of lovely Jean Wallace (as Guinevere). The emphasis is more on swords than sorcery; and, the fighting is more violent than the production year suggests. Clearly, "Lancelot and Guinevere" was meant as a more realistic, for the times, "Knights of the Round Table" film. And, Mr. Wilde can be seem dismembering opponents. The sexual situations are not as advanced, however...Ironically, the three stars are around 20 years too "advanced", in physiological years, for the parts; it's not too bad, though, as they only look around 10 years too old. They are still very attractive. And, so are two young cast members "introduced" to film goers, Iain Gregory (as Tors) and Michael Meacham (as Modred); they more than hold their own among the veterans. The producer/director/star credits should confirm any vanity production suspicions. It was re-titled "Sword of Lancelot" in the USA. **** Lancelot and Guinevere (6/2/63) Cornel Wilde ~ Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Brian Aherne, Iain Gregory

Tirogesflair {{Contains Spoilers }}'Lancelot and Guinevere' -aka 'The Sword of Lancelot' is a movie that seems to be well out of its time even in 1963. Its acting style, dialogue and costumes (everything used looks at least second or third hand) is more akin to the early 1950s epics (Ivanhoe, King Richard and the Crusades etc) than to say 'El Cid' made only a few years earlier in 1960.Not only is the film set in the Middle Ages - the cast are all pretty middle aged as well - and look it . King Arthur (Brian Aherne) was over 60 when this movie was made , yet even with a fake beard, he still looks at least 50. Perhaps he had too much fun in Camelot with the knights to think about marrying but the arrival of Sir Lancelot and his magic soap may make a difference ! A rather mature looking Lancelot (another ageing bachelor it seems ) scares the other 'dirtier' Knights with his soapy ways and also has a French accent which unfortunately reminds you a bit of Inspector Clouseau. (Shame Peter Sellers wasn't up for the film role). Instead you have the barrel chested Cornell Wilde as the Gallic Knight errand whose new task it to claim Guinevere for King Arthur at a rival's court in a death or glory tournament . Lancelot wins that encounter and escorts Guinevere back to Camelot. However, before they arrive, he suggests that Guinevere has a bath in the local pond where he joins her with her = a tout alors ! - magic soap as apparently supplied by Merlin. One quick scrub down - and it is love at first lathering..It is a shame the film wasn't turned into a comedy - as I was quite taken with the idea of a clean Frenchman showing how the English..(or are they Britons) to bathe ! Unfortunately - and with the cast showing a deadly earnestness in the ridiculous story - the movie ploughs on to more unintentional humour along the way. The Vikings also turn up - those horny helmeted heathens ! - and nephew Mordred gets busy plotting for a more or less familiar ending known to Arthurian myth lovers. Besides the absurd sub Shakespearean style dialogue - bouts of weird laughter and back slapping in Camelot every time someone tells a feeble joke, one the glaring daftest ideas for the film was to cast Wilde's wife Jean Wallace as Guinevere. They look like a married couple to start off with ! - and there is no way even the camera can disguise it but this Guinevere looks pretty old to be the most desirable virgin in the land. Perhaps everyone in this film had a wash down with the magic soap , to believe this casting as feasible or acceptable.The film does get a partial redemption in that more time is spent out on the battlefield fighting against various enemies of King Arthur but overall 'Lancelot and Guinevere' should only be seen by fans of bad films.

bkoganbing Cornel Wilde had an interesting career as stand-by leading man for Tyrone Power at Fox. His biggest role there was in Forever Amber, made when Power was doing another big budget spectacle, Captain from Castile and was unavailable. Wilde should have had a bigger career, but never got the breaks.He and Mrs. Wilde (Jean Wallace who played Guinevere)dusted off the Lancelot and Guinevere story for another go. Wilde supposedly sank a lot of his own money in this film and lost a bundle. This kind of film really needs the full backing of a big studio.MGM did this far better with Knights of the Round Table. Although Robert Taylor was a stoic Lancelot in that film, the overall production values were far better with that product. Wilde dusted off the French accent he perfected in The Greatest Show On Earth and played Lancelot properly as a Frenchman. But Ava Gardner was a Guinevere to die for as opposed to what Mrs. Wilde did with the part.Brian Aherne plays a noble Arthur. But Stanley Baker and Anne Crawford as Mordred and Morgan LeFay were light years better than the two who played the parts here.