One of my favorite movies of all-time is A Knight’s Tale.
A Knight’s Tale is a 2001 medieval adventure comedy-drama movie produced, directed and written by Brian Helgeland. A Knight’s Tale stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer, and James Purefoy as Sir Thomas Colville/Edward, the Black Prince.
The film takes its title from Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale” in his Canterbury Tales
A Knight’s Tale is told in an anachronistic style with many modern references including a tip of the hat to musician David Bowie and Nike.
At a jousting tournament in 14th-century Europe, squires William Thatcher, Roland, and Wat discover that their master, Sir Ector, has died. If he had completed just one final pass he would have won the tournament. Destitute, William decides to wear Ector’s armor and impersonate him, winning the tournament and taking the prize.
Problem is only nobles are allowed in tournaments, but William is now inspired to compete and win more prizes. Roland and Wat would rather take their share of the winnings and leave, but William convinces them to stay and train him to joust. While traveling to their first tournament in Rouen, the trio encounters Geoffrey Chaucer, who is also destitute and agrees to forge the papers of nobility that will allow William to enter under the assumed name of “Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein” from Gelderland.
During one of his competitions, William’s armor is damaged. He convinces Kate, a female blacksmith, to repair it. This includes one of the favorite scenes where Kate puts her logo on the armor. Perhaps the first instance of branding?
In the joust, William faces Sir Thomas Colville, who withdraws from the tournament due to being injured by William, though they exchange a ceremonial pass so that Colville can retain the honor of never having failed to complete a match. These proceedings are observed by Jocelyn, a noblewoman with whom William has become infatuated, and Count Adhemar, a rival both in the joust and for Jocelyn’s heart. In the final joust of the tournament, Adhemar defeats William.
In the following tournament, Adhemar and William are both assigned to tilt (not actually compete) against Sir Thomas Colville, but they learn that he is actually Edward, the Black Prince. Adhemar withdraws, but William continues the match and then addresses the prince by name, further earning Edward’s respect.
Adhemar is called away to the battlefield, and William achieves several victories in his absence. William proves his love for Jocelyn by complying with her numerous demands such as when she first asks him to deliberately lose (in direct contrast to the countless knights who promise to win in her name), and then, just before he would be eliminated, to actually win the tournament in her name after all.
The group next travels to London for the World Championship. William recalls leaving his father to squire for Sir Ector and learn to become a knight hoping to “change his stars”. Adhemar has also arrived in London and announces that he is in negotiations with Jocelyn’s father for her hand in marriage. William dominates at the tournament and, in one of the more touching moments in the movie, returns to visit his father, now blind and living alone in Cheapside. During the reunion, the relationship is discovered by Adhemar, who alerts the authorities to William’s false identity.
William is placed in the pillory, but is defended from the hostile crowd by his friends. Just as the mob reaches a frenzy, Prince Edward emerges from the crowd, noting that his friends’ dedication to him reflects an ability to inspire others that is in the best traditions of knighthood. “Your men love you. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough.” In acknowledgement of William’s honor, Edward announces that, William is in fact, “beyond contestation”, descended from a noble lineage, and knights him “Sir William”.
William returns to the tournament to face Adhemar in the final match, but Adhemar cheats with an illegal sharpened lance, piercing William’s shoulder and seriously injuring him. Entering the final pass, William is losing by two lances and must unhorse Adhemar to win. He demands to be stripped of his armor while Chaucer buys time by performing the introduction of William that he omitted earlier. These introductions are some of my favorite parts of the film. There are a couple extra ones that ended up on the cutting room floor so be sure to buy a copy of the DVD
The Three Wise Monkeys?
“Good people, I missed my introduction. But please… Please I pray you, hear it now, for I would lay rest the grace in my tongue and speak plainly. Days like these are far too rare to cheapen with heavy handed words, and so, I’m afraid without any ado whatsoever… Excuse me My Lord… Here he is, one of your own, born a stone’s throw from this very stadium, and here before you now, the son of John Thatcher… Sir Wiiiiiilliam Thatcheeer.”
I wont give away the ending. You will have to buy a copy of the DVD
I will say in the end, Chaucer remarks that he should write this whole story down.
I am glad he did as I have seen A Knight’s Tale at least a dozen times and every time I do, I can’t help but smile.
Have you seen A Knight’s Tale yet? Which is your favorite character? Click here to leave a comment and share your opinion and experience. Would love to hear from you.
please share it with your friends using the Shareaholic buttons below.