[celestial music]
[dramatic orchestral music]
[bright orchestral music]
- And that in effect is the
substance of your father's will.
The kingdom is small, much of
the land lies uncultivated,
and there is a great
deal of work to be done.
- Surely you can take care of this, Kafan.
- The task of putting
an impoverished kingdom
into shape is beyond a man of my years.
- Well, it's certainly
too much for two girls
like Helen and myself, what are we to do?
- There is a simple solution.
As you know, King Balmaine
is deeply enamored of Helen
and wishes to marry her.
- No
- That is unwise, my dear.
This king is rich, he has large estates
and greater resources,
he could manage a kingdom
like this with ease and dispatch.
- I said, No.
- Two girls cannot marry a kingdom,
however small, by themselves.
- I don't intend to, I've
written to Sir Oringle
and told in the news of my father's death.
- [scoffing] Sir Oringle.
- You must know that we intend to marry.
We love each other and always have.
When Oringle arrives from Camelot
we should be married
and then he can assume
responsibility for running the kingdom.
- My lady Helen.
- Yes.
- A courier from the
court of King Balmaine
has brought a message for you.
- Send him in.
- No, no.
Another proposal of marriage,
I'd refuse to listen.
I'm betrothed to Oringle and
I shall marry no other man.
- I will see this courier myself.
[dramatic music]
Are you from King Belmaine?
Then take this message
back to your master.
Tell him the fair Helen
much appreciates his offer of marriage.
It is but one small obstacle,
which I myself will have removed.
Tell the king he may if he wishes
make all preparations for the wedding.
[orchestral music]
- Guard, have you seen Sir Oringle?
- He left a short while ago, sir.
He said it was most urgent.
[Lancelot scoffing]
[stirring music, horse galloping]
- Halt, who are you?
- I'm Sir Oringle of Klessey.
I come from Camelot at
the bidding of Lady Helen.
- Thank you, Sir Knight.
[stirring music intensifying]
[orchestral music]
[dramatic music]
- Oringle will never come.
He's gone off to other lands,
forgotten all about you.
- I can't believe that.
- Because you refuse to face the truth.
Meanwhile, we are angering a great king
who could save this realm,
and remove the yoke of
responsibility from your shoulders.
- Oringle can rule just as
well as Balmaine, we must wait.
- Time is running out, Lady Helen.
If there are any musts,
it is that you must marry King Balmaine.
- I can't, I simply can't.
- I have given him my word,
he arrives here tomorrow.
- How could you, Kafan?
- My dear child, I was your
father's old and trusted friend.
I know what is best for you,
Oringle has not appeared.
And for you to go on
resisting this marriage now
would be sheer caprice,
placing your own interests
above those of your people.
You know that, don't you?
- Helen, do try to rest,
you'll make yourself ill.
- Oringle won't come.
I was a fool to believe him
when he said he would always love me.
- Oh Helen, have you no
faith, of course he loves you.
- Then why doesn't he come?
- I don't know why, I'm sure
there's a very good reason
and I intend to find out.
- How?
- I'll go to Camelot.
I'll beg an audience with King Arthur
and I'll tell him about Oringle
and then the king will dispatch a Knight
and he'll find Oringle, and
our troubles will be over.
Some very brave Knight.
[dramatic music]
- Out of the dawn on this
most dangerous moment
there suddenly appeared
no less than six knights.
- That makes in all, Sir Kay,
- Every one of whom was fully
armed and sworn to k*ll me.
Did you say 22?
The number was 32.
If you insist, Sir Kay, 32 it is.
After all, it is part
of the magic of figures.
- Thank you.
In future, Merlin, you stick to your magic
and leave the fighting to me.
- It's the element of magic
in your fighting, which troubles me.
- Tis not magic Merlin,
but multiplication.
That's his trouble.
- Sir Christopher, do you doubt my word?
- Not your word, Sir Kay, your arithmetic.
- Well, it is possible
that in the heat of battle,
one may lose count.
- And in the story afterwards.
- Very well then, let truth suffer, 22.
- Would you object to 20?
- Oh, come, come, let us say 10.
- Then it's agreed, we settle for five.
[men chuckling]
- King Arthur, Gentlemen.
[majestic music]
[soft music]
- We are called to hear a petition of help
from the lady Bragwaine of Tremilin.
Command her to enter.
[soft music]
Lady Bragwaine, be seated.
As I understand it, you and your sister,
the Lady Helen, are having difficulty
administering the domain
left to you by your father.
- My Lord, one of your Knights,
Sir Oringle is betrothed to my sister.
She sent him urgent word to
come as soon as Father d*ed.
We'd hoped that he would.
- I remember, Sire.
Oringer left here days ago.
- But he never arrived at
Tremilin, and now our guardian,
Kafan is pressing my sister to
marry a man she doesn't love.
- Who is this man?
- The King Belmaine.
- Oh, not a bad match.
- Would you marry someone you didn't love?
- Me?
- Especially, since
Helen is in love already
with Sir Oringle.
- Who seems to be among them the missing.
- Sir Oringle truly loves
Helen and he wouldn't fail
unless something dreadful happened to him.
- Why does Kafan favor this
marriage with Balmaine so much?
- Kafan is an old man, he
thinks only of our future
but he doesn't understand.
Unless we find Sir Oringle,
Kafan is our guardian
and will be able to force
this marriage with the king.
- Perhaps one of us could go
and talk to this Kafan, Sire.
- Oh yes, please.
- Yes, and equally important
is to find Oringle.
The disappearance of a
Knight is most disturbing.
This is a task that calls for a man
of diplomacy and courage.
- What about Sir Kay, Sire?
He's a man of momentous courage.
- His feats of bravery in the past
are absolutely extraordinary.
- Sir Kay, do you feel able
to undertake a mission like this?
- Me, Sire?
- He's so modest.
- But brave as a lion,
why, only a few days ago
he defended himself against 20 opponents.
- 32.
- 5, remember.
- I think it's a very good choice.
Sir Kay, prepare to journey
with this lady back to Tremilin.
And I think just to keep you company,
mind to help sharpen your
sword and polish your armor,
Sir Lancelot, perhaps
had better go along too.
- I'd even sharpen his spurs, Sire.
[men laughing]
[dramatic music, horses galloping]
I'll ride on ahead,
you're too slow, Sir Kay.
- [chuckling] You ride fast, my lady.
- I am eager to return to Helen.
[laughing] Do you have
difficulty in keeping pace?
- I, my lady, [laughing], of course not.
- That's right, you are the sturdy warrior
who takes on 32 opponents all by yourself?
- Well.
- You're one of those famous knights
who are sworn to chivalry.
- That's right.
- Chivalry, that's where
they practice the art
of k*lling according to the
strict rules of knightly honor.
- You don't like fighting, jousts,
tourneys and all that sort of thing?
- I most definitely do not.
- [scoffing] This mission
that we are on now.
- This is different, there's
a real purpose involved.
But the fight for the
mere sake of fighting, oh.
- [clearing throat] May
I call you, Bragwaine?
[horse neighing]
[dramatic music]
- It must be Lancelot
from King Arthur's court.
- [Guard] Does that mean trouble, my Lord?
- It could, we shall see.
- But what's become of Oringle?
That's the point.
- I'm sorry, Sir Lancelot,
but our guardian has convinced me
it is useless to wait
for Oringle any longer.
- For the benefit of her people,
the Lady Helen has wisely
decided to marry King Balmaine.
- Then it is true, Helen?
- But I must, what else can I do?
Our country needs a man to rule it.
Besides Oringle has evidently
forgotten all about me.
- I find that hard to believe.
- I too, but it must be true.
- Otherwise, he would've
been here long ago.
- I shall go make preparations
for receiving King Balmaine.
- But we still haven't
found Oringle and we must.
- But surely not at this very minute.
- Why not?
- Oh, Bragwaine, would
you show me the gardens?
- Fancy, a fighting knight
interested in flowers.
- But, of course.
- Lady Helen, tell me, how do
you feel about this marriage?
- I can't bear the idea of
marrying a man I do not love.
- [Lancelot] Then don't marry him.
- But you heard what Kafan said,
"I can't think only of myself."
Besides if Oringle has forgotten
all about me, I don't care who I marry.
- Oringle is far too honorable a Knight
to have forsaken anybody.
And you are far too fair a
lady to have been forsaken.
Besides, I'm afraid Oringle
has run into trouble.
- What makes you say that?
- This.
Oringle was my friend.
I know this white plume well,
he was never without it.
- Where did you find that?
- Right near this castle.
Oringle was obviously on his
way here when he was stopped.
- Stopped, by one of our own men?
- Possibly.
- But who would want to stop
Oringle from coming here?
- You can answer that question
better than I, my lady.
- I?
- Your guardian, Kafan, for instance.
- [Helen] But Kafan thinks
only of my welfare and my good.
- [Lancelot] Are you so sure?
- What could he gain at the
expense of my happiness?
- He could gain the
gratitude of King Belmaine,
and that gratitude would
be worth a great deal.
- [Helen] Sir Lancelot,
you don't think Oringle has been k*lled?
- I don't know, I don't think so.
I've got a feeling that
Oringle is both alive and here.
- Here, in this castle?
- Yes, or very near it.
Anyway, I intend to find out.
- Sir Lancelot?
- Lady Helen, don't worry,
one Knight of the Round Table
missing is one too many, take heart.
[soft music]
[sinister music]
[dramatic music, sword clanging]
[peaceful music]
[breathing deeply]
- Delicious.
- It was my father's favorite wine.
- Excellent, very good taste.
- I wonder what that old
rouge, Lancelot's up to?
[sinister music]
[keys clanging]
- Guard him well.
- Shall he have food and water?
- Give him water, food costs money.
[departing footsteps]
- It's extraordinary that
you, a fighting knight,
should be so fond of trees
and flowers and birds.
Such gentle things.
- I am a gentle man at heart.
Though I do my share
of fighting of course,
but I also enjoy the
quiet things at night.
- A peace-loving Knight.
[giggling] I can hardly believe it.
- I'm a family man, actually.
- Oh, you have a family?
- Oh no.
- Oh.
- But I would like one.
- Oh.
- Gracious of them all.
- Greatest of them all, Sir Lancelot.
What a joke.
[men laughing]
- Down he came like a broken
branch [laughing heartily].
[sinister music]
- Gimme a kiss, my lovely.
- Let go of me.
- Oh, come on.
- You're stupid, let go of me, I say.
- I've got a bit of news
that will be of interest to your mistress.
- Oh, such as what?
- The kiss first?
- No, the news first.
- Oh, oh, all right, you little minks.
[silently whispering]
[slurring] Now come on, a kiss.
[dramatic music]
Ow!
- My lady, my lady.
[silently whispering]
- My lady, Helen, this
is no place for you.
- Where is he?
- Who, the bandit we took
outside the castle wall?
- He's no bandit, he's Sir Lancelot.
- Of the round table?
- Please open the door, I must see him.
- Oh, master Kafan wouldn't let me do it.
- You have known me since I
was a child, Master Steven.
Would you deny me this?
[keys clanging]
Sir Lancelot, what has happened?
I don't understand, who has done this?
- Your own guards.
- Not following my orders.
- Are you the only one
allowed to give orders here?
- No,
- Bragwaine can and Kafan.
- Ah, Kafan.
- You don't think Kafan --
- Yes, lady Helen, I do.
- But why?
Sir Lancelot, you must trust me.
I don't know what's happened.
- Neither do I, my Lady, but
I'm sure it has something
to do with Oringle's disappearance.
[metal tapping]
- If only I knew whether Oringle
was alive or whether he --
- What's that?
[tapping continuing]
- Some poor retch in the
next cell, I suppose.
[tapping continuing]
- 13, 14, 15, 15?
[tapping continuing]
What's the 15 letter of the alphabet?
- O?
- O.
[tapping continuing]
- R.
- O-R, if the next letter's I.
- Sh!
[tapping continues]
- Nine, I, Oringle.
- I must go to him.
- No, wait.
- I suppose all the
guards are Kafan's men.
- [Lade Helen] Yes.
- If only we could deal with a jailer.
Helen, I've got an idea.
[tapping continuing]
Try and get my hand free.
- Ooh, ah!
[Lancelot breathing heavily]
- Now listen, scream.
- What?
- Scream as if your life was in danger.
- Ah!
- Louder.
- Ah!
- Again.
- Ah!
- That's good, here he comes.
- Must you hold me so tight?
- Yes, it must look real.
- Ah!
- Ah!
- Have no fear, Lady.
- Ah!
[muffled speaking]
[dramatic music]
- The keys, they're on his belt.
[chains clanging]
Oringle, quickly.
- Leave it, leave that [indistinct].
Where's the Lady Helen?
I'll k*ll --
- She's all right!
- Where is she?
- We're on the same side.
- If you get away, it's my head, you know.
- Don't you worry, I've
got an idea, come on.
[chains clanging]
- Oringle!
[soft music]
- It's a sight worth seeing, eh?
- All I can see is a rope around my neck.
- Oh, don't worry, go to Camelot,
ask for my squire, Brian.
He'll see you safe, but go quickly.
- Ha-ha.
- Eh, I'll take the hammer.
Well, Lady Helen, happy?
- [sighing] Oh, yes.
I simply can't understand why
Kafan should do this to you.
- Mm, King Balmaine offered
Kafan a large award of land
provided he persuaded you to marry him.
- Ah.
- I overheard the knights
discussing the bargain
when they brought me here.
- Oh, thank heaven you are safe now.
- Eh, no time for that,
I'm afraid, we must hurry.
Come along now,
[sinister music]
and watch out for Kafan's guards.
[dramatic music]
[footsteps thumping]
[footsteps approaching]
- Who's is it?
We must get horses to the gate.
- I'll go along with you.
- No, stay with Helen, she needs you.
I must find Sir Kay, off you go.
[horses galloping]
- Guard, raise the drawbridge.
[gears squeaking]
They'll never get out now.
[bells dinging]
- The warning bells.
Wake up, Sir Kay, Sir Kay, wake up.
- Paradise, just paradise.
- Sir Kay, wake up, wake up!
- Hmm?
Oh, what's the matter?
- We're att*cked, I think.
- So we have to fight?
- I'm afraid you'll have to.
- Oh.
- So here you are.
- Hello, Lancelot, how goes it?
- It goes very well, thank you.
We found Oringle and he's with Lady Helen.
- Oh, how wonderful.
- Capital, then there's
nothing more for me to do.
- Just one thing.
- What?
- Run for your life.
[frenzied music]
- What?
- Run, I said!
- Kafan has raised the drawbridge.
They'll never get away now.
- If not, I'll ride to Camelot for eight.
- It may be too late, Kafan
must be desperate by now.
[light-hearted music]
- Sir Lancelot, this
is a secret passageway
cut under the river.
My father had it made in case
a drawbridge wouldn't work.
- Good, just what do we want?
- But where's Sir Kay?
- Oh, he'll be along in a
minute, he's a slow old turtle.
- All right, we'll leave the door open
then he'll know where we've gone.
- Right.
[light-hearted music]
[Lancelot huffing]
- Helen.
- Lancelot.
- Bragwaine.
[women giggling]
- Where's Sir Kay?
- I thought he was right behind us.
- He must have lost his way.
[Lancelot exhales deeply]
- What should we do?
- Oh, I suppose I'll
have to go and get him.
[dramatic music]
- Ah!
[water splashing]
- I say, old boy, can you swim?
- That's a bit of bad luck.
- Guard, lower the drawbridge!
[gears squeaking]
[suspenseful music]
- We'll be married at Camelot,
then we returned to Tremilin
and ruled it together.
- Oh, what a battle.
As usual, I was greatly
outnumbered, but drawing me sword
and neither giving nor
asking for any quarter,
I fought my way out of the castle.
- And that's the last fighting
you'll do for a long time.
- Oh, very well, my
dear, whatever you say.
[Bragwaine giggling, Sir Kay groaning]
[dramatic music]
[horses galloping]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen while I sing ♪
♪ Of Days of old in England ♪
♪ When Arthur was the king ♪
♪ Of Merlin the magician
and Guinivere the Queen ♪
♪ And Lancelot the bravest
night the world has ever seen ♪
♪ In days of old when Knights were bold ♪
♪ In stories told of Lancelot ♪
♪ In days of old when Knights were bold ♪
♪ In stories told of Lancelot ♪
[celestial music]