[tinkling music]
[triumphant music]
[horses hooves galloping]
[triumphant music]
[triumphant music continues]
[triumphant music continues]
[music ends]
[bugle resounds]
- Gentlemen, as you know, the
sudden and unexpected death
of Sir Marco has caused a
vacancy at the Round Table.
Now, we've had vacancies before,
and we've always been
able to fill them promptly
because there's always
been an obvious choice.
Some knight or squire of
proven chivalry and courage
known to us all as worthy
to join our company.
Today there is no obvious choice,
and so it becomes our duty
to find a man worthy enough
to sit in Sir Marco's place.
Merlin.
- The candidates will
assemble here in Camelot
on St. Crispin's Day next.
A series of tests will be
held to choose our man,
tests of courage, strength,
speed, skill and ingenuity.
- And all the arrangements will be made
by my seneschal, Sir Kay.
- My liege.
Heralds will carry the proclamation
to every corner of the realm.
[bugle resounds]
- This letter is to be handed
personally to King Arthur
the moment you return to Camelot.
- But Sir Kay receives
all replies, m'lady.
- Announce that it comes
from the king's sister, Morgana le Fay.
- I understand, m'lady.
- You sent for me, Mother?
- Ah Rupert, where have you been?
- I've been practicing some
new tactics with Sir Julian.
- [Morgana] Good.
You may go.
- M'lady.
- Who was that?
- A herald from your uncle, King Arthur.
- What, from Uncle Arthur?
But I thought-
- Be quiet and listen.
There is a vacancy at the Round Table.
You must fill it.
- Me, but do you think I'd be good enough?
- Well, for years I've had you trained
in all the knightly skills.
Now at last the moment
I've waited for has come.
- What moment, Mother?
- The moment for me to return to Camelot.
- How can you think of
returning to Camelot?
Do you think Uncle Arthur's forgotten
that you once tried to have him k*lled
or that the period of
banishment was forever?
- Don't worry, Rupert.
Ever since Arthur banished me,
I've been planning for this hour.
With you as a knight at
his ridiculous Round Table,
I shall be received again at court.
And once there I shall find
the means to overthrow Arthur
and seize supreme power myself.
- He is going to have his hands full.
It looks as though every young man
in the country has ambition
to join the Round Table.
- Ambition's not enough.
I've been watching these men at practice.
I'm afraid very few of them are going
to reach the final tests.
- Where do you think you are going?
- I'm a candidate for the knighthood.
- [Sentry] You?
Don't make me laugh.
- The proclamation says the tests are open
to anyone who wishes to enter.
- Well, anyone doesn't mean just anyone.
It means anyone who's been
trained for knighthood,
anyone who can ride and fight
and who can use a lance and a sword.
- I can do all those
things, now let me pass.
- Now move along, we can't
have the castle cluttered up
by every wandering beggar.
- I may be poor, but
there's no disgrace in that.
I demand that you let me pass!
- [Sentry] Oh, making demands now are you?
Now, go on, get out of
here before I set about you
with the flat of my blade.
- That sentry seems to be
having a bit of bother.
- Some young hothead trying
to show off his skill.
Whoever he is, he knows a trick or two.
- Sir Lancelot of the Lake!
- Who are you?
- I'm a candidate for
the Round Table, sir.
My name is Balin.
My father was squire to
Sir Pell until his death.
- It doesn't matter who your father was,
you can't march in here and start a fight
just to show off your skill.
- But I didn't start it, sir,
he tried to throw me out.
- Oh?
Sentry, is this true?
- Well, sir, look at him.
It didn't seem right
that he should be entitled to knighthood.
- It's not for you to say
who can enter and who cannot.
Report to Sir Kay on the practice field
and ask him to enroll you as a candidate.
- Yes, sir, thank you, sir.
- Somewhere among that
group is a future knight
of the Round Table.
- Yes, and I think he'll be a worthy one.
They look very good.
- [Morgana] Not good enough, however.
- [King] Morgana.
- Yes, Arthur.
I brought Rupert to take his place
among the other candidates.
Now you'll see real quality.
- He's grown into a fine
looking young, Morgana.
- I'm glad you are pleased.
May he join the others?
- By all means.
Report to Sir Kay on the field, Rupert.
- [Rupert] Thank You.
- I must go too, Sire.
You'll excuse me.
My lady.
She's arrived.
- It was generous of you to allow us
to return to Camelot, Arthur.
- I have no quarrel with Rupert.
Nothing would please me more
than to see my own nephew
take his place at the Round Table.
- And what of me?
Can't we forget our
foolish misunderstanding?
- No, Morgana, I can't forget
that you once tried to have me k*lled.
I will, however, make this concession.
If Rupert wins the test
and becomes a member
of the Round Table, your
banishment may be lifted.
- And if he doesn't win?
- [King] Then you must
again leave Camelot.
- I see.
- However, from the look of him,
I should say he stands a
very good chance of winning.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I
must return to the castle.
- M'lady.
- Have you had a good look
at Rupert's opposition?
- There is only one who
can begin to match him.
- Which is he?
- The one they call Balin.
[swords clashing]
- The one called Balin has the
look of a winner about him.
- And we must make sure that Balin wins.
Whatever happens, Rupert
mustn't become a knight
of the Round Table
- Because of Morgana?
She'll do her best to
get him disqualified.
- I don't see how she can.
He's already proved himself.
- Yes, but there's more to it
than sword play and wrestling.
A knight of the Round
Table must be without fear,
without reproach.
- What do you mean?
Are you doubtful about his character?
- I'm not, but she's sure to object to him
on the grounds we know nothing about him.
I think it would be
wise to check his story.
- How?
- Well, if he's telling the truth,
they'll know all about
him at Sir Pell's castle.
- Too far, no man could get there and back
before the start of the contest.
- No man could, but fortunately there are
other swifter messengers.
There you are, off you go, my pretty one.
Now, don't stop until you
get to Sir Pell's castle.
Well, I've done my best.
All we can do now is
to wait for the answer.
- Yes, and let's hope it comes
before St. Crispin's Day.
- I've been distracted by this business
of selecting a new knight.
Now I must return to my work.
- Oh, what are you working at now, Merlin?
- Astronomy, I'm charting the position
of the moon and the sun and the stars.
- I see, you're trying to find out
where the stars go in the
daytime and the sun at night, eh?
- Lancelot, I wish you'd take
your little jokes outside.
- Oh, don't get angry,
Merlin, not scientific.
Just you carry on playing with your toys.
Don't worry about me.
- I have a suspicion that you
don't think much of astronomy.
- Well, I suppose it's all right
as long as you've got
nothing better to do.
But I think there are more
important things to concern us.
- [Merlin] Such as what?
- Such as making sure that a
certain young Rupert doesn't
become a knight of the Round Table.
- And yet who knows how
our little lives are ruled
by the sun, the moon, and the stars?
[swords clashing]
[swords clashing]
- Merlin, has the pigeon
come from Sir Pell's?
- Not yet.
- But the contest is about to start!
- Has Morgana objected to Balin?
- No, not yet.
But she's going to get her
opportunity in a moment.
- Sire, I have obeyed your commands.
From all the contestants
who have come forward,
I have chosen these six as the best.
Today is St. Crispin's Day,
the time appointed for the final tests.
Everything is ready.
We await Your Majesty's pleasure.
- The contest shall be judged by myself.
Sir Gareth and Sir Kay will assist me.
The victor will receive the accolade
and take his place as a
knight of the Round Table.
But a knight of the Round Table needs more
than skill and daring.
He must also be a man of perfect chivalry.
A man of stainless character.
So I appeal to everyone here present,
if anything is known against
the character or reputation
of any of these contestants,
let the objection be raised now.
- I have an objection.
[crowd murmurs]
- Oh, for whom do you object?
- To that one there?
- Why do you object to him, Morgana?
What do you know about him?
- Nothing, that's just the point.
No one knows anything about him.
- Sir Kay.
- His name is Balin, Sire.
His father was squire to Sir Pell.
- How do you know?
- Because Balin told me.
- Exactly, you know nothing about him
except what he himself has told you.
I move that the candidate
Balin be disqualified.
[crowd murmurs]
- Balin, step forward.
You've heard what Queen Morgana has said.
Have you anything you wish to add?
- My story is true, my Lord.
But it is equally true
that I know no one here
who can bear witness for me.
- In that case, I'm
afraid I have no choice
but to sustain the objection.
[crowd murmurs]
Unless, unless some knight or member
of my court will come
forward as your sponsor.
Is anyone here prepared to step forward
to sponsor for Balin?
I'm sorry, Balin, you
must leave the field.
[bird's wings fluttering]
- Good!
- Excuse me, Sire, but where is Balin?
- Disqualified, I'm afraid.
Nobody could be found to sponsor him.
- I will sponsor him, my Lord.
- Careful, Lancelot, you
know nothing of this man.
- But I do, Sire.
I've just had word that he's
everything he claims to be.
- You're too late, Sir
Lancelot, he's already gone.
- Has he left the castle yet?
- Yes.
- Sire, there must be some mistake.
I found this young man leaving the castle.
He tells me that he has been disqualified.
- He has.
And it's too late for
him to be taken back now.
- No, no, no, Morgana.
There's no reason why Balin
should not be reinstated,
if Lancelot is really
prepared to sponsor him.
- I am, Sire.
- Thank you, sir.
- Very well, Sir Kay, Balin
shall join the others.
And let the contest begin.
[swords clashing]
[audience applauds]
[swords clashing]
- Rupert isn't doing too badly either.
[swords clashing]
[audience applauds]
- Well done, Rupert!
He's a good swordsman, that boy.
- Blood will tell, Arthur.
- Well, Sire, that
finishes the sword play.
Now with your permission, the wrestling.
Will you give the signal?
[audience applauds]
[contestant grunts]
[audience applauds]
- [Referee] Enough!
[audience applauds]
[audience applauds]
- Enough!
[audience applauds]
- Come on, Balin, come on!
- Run, boy, run!
[audience applauds]
- They came in together, my Lord.
[audience applauds]
- Was a near thing, eh?
- These three were victorious in the tests
of strength, speed, and skill.
And these three alone will
pass into the next test,
the spear hurling.
[audience applauds lightly]
[audience applauds]
[audience applauds]
- Oh, wonderful, wonderful, well done!
- Exactly equal, my Lord.
- Now what do we do?
As far as I can see, there's
nothing to choose between them.
- I don't know, I've never
met such a situation before.
- Well, Sir Kay?
- This is quite unprecedented, Sire.
- Arthur, I have a suggestion to make.
- Yes?
- Let there be a real fight.
- A real fight?
Well, what do you mean by that?
- Well, so far you've tried
their strength and skill
and speed, but there's been
no true test of courage.
Now let them fight with
real sharpened swords,
to the death if necessary.
- And so be it.
The two contestants will
meet in one hour's time
in single combat and fight
till one of them shall yield.
- You're not nervous, are you?
- No, but I still don't see
why you want a fight to the death.
- [Morgana] Because I want
to be absolutely certain
that you win.
- [Rupert] Well, how can you be?
- By seeing to it that Balin loses.
This mirror will do what you've
been unable to do yourself.
Sir Julian will flash the
light in Balin's eyes.
When he's temporarily
blinded, you will slay him.
Sir Julian, you've been in my service
because you've never been
defeated in single combat.
See to it my son is equally victorious.
- I will, my Lady.
- Now go and get ready and
get on your chain armor.
- Well, the duel may begin
when you are ready, Sir Kay.
- [Merlin] Wait, wait!
- What is it, Merlin?
- Delay this duel for
a quarter of an hour.
- Why do you ask that?
- The stars demand it.
- What stars?
What are you talking about?
- The sun and the moon
must be in conjunction
for a contest as vital as this.
- I haven't the slightest idea
what any of this means, Merlin.
But if it'll keep you content and quiet,
we'll delay for a quarter of an hour.
- What are you up to, Merlin?
Why do you ask for a postponement?
- Who knows how our little lives are ruled
by the sun, the moon and the stars?
- [Sir Kay] Fight!
[swords clashing]
[dramatic music]
[swords clashing]
[dramatic music]
- There's something
wrong with him, Merlin.
He can't see!
- That's because Sir
Julian is using a mirror
to flash sunlight into his eyes.
- What?!
- Don't upset yourself, dear boy.
I've taken steps to see
that their nasty little trick is spoiled.
- What are you talking about?
[dramatic music]
- Yield!
- Never!
- Look.
[swords clashing]
[crowd gasps]
- What is it, my Lord, what's happening?
- I wish I knew.
- I don't like it, it must
be the end of the world.
It's terrifying!
- Why don't you leave
them alone, Sir Julian?
- Well, this will teach
you not to interfere
in other people's business.
[swords clashing]
[swords clashing]
[Julian cries out]
[swords clashing]
- Spare me!
- You lose, Morgana, your
banishment continues.
- Well done!
[audience applauds]
- Rise, Sir Balin, and take your place
as a knight of the Round Table.
Well, done.
- Thank you, Sire.
- Lancelot.
Tell me, what do you think of my eclipse?
- Eclipse?
- Yes, the moon passing
between the earth and the sun.
- If that's astronomy, oh master,
I can only say it's-
- A miracle.
[dramatic music]
[upbeat music]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen while I sing ♪
♪ Of days of old in England ♪
♪ When Arthur was the king ♪
♪ In days of old, when knights were bold ♪
♪ The story's told of Lancelot ♪