[gentle music]
[triumphant music]
- Now this is my kingdom, Mercia.
Here is the bridge and this
is your village, Pontifax.
Now listen, Caradoc, you are quite certain
that nobody in Pontifax suspects
that you've been in communication with me.
- King Marhaus, I was most careful.
- Good.
Now this is my plan.
This afternoon I shall set
out on a hunting expedition
with a troop of my knights.
By some strange coincidence,
I shall pitch my camp
a mile from the bridge here.
- And my task, sire?
- You understand that I wanted to appear
that the villagers have
violated the treaty.
This will give me an
excuse to annex the bridge.
- I do, sire.
- One of the provisions of the treaty
is that the bridge always remain open.
Now, tomorrow morning, two of my knights
will attempt to cross the bridge.
They will find it blocked.
- But exactly what plan had you in mind?
- How you barricade the bridge
is entirely your own affair.
But see that nothing goes wrong.
- Oh, nothing will go wrong, sire.
But may I offer one word of caution?
Take no more knights with
you than are necessary.
Otherwise, my fellow villagers
may become suspicious.
- I shall do better than that.
Send for the Lady Angela.
I shall take my sister with me.
Now, what could be more innocent
than a brother and a sister
on an outing together?
You may go.
Let's make sure she doesn't see you.
Ah, not that way.
Through there.
- You sent for me, Marhaus.
- Yes, my dear.
I thought you might like
a change for a few days.
So I've arranged for an outing.
- An outing, how lovely.
What shall we do?
- Do, we shall enjoy the peace
and quiet of the countryside.
Come, let us prepare ourselves.
[tense music]
- Can't you move any faster than that?
- Why don't you help
instead of standing
around shouting at others?
- You've blocked the bridge.
Now you clear it and quick.
- That is not the truth.
No one in Pontifax is
responsible for that.
- Then who is?
- I don't know.
It happened in the night
and I can only assume that
some enemy must be responsible.
- [Grint] It's your duty to keep
the bridge open, isn't it?
- It is.
- That's why you are a
free village, isn't it?
- It is.
- Then do your duty and keep it open
or you won't be free much longer.
King Marhaus will see to that.
Come on, move.
- I'll teach you how to work.
Come on, come on.
[tense music]
- Stop, leave him alone.
- Hold your tongue, boy.
It'll be your turn.
- Can't you see he's half crippled?
Why don't you pick on
someone your own size?
[tense music]
- You've insulted a night of
King Marhaus' personal retinue.
Do you know what that means?
He's yours, Sir Eustace.
[boy screaming]
- Stop!
Shame on you, Sir Eustace,
and you, Sir Grint.
Is this your chivalry,
to two of you against one defenseless boy?
- Your pardon, my lady.
He was insolent.
He deserved punishment.
- Oh, what did he do?
- He used abusive language to Sir Eustace.
- Is this true, boy?
- Yes, my lady, but only
because he was b*ating
a poor, old, crippled man.
- I was directly carrying
out King Marhaus' orders,
namely, to get the bridge
cleared as quickly as possible.
- That's correct, my dear.
Those were my orders.
- To clear the bridge, yes.
But to bully the old and the lame?
- Of course not, Angela.
You know me better than that.
Sir Eustace, you have
exceeded your authority.
Let the boy go.
- Thank you, sir.
Thank you, my lady.
[gentle music]
[bright music]
- But before you continue, Brian,
would you mind explaining
how you happened to be
at Pontifax Bridge?
- I was traveling, sire.
- Traveling?
- Yes, sire.
It was a test.
Sir Lancelot said I had to learn to forage
and make my own way.
- Mm, yes.
I see.
And then you say you saw
one of King Marhaus' knights
b*at one of the villagers.
- Yes, sire.
They were angry about the barricade.
- Fetch Sir Lancelot, boy.
- My Lord Arthur, we came
down here to select wines.
What would people think if they knew
you conducted affairs
of state in the pantry?
- Well, they would probably bless me
for being such a regular fellow.
[door knocking]
Come in.
- My lord, my lady.
Forgive my interruption, my lord,
but have you heard Brian's story?
- [Arthur] I have.
It all seems perfectly clear.
- Lancelot, what worries you
about this bridge affair?
- The sanctity of an old treaty, my lady.
By it Pontifax was created a free village
belonging to no king and to no lord.
- The villagers of Pontifax carry no arms,
owe no service and pay no dues.
Their freedom is guaranteed by all kings
so long as they maintain the bridge
and keep it open to all travelers.
- I know the reason for that.
No king would trust any other
king to control the bridge.
But why is it so important?
- Because the River Pell
is not easily forded.
This bridge is the only
means of crossing it
for a stretch of 50 miles.
And so I think perhaps you better go
and make a discreet investigation.
- Yes, my lord.
- Sir Lancelot, I understand King Marhaus
has pitched his camp
not far from the bridge.
- Yes, Brian was told
that the king is there
with a few knights from
his personal retinue.
- Is that all?
Are you sure his sister
Angela is not with him?
- Angela?
Yes, I believe she's there, too.
- My Lord, I've been meaning
to send an invitation
to the princess Angela to
visit us here at Camelot.
When Lancelot goes to Pontifax,
he can do us both a service.
- Well, I-
- Thank you, my lady.
I'll go it once.
I'll keep you informed
of the situation at the bridge, my Lord.
- And be sure to keep me informed
of the situation with
regard to the Lady Angela.
[Arthur laughing]
- Well, what excuses have you
come to offer me this time?
- No excuse, my Lord.
Except that opportunity
hasn't presented itself yet.
- A resourceful man does
not seek for opportunities.
He creates his own.
- Yes, my lord.
Just what I intend to do tonight.
We take the watch on the
bridge in turns, two at a time.
Tonight I shall be one of them.
- Ah, that sounds more promising.
The barricade was not a bad idea,
but in itself it's not quite
the pretext that I need.
- After tonight, these
fools will be so frightened.
They'll give you the bridge.
- And no one will suspect you.
That is most important.
- Me, honest Caradoc, a
member of the village council.
- Honest Caradoc.
- Thank you, my lord.
- And see that you earn it.
You'll know what you have to
do next after tonight's affair.
- Yes, my Lord.
It's all arranged.
- Gently, Caradoc, Gently.
[menacing music]
- Look!
[frightening music]
The bridge is cursed,
the bridge is cursed!
[gentle music]
- Marhaus, have you
heard about the bridge?
- Angela, my dear, how delightful.
You've come to break your fast with me.
- No, thank you.
The bridge was put onto
some kind of pagan curse
during the night.
- Yes, I know it's a nasty situation.
I'm taking steps to deal with it.
- What steps?
- Sending Grint with a troop of knights.
- Marhaus, don't send Sir Grint.
- [Marhaus] Why not?
- It's an expl*sive situation,
and you know what he is.
There may be bloodshed.
- I should have thought of
that in the first place.
I must do something.
- Let me go.
- You?
- As your ambassador.
The villagers know me and trust me.
I can get to the bottom of this
peacefully and quietly if anyone can.
- Stand aside there, stand back please.
I wanna cross bridge.
- Ah, maybe to open up
when you gets there.
- Why not?
Pontifax Bridge is always open, isn't it?
- Ah, but this morning 'tis only open
to they that's in legal of the devil.
You'll see for yourself.
[frightening music]
Saints preserve me!
The bridge is cursed.
- This is not man's work.
Some evil spirit done this.
The bridge is cursed and we are all
in mortal danger as long as it stands.
Destroy the bridge!
[crowd murmuring]
- Stop!
Don't you know that King Marhaus
is camped less than two miles away?
If you destroy one stone, you
will have broken the treaty.
My brother will move in and take over,
tolls, bridge, village, everything.
And he will be right to do it.
If you cannot keep the
bridge open, someone must.
- A black cock is the symbol of evil.
The bridge is cursed and
we dare not use it again.
This is the work of the devil!
- There is no magic in that toy gibbet.
Some enemy put it there to frighten you.
Some human enemy.
See, I will prove it to you.
[crowd gasping]
You see?
- Well done, Lady Angela.
- Sir Lancelot.
[gentle music]
- That was a brave act.
Many people sneer at superstition.
You have the courage to defy it openly.
- It is only a question of faith.
My faith is in these villagers.
But what are you doing in Pontifax?
- I might ask you the same question.
- I'm here as ambassador for King Marhaus.
- And I for King Arthur,
but I think our interests are the same,
to get to the bottom of this mystery.
- I hope so.
- Shall we work together?
- Yes.
- And that is all you know.
- Ah-huh, that's all, sir.
- [Witness] When I was going home,
I passed the bridge as usual.
- Brian.
- Yes, sir.
- Outside, keep your eyes and ears open.
If you see any of the
villages acting suspiciously,
come in and let me know at once.
- Yes sir, I will.
- [Witness] I went straight
to the friar and told him.
- You have any questions, Lady Angela?
- No.
- Thank you, you may go.
- Ah, Sir Lancelot, any success?
- I'm afraid not, Father.
We've questioned the whole village
and all the travelers
who came here last night.
We're none the wiser.
- Any news from the bridge, Father?
- I threw that evil infantile
symbol into the river
and said a prayer of
exorcism over the bridge.
I think I've calmed the
affairs with the time being,
but who could have done such a thing?
- It seems it's one of those mysteries
that will never be cleared up.
Don't you agree?
- [Lancelot] Yes, maybe.
- [Angela] Well, that is what I shall tell
my brother in any case.
[tense music]
- Well, Caradoc, what now?
- I thought you ought to know, sire,
that Lancelot of the Round
Table is in Pontifax.
- Lancelot!
And I can afford to wait no longer.
Listen, in the forest, a
league to the west from here,
you'll find a shepherd's hut.
I've had it specially prepared.
You'll detain the Lady
Angela and take her there.
Make her think that the villages
are holding her as hostage.
You understand?
But Caradoc, my sister
must come to no harm.
Do you understand?
- I do, sire.
- Good, then see it done.
Grint!
- Sire.
- Take two knights to
the shepherd's cottage.
Make sure that the Lady
Angela does not observe you.
But see that no ill befalls her.
And Grint, I understand that
Sir Lancelot is in Pontifax.
If by any chance he should
cross into our territory.
- He'll be taken care of, my liege.
[ominous music]
- Ah, so you're going back.
- I must before my brother
does something rash.
- Then I shall escort you.
- Thank you.
- Angela, I didn't mention this just now,
but has it occurred to you
that this might be the
work of a village traitor
in the pay of a hostile king?
- That was my brother's suggestion.
Some king seeking an
excuse to annex the area.
- If that's true, Angela,
what king more likely
than Marhaus himself?
- Impossible.
- His knights were at the barricade.
- How dare you suggest such a thing?
- Angela, I know how you
feel about your brother,
but you must admit he's a
man of overwhelming ambition.
- What is wrong with that?
- Nothing, unless-
- I know my brother.
You don't.
Goodbye, Sir Lancelot.
And please don't follow me.
- I can hardly escort you
if I don't follow you.
- I've changed my mind.
I shall go alone.
- Oh, Marhaus!
[gentle music]
- Come down, come down!
[tense music]
[ominous music]
- And then he took her into the hut.
- But this is incredible,
quite incredible.
- How far away is this hut?
- Two miles, maybe more.
- But are you certain it was Caradoc?
- Quite sure!
- This doesn't make sense.
- Would it make any more sense
if you knew he was in Marhaus' pay?
- None at all.
Why should Marhaus arrange
to kidnap his own sister?
- For the same reason
that he sent his knights
to barricade the bridge,
for the same reason that he bribed Caradoc
to put up that witchcraft symbol.
So that he could accuse your
villages of provocation.
He wanted an excuse to break that treaty
and now he's got it.
Brian, you know what to do.
- Yes, sir.
- You've got very little
time, so you better hurry.
Good luck!
- What does he mean?
Where's he going?
- He's going to rescue the Lady Angela.
He's always doing that.
- But what did he mean
by you know what to do?
- We have to get ready for
an att*ck on the bridge
by King Marhaus.
- But how?
- If you'll help me gather the
men of the village together,
we'll build another barricade.
Only this time, Marhaus' knights
will really be surprised.
- There's a knight coming this way.
- Did he see you?
- I don't think so.
- We better be ready, just in case.
Owen, the shields.
[tense music]
- Head him off round the back.
[thrilling music]
- Angela, are you all right?
- Oh, I should have accepted
your offer of an escort.
- Anyone can make a mistake, Angela.
- I heard the whole story from Caradoc.
The village is behind this.
- No, Angela!
Caradoc lied.
Do you really think the villagers
would imprison you this side
of the Mercian frontier?
Caradoc was just following
your brother's orders.
- You seem to be obsessed
with the hatred of my brother.
- Oh, Angela, why are you so blind?
Look around you!
Does this look like the sort of jail
the villagers would've fitted out for you?
It's more like a room in your own palace.
- Well, what does that prove?
Do you think Marhaus would
imprison me, even in my own room?
- Yes, if it suited his purpose.
- What are you doing?
- I'm taking you to the one
man who can open your eyes,
your own brother.
- And Sir Lancelot, you are
sure he suspects nothing?
- Quite sure, my Lord.
When I left Pontifax,
he was still scratching his
head over an unsolved mystery.
- Good.
[tense music]
- No, Lancelot, I should go alone.
- And the princess Angela,
you are sure she has everything
she needs in that cottage
until I release her this evening.
- Everything my Lord.
I saw to it personally.
- If I thought you'd hurt her
or cause her the slightest discomfort.
- I assure you, my Lord.
- All right, now be gone.
By this evening, the bridge will be mine.
I will have avenged the princess Angela.
- That won't be necessary.
- Angela!
My dear, thank heavens you've escaped.
- No, Marhaus, I have not escaped.
- But I don't understand!
The villagers, they were
holding you as hostage!
- Don't.
I heard what you said to Caradoc.
- [Piers] Ready and waiting, me Lord.
- Coming, Sir Piers.
- Marhaus, I beg of you, don't do it,
don't ride against Pontifax.
- I'm sorry, my dear, but it's too late.
Not even you can stop me now.
Angela, look, try to see
it from my point of view.
I'm a king, remember,
as well as a brother.
- No, don't touch me.
Don't come near me.
[somber music]
- Angela.
[Angela softly crying]
[gentle music]
- Angela, if you are ready, we'll go.
- Lancelot!
- I came back because I'd
forgotten to give you a message
from Queen Guinevere.
- I'm not very good at apologies.
- There's no time for that now.
Afraid you'll have to
share my horse again.
- Where are we going?
- To Pontifax Bridge.
- But my brother is on his way there
with a few of his knights.
- I know.
- But you can't fight
them all single-handed!
- Are you arguing again?
- But Lancelot!
- We're going to Pontifax Bridge.
[tense music]
- Now!
[villagers shouting]
- Men of Pontifax, I'm a merciful man.
Surrender the bridge, the
village and yourselves,
and your lives will be spared.
If not.
[combatants shouting]
This is your last chance.
Rocks and stones are no
match for sword and armor.
Well?
Forward!
[combatants shouting]
- In the name of King
Arthur and the Round Table,
King Marhaus, this is a breach of treaty.
Withdraw your men to your own frontier
or take the consequences.
- Sir Piers, deal with the intruder.
Sir Norbert, as*ault the village!
[combatants shouting]
[thrilling music]
- Spare me!
I hereby renounce all claims to Pontifax
and to its bridge.
Well, Lancelot, does that satisfy you?
Come Angela, my dear, let's go.
- I am not going with you, Marhaus.
- What?
- At the invitation of Queen Guinevere,
I'm going to Camelot.
When you are ready, Sir Lancelot.
[gentle music]
- God speed, Sir Lancelot.
- Good luck, Sir Lancelot.
[triumphant music]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen while I sing ♪
♪ Of days of olden England ♪
♪ When Arthur was the king ♪
♪ In days of old when knights were bold ♪
♪ The story's old of Lancelot ♪
[gentle music]