Gawain and the Green Knight (film)
Gawain and the Green Knight is a 1973 film directed by Stephen Weeks, and starring Murray Head as Gawain and Nigel Green in his final theatrical film as the Green Knight. The story is based on the medieval English tale Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and also Yvain, the Knight of the Lion by Cretian de Troyes and the tale of Sir Gareth in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
Gawain and the Green Knight | |
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Directed by | Stephen Weeks |
Produced by | Carlo Ponti |
Written by | Philip M. Breen Stephen Weeks |
Based on | |
Starring | Murray Head Nigel Green Robert Hardy |
Music by | Ron Goodwin |
Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
Edited by | John Shirley |
Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Part of the production was filmed at Beeston or Peckforton Castle in Cheshire.
Weeks remade the film in 1984 as Sword of the Valiant with Miles O'Keefe and Sean Connery as Gawain and the Green Knight, respectively.
Plot
The mysterious Green Knight appears before King Arthur's court in the New Year and demands the head of Sir Gawain as the prize in a bizarre game. Given a year's grace, Gawain sets off in search of the Knight for a rematch.
Cast
- Murray Head as Gawain
- Ciaran Madden as Linet
- Nigel Green as Green Knight
- Anthony Sharp as King
- Robert Hardy as Sir Bertilak
- David Leland as Humphrey
- Murray Melvin as Seneschal
- Tony Steedman as Fortinbras
- Ronald Lacey as Oswald
- Willoughby Goddard as Knight
- George Merritt as Old Knight
- Pauline Letts as Lady of Lyonesse
- Richard Hurndall as Bearded Man
- Peter Copley as Pilgrim
- Geoffrey Bayldon as Wiseman
See also
- List of films based on Arthurian legend