A Knight's Tale
Time Out says
The right to compete at jousting in the 14th century comes only by noble birth, but William (Ledger), a thatcher's son determined to realise a childhood dream of knighthood, reinvents himself as Ulric von Liechtenstein of Gelderland. He's soon travelling with a crowd of supporters and winning tournaments across Europe, to the chagrin of his rival Count Adhemar (Sewell). And though he displays little interest in the beautiful Lady Jocelyn - a regular spectator at tournaments and desperately coveted by Adhemar - she soon wins him over, so that he's fighting for her too. Whipping along at speed, with elaborate camera movements and rousing speeches, this knows how to engage a crowd. It's corny, of course, but a guilty pleasure: romantic, diverting, with mildly amusing modern gags. A medieval dance morphs into something funkier, a scrabbling crowd reaches for a flying helmet as if it were a Wimbledon ball, a shield momentarily displays a Nike sign, and crowds chant in French bars before a Paris tournament. But the film is also let down by soppy childhood flashbacks and a mostly gruesome rock soundtrack.
Details
Release details
Duration:
132 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
Brian Helgeland
Screenwriter:
Brian Helgeland
Cast:
Heath Ledger
Mark Addy
Rufus Sewell
Paul Bettany
Shannyn Sossamon
Alan Tudyk
Laura Fraser
Christopher Cazenove
Bérénice Bejo
James Purefoy
Mark Addy
Rufus Sewell
Paul Bettany
Shannyn Sossamon
Alan Tudyk
Laura Fraser
Christopher Cazenove
Bérénice Bejo
James Purefoy