Attempting a "historical" King Arthur in the movies (2004)

Here's a movie I remember being excited about when it was announced (King Arthur on the big screen? yay! Digging into possible historical basis? cool!), and then being a bit puzzled with it when it came out. Not quite convinced by it as "King Arthur", but having enjoyed it as a film nonetheless, in great part thanks to its excellent actors (who sadly had to work with some clunky dialogue at times *shudder*).

* Sidebar: next time someone wants a "historical" King Arthur... just go straight to the excellent "The Warlord Chronicles" by Bernard Cornwell and adapt those! *

Diving into it now, because I was looking for something to pop into the dvd player that I hadn't seen in ages, and felt in the mood for some swordplay and horseback riding. 😉

So let's take a closer look at King Arthur (2004; note: "Director's Edition", and I don't remember enough of the cinematic to point out the differences), directed by Antoine Fuqua, screenplay by David Franzoni and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (which explains quite a bit... *sigh*) and starring Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd and Keira Knightley (in her first post-Pirates movie I believe; curiously before this she'd done a Robin Hood movie for Disney called Princess of Thieves which I guess I'll have to watch at some point for this blog!).

Need I say it? SPOILER ALERT for a 2004 movie!

Who is this King Arthur?

Artorius (Arthur) Castus. A half-Roman / half-British (mother) commander of the troops guarding Hadrian's Wall (like his father before him), leader of a unit of Sarmatian knights who serve Rome fro 15 years. A name apparently already well-known throughout the island (Guinevere tells him "My father told me great tales of you (...) Fairy tales. The kind you hear about people so brave, so selfless, that they can't be real. Arthur and his knights. A leader both Briton and Roman."). He's a devout Christian, a student of Pelagius (who is now deemed a heretic by Rome) who believes men have free will and thus are free to choose their own destiny/fate. When he learns that Pelagius is dead and his teachings of equality among men are deemed heretical by Rome, his faith in Rome is shaken (Alecto "the Rome you believe in does not exist except in your dreams").

Clive Owen does an excellent job of bringing to life a man who is dedicated to his cause (Rome, his men), tired of waging battle and longing for a peaceful life in Rome, who slowly begins to understand himself better as he is forced to confront certain truths about Rome and faces the prospect of the land he has dedicated his life to protecting simply being abandoned to its fate during the Saxon invasion.

Arthur is very dedicated to his men, feeling responsible for those he has lost in the line of duty and trying his best to ensure those who remain (all 6 of them...) live long enough to gain their release from Rome's service so they can return to the homeland they haven't seen in over 15 years.

Arthur and his knights, charging to the rescue

At his right hand is his close friend Lancelot who is confident enough in their relationship to challenge Arthur (in private) and go head to head with him as equals when he deems it necessary. He argues with him about "his god" and about his idealism and wish to save everyone instead of being a practical military leader. But at the end he is always a loyal friend. 

And although there is a hint of a potential love triangle, it is barely a wisp (thank you!) indicated by some flirtatious remarks and looks between Lancelot and Guinevere, a Woad (Pict) warrior held prisoner by a Roman family and rescued by Arthur and his knights. She's a defender of her people, of the right of those want to live free in their own land ("It's the natural state of any man to want to live free... in their own country. I belong to this land. Where do you belong, Arthur?"). She is curious about both Arthur, and Lancelot and his home. She brings Arthur to Merlin. She finds the words to make Arthur realize Britain is his home, its people his people. Rome is dead, he should fight for his people, defend them against the Saxons (plus she also pretty much seduces him 😉).

What's going on here?

The movie starts out with a title card that clearly shows we're going for "historical realism" here, searching for the man behind the myth:

"Historians agree that the classical 15th century tale of King Arthur and his Knights rose from a real hero who lived a thousand years earlier in a period often called the Dark Ages. Recently discovered archeological evidence sheds light on his true identity."

Ummm... "recently discovered archaeological evidence"?! Okay... Anyhow, to each their own! So the point of this film is to show us who legendary King Arthur and his knights could have been, if we place them in the right historical context (period when Rome left Britain; again for a much better version of this check out The Warlord Chronicles!).

That aside, this story is about Arthur earning the right to be king. According to writer David Franzoni (dvd extras, yay!) "Everyone knows who King Arthur is, but no one really knows where he came from".  ORIGIN STORY!!! For director Antoine Fuqua "He's very human, there's no magic, powers in the man or in the sword. You don't just become a king by wielding a sword, you have to earn it. And this is what the movie is about. Him earning the right to be king."

Ok. But remember this is a Jerry Bruckheimer film (with obligatory epic score by Hans Zimmer)... so you know it's going to be a bit "over the top" in terms of spectacle and maybe not completely historically accurate. Just saying...

So, we're in the domain of Historical Fiction. Britain circa the end of the Roman era. With the Pax Romana threatened by the warrior Picts (Woads here) to the north of Hadrian's Wall (built to keep them out of Romain Britain, so current Scotland) and about to be invaded by the Saxon hoards. Arthur is a Roman commander (not sure of his actual rank). Arthur's knights are reimagined as auxiliary Roman cavalry troops originally from Sarmatia... nomadic tribes from the Eurasian steppes who after a severe defeat by Roman troops in the East agreed for each generation to send their boys for 15 years of service in Rome's army (at Hadrian's Wall coincidentally). At this point in the film they're ready to leave the Roman empire and their service behind, and return to their homeland (and Arthur to retirement in Rome). Merlin is a Woad (i.e. Pict) leader who sends his painted warriors to attack Roman Britain, and Guinevere is a kick-ass Woad warrior who can take care of herself (but still needs rescuing).

Drinking to fallen comrades around a Round Table clearly intended for a larger contingent.

Our antagonists are pretty much anyone who isn't Arthur or his knights! First it's Merlin's Woads, then it's clearly Roman Bishop Germanus who comes to Britain at the behest of Rome and the Pope (this movie makes it sound like the Pope was in charge of Rome at this point in History, NOT!).  He brings with him the Sarmatian's discharge papers (15 years are up guys!), but will only grant them after a final mission north of the Wall to rescue a Roman family so they can return to Rome (including the Pope's favored godson). He looks down on the barbarian heathen Knights because they have not converted to Christianity, and although originally a "friend" of Arthur's father, is also wary of Arthur because he follows the teachings of the deceased heretic Pelagius and has dangerous thoughts of equality among men (as shown by his round table where no man sits above another). FINALLY the real enemy is revealed: the Saxons. Cerdic and his son Cynric and their troops who have landed north of the Wall (bad planning that, when England has such an extensive coast to the South and peaceful lands ripe for plunder...).

Legendary Characters

Freaky Merlin!

Arthur (Castus) - Roman-Briton who (finally) leads the fight against the Saxons
Lancelot - his right-hand man and close friend
Guinevere - Woad warrior (definitely not a "lady") who helps convince Arthur to align with Merlin
Merlin - here the mysterious blue leader of the Woads (do we ever see him out of war paint?). Mystical man, but no magic. Arthur's enemy until the Saxons come and then he figures he's his best chance agains them (enemy of my enemy and all that)
Knights of the Round Table: here Sarmatian cavalry among the Roman auxiliary troops at the Wall. They chose among the most well-known names for them (I'd say just missing Kay really, and in a sea this version of Bors acts a lot like Kay is usually depicted): Lancelot, Tristan, Galahad, Gawaine, Bors, plus one completely out of the blue (so they could invent their own "knight"?) - Dagonet
Saxon antagonists: Cerdic & Cynric

Keeping or Changing the Legend?

• Historical setting: Rome (and its legions) is leaving Britain, vs the usual version set a couple of generations later.
• Round Table, and the idea that all the knights were equal, no one sitting above another.
• Excalibur. Here it appears to be renowned because Arthur wields it and is a powerful well-known warrior. No magic in it except that for Merlin it is another element that connects Arthur to Britain "That sword you carry is made of iron from this earth, forged in the fires of Britain."
• Sword in "stone". Here the stone is replaced by the burial mound of Arthur's (Roman) father, which he rushes to retrieve as a boy to save his mother during a Woad attack. Still implies he's taking up his father's mantle.
• Battle of Badon. The epic defeat of the Saxon hordes by Arthur and his knights which allowed for (some) years of peace in which the kingdom of Camelot would be able to thrive. And here, instead of the traditional location in the south of England, it takes place on a hill overlooking Hadrian's Wall from the south, and were Arthur and his knights (with their allies) make a stand against the Saxon invaders coming from the North. 
• Saxons invading and main antagonists yes. From the north?! The Arthurian legend have most of the battles much further south of the Wall. 

Anachronistic Saxons invading from the wrong direction

Historical Figures

Pelagius - barely seen early on, talking to a young Arthur as his mentor in order to explain his influence on Arthur's "egalitarian" outlook

Bishop Germanus - not a nice guy! "If your men are truly the knights of legend, perhaps some will survive"

Historical Shudders

Okaaaay... Shall we dig into the historical anachronisms? Just off the top of my head while watching the movie (I have neither the time nor the energy to dissect the whole thing):

• That much armor (chain mail on Arthur???)
• Horses' tack (stirrups?!)
• Terms used at times ("knights"?!)
• How on earth is an important Roman family living NORTH of the Wall in outside of Roman territory?! Seriously?!?! 
• Also, Pope's implied power in that era...
• Funny that for "historically accurate", everyone speaks the same language.  (movies, I know)
• Saxons landing from the North instead of invading through the already occupied Saxon shore? in the South?
• Crossbows with armor-piercing arrows?! Swords also seem to be too long for Romans...

For a more complete (and completely hilarious) read of historical shudders in this movie, check out Pop Classics post on this movie !  And IMDB has a good list of anachronisms as well. 😈

Random Thoughts

• The Wall is interesting (1km long, 40ft high). I like that they built a physical set (as opposed to CGI) and based it on measurements of the stones in the real Wall (yay dvd extras!). And most of the sets are apparently historically correct (according to them), using Roman architecture, standards etc.
• OMG that dialogue is VERY clunky! Most of Arthur's speeches... "shudder" ("My brave knights I have failed you, I neither took you off this island, nor shared your fate" or "from this day, all Britons will be united under one common cause")
• It's funny to see/hear Stellan Skarsgard as Cerdic. But Saxons as racial purist?! They just trying to make them more evil? "We don't mix with these people. Weak people. We don't dilute our blood" Yeahhh, I don't think so.
• Not too impressed by Merlin. Or the fact that all of the sudden he's ok with being friends with Arthur after fighting him and killing his men for years... "Rome was my enemy, not Arthur" Uh-huh. 
• Some cool movie moments:
• Introducing Cerdic (love how Skarsgard is so nonchalant!). 
• Merlin deciding not to kill Arthur ("he is our enemy", "so are the Saxons"). 
• When the 7 knights + Guinevere stay behind on frozen lake to cover retreat of villagers and Roman family, and Dag sacrifices himself to break the ice and push back the Saxons. 
• Arthur in full official uniform watching as the Roman legion leaves the Wall and pulls back to Rome (but dude, less makeup!!!).
• When Arthur and Cerdic meet face to face under a flag of truce before the Wall and Cerdic says "Ah finally, a man worth killing". 
• When the knights rejoin Arthur (which we all knew would happen) in full battle regalia to face the Saxons.