Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This musical adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical play (of the same name) by Alan Jay Lerner, from T.H. White's "The Once and Future King", was directed by Joshua Logan. It earned three Academy Awards – for Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, and Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment – in addition to Oscar nominations for Cinematography and Sound.However, its lead actors: Richard Harris as King Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as Guenevere, Franco Nero as Sir Lancelot, and David Hemmings as Mordred leave something to be desired (acting-wise, but especially singing when) compared to the original production's Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, Roddy McDowall (respectively). Among those also in the film's cast are: Lionel Jeffries as King Pellinore, Laurence Naismith as Merlyn, and Estelle Winwood as Lady Clarinda.The story is a familiar one, as are countless songs (including "If Ever I Would Leave You" and "What Do the Simple Folk Do?"), which help to make the movie run on for nearly 3 hours:Arthur, who as a boy was the only one able to remove the sword (Excalibur) from a stone in which it was 'stuck', a sign that he was the one true King of England, was mentored by Merlyn as he grew into the role. He meets and establishes flirtatious 'relations' with Guenevere, who's desperate for adventure, before he and she realize that their marriage had already been arranged.Arthur's idea for bringing together the various warring provinces of his country involves establishing a coalition of representative knights that would meet in his castle at a round table (so that no one could claim its head, e.g. prime position of power) of equals. France's invincible Lancelot Du Lac hears of the "Knights of the Round Table" and decides that he too must serve Arthur. But the religious and somewhat arrogant about both his ability and purity Lancelot is destined to fall in love with Guenevere.When Arthur realizes this, and subsequently suspects that his queen is having an affair with his "right hand", he decides not to publicly acknowledge it – "there's no proof" (e.g. for a court of law, an instrument that the forward-thinking King himself first devised) – for what he thinks is an honorable reason (to save his kingdom). Instead of having them arrested burned at the stake, he banishes anyone (including his knights) that claims there is an affair. Of course, this erodes the nobleness of the kingdom, and its end is just a matter of time ... especially when the King's own illegitimate son Mordred returns to England and spins his treachery.

Sadly, all the studios were on the brink of failure and death and dying was in the air when this was made. Julie Andrews was too old and Richard Burton in the midst of his boozing and Lizzing. Kennedy sadly had died and along with him all that was the dream of anything called 'Camelot'. In theory, Camelot is more an idea/dream than anything reality could conjure. Unfortunately this film wavers between taking itself too seriously and trying on some level to procure fantasy. I once read it was really the showcase/product of the costumer who was a nobody with few credits shoved ahead of time into the film by his wealthy boyfriend. The costumes do convey that of an overexcited queen (not the regal/born into type). In the end, the costumes are the true stars of this 'Camelot'. Harris looks 'so over this' while Redgrave evokes someone resting on her previous laurels and family name only there to collect a paycheck. Nero as all Italian men is about Nero (in other words, "How can I look more ravishing than the women in this thing?"). The men behind the scenes were all too long in the tooth and very tired by the time this was coming into fruition. Shame. More could've been made of it. Everyone was gaga over Redgrave at the time (I am old enough to recall) and I really never saw the attraction. She's always lacked true sincerity and believability as a real human being, I think. It's only in her later films when she's aged that there's an inkling of an authentic person. It's not her fault. Nepotism is a difficult thing to overcome.

This film is positively dreadful. In fact, it's so bad I actually started laughing as I watched it wondering how any studio executive could sit in his luxurious private screening room and not groan at how utterly awful this film is. Where does one even begin? Well, let's start with the story of the Camelot legend. Gee, folks, it's about adultery. How modern! Just what I want to see - adultery - as if there isn't enough unfaithfulness in the movies we have to get it in what is supposed to be a mythical legend. But it gets even worse. The Queen falls for a Knight and to hide her lust for him she arranges to have him dispatched in a jostling match. Nice girl! Gee, with women like that who needs enemies? And this girl is supposed to be a heroine! Oh dear, what happened to true fair maidens like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music or Debbie Reynolds in Singing in the Rain?

Beautiful music and strong performances from Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave, however they are not singers and it hurts the picture mightily, leaving you wondering how much better it could have been with Richard Burton, Robert Goulet and especially Julie Andrews. True Burton wasn't a singer either using the talk singing method that Rex Harrison employed on My Fair Lady so Harris' replacement isn't as glaring as Redgrave/Andrews or Nero/Goulet. Where the picture really runs into problems through is the lumbering pace set by director Logan. A fine director of drama but with no skill at setting the right tone for a musical although that didn't stop the studios from handing him several throughout the years ending with the disaster of Paint Your Wagon. Some of the costumes are truly amazing and justly famous but this can be a trial to sit through.