A KNIGHT'S TALE

US, 2001, 132 minutes, Colour.
Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk, Laura Fraser, Christopher Cazenove, James Purefoy.
Directed by Brian Helgeland.

Ridley Scott reinvigorated the sword and sandal epics of the Roman Empire with Gladiator and the drawcard of Russell Crowe. A Knight's Tale reinvigorates the medieval chivalry tales with the drawcard of Australian Heath Ledger and a British cast led by Mark Addy. Writer-director Brian Helgeland is better known for crime-thrillers, LA Confidential and Payback. Obviously the Middle Ages intrigue him. He has an eye for detail in weaponry, costumes and, even, banquets. While the background might not be accurate in every detail, there is a great deal to please the eye and re-imagine the period.

As regards the ear, that is another matter. Helgeland has said that he wanted to bridge the gap between the 14th and the 21st centuries. He did not want to present a remote world, an 'archaic' world where people spoke slowly and solemnly and were quite unlike us. The device he has decided on (which we are going to see and hear soon in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge) is the use of 20th century music and songs time-capsuled to the past. We get right into it at the start where the crowd attending the jousting tournament vigorously sing Queen's ' We will rock you'. It works - and so we are linked with the characters in the past and identify with their story. Other songs used include 'The Boys are back in town' and David Bowie's 'Golden Years'.

If that puts off the historical purists, Helgeland has another device which may win them over. One of the central characters is one, Geoffrey Chaucer (exuberantly played by Paul Bettany). We first see him trudging the road, naked - his gambling losses have meant more than just the shirt off his back. It turns out he writes documents for people (and, now and again, some poetry). He becomes a marvellous, rather socialistic, cryer introducing knights at tournaments. (The tournaments parallel fan's behaviour at football matches, including Mexican waves, painted faces and war-cries and songs. Nothing has changed!)

But the focus is on William Thatcher, an ordinary man who has the opportunity to change his destiny and becomes the jousting champion, Sir Ulrich. He courts his lady, Jocelyn ( Shannyn Sossamon). He fights his dastardly foe (who cheats to win), Sir Adhelmar (a sneering Rufus Sewell). And, of course, he finally becomes Sir William.

This is what used to be called 'a rollicking story', a Boys' Own Adventure (except that these days the women are in it too, even with Laura Fraser as the blacksmith who makes William's armour). According to the production notes, there are 27 different jousts. So, what is on offer is a very modern interpretation of history, an exciting reconstruction of the past and plenty of stoushes.

1. An entertaining trip back to the Middle Ages? A historical romp? The combination of the 14th century with the 21st century? A bridge between the two?

2. The title, the focus on chivalry, the initial explanation of knighthood, jousts and competition? The American dream of the ordinary man being able to overcome his origins, change his stars and destiny, achieve what he dreamt of doing?

3. The production done in the Czech Republic? The sets, the re-creation of 14th century France, Paris, London? The towns, the countryside? The jousting fields? The costumes and decor? The authentic look of the period?

4. The use of contemporary songs as part of the bridge between the centuries? Opening with all the people at the tournament singing "We Will Rock"? The use of other songs: "Golden Years", "The Boys Are Back In Town" ...? The effective use of this anachronistic music?

5. England and France in the 14th century, knights and peasants, wars? The aristocracy and their arrogance? The Black Prince as an ideal? Knighthood in flower? The knight's ideal: the warrior, valour, fighting for the honour of his lady?

6. The opening with Sir Hector and his death (and the flashbacks to William's father, taking him to France, giving him into the care of Sir Hector and his growing up with him)? Roland and Wat? A kind of 14th century Three Musketeers? Wat and his anger with Sir Hector? William and his decision to go to the tournament? His success? The growing number of tournaments? His becoming the champion? The encounter with Jocelyn, attracted to her on the street, following her, at the tournament, the knights honouring her, following her on horse into the cathedral? His falling in love, wanting her to be his lady?

7. The encounter with Geoffrey Chaucer: naked on the road, stripped because of his gambling? His way with words, explanation of himself, a writer in all senses? Shrewd and rhetorical? His seeing through William and his companions, offering to write them the historical documents? Their effectiveness? Chaucer joining the group, his being the crier and proclaiming Sir Ulrich? His verbal flourishes, his social equality speeches, the approval of the crowd? His gambling debts, the pardoner and his selling of relics, the demands for money, Chaucer threatening to tell their story in his poetry?

8. Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar: the typical villain, his dark looks, serious face, intense eyes? His rhetoric and his despising of Sir Ulrich? His deferring to the Black Prince? His offhand comments to Jocelyn, chauvinist, full of himself? The confrontations with Ulrich and his being beaten? His withdrawing from the tournaments to go to fight battles? On the battlefield, his irritation at Ulrich's success? His return, the world championships in London, the confrontation and his arrogance? Following William to his father's house, exposing him? The final confrontation, tipping his lance - and the villain unable to win by fair means? William defeated? The final confrontation and his being absolutely defeated, William and his group condemning Adhemar?

9. The various tournaments and their consequences? William and his persuading Roland and Wat to stay with him, fighting them for the money, fighting in the tournament, winning the sword battle? Chaucer joining the group? The blacksmiths refusing to mend his armour? His going to Kate and defying her? Her rising to the challenge, making the armour, becoming part of the group? His going to the banquet and Jocelyn's maid asking for the colour of his cloak? The dance and Adhemar challenging him to do one of his native dances? Jocelyn to the rescue and success?

10. William and his desperate love for Jocelyn? Her asking him to lose - his decision to lose, his being beaten? Her sending the message to win? His anger with her? The humorous composition of the romantic letter to her and each of his friends contributing the rhetoric? His inability to do this in the cathedral and her spurning of him?

11. Going to England, the flashbacks to the memory of his father? The years that all of the group had been away from England? The arrival in London? His going to see his father, talking with the little girl, his father being blind, the pathos of the reconciliation? His being exposed, arrested, going into the stocks? The others all persuading him to escape? The arrival of the Black Prince - and the memories of his challenge to him in the tournament? Both trying to be anonymous? The Black Prince freeing him, knighting him, urging him to the tournament?

12. The final confrontation with Adhemar, being wounded, the lance tied to his arm? The absolute victory? The romantic ending (and the coarse joke after the final credits!)

13. An enjoyable tale, universal story, the era of legends and their being translated into the 21st century? The atmosphere of the history - and its being made contemporary?