THE SWORD IN THE STONE
Voices of Rickie Sorenson, Sebastian Cabot, Karl Swenson.
US, 1963, 76 minutes, Colour.
Direcgted by Wolfgang Reitherman.
The Sword In The Stone is a light musical adaptation by the Disney Studios of T.H. White's story. It was later to be adapted for the musical "Camelot". This is not one of the more notable Disney animated features although it is quite popular in its way. It came in the early '60s after 101 Dalmatians. The Disney Studios did not make many full-length animated features after 1960. There are some touches of the '60s in the style of lyric, musical score, humour. These quips tend perhaps to date the film somewhat. Nevertheless, it has its appeal in the legends about King Arthur as a boy.
1. The appeal of Disney films? Disney animation and its style: humour, the figures? Humans, animals? The contemporary touch? The quality of the acting voices?
2. The perennial appeal of King Arthur and the legends of the Round Table and Camelot? The focus on Arthur's childhood and training, on Merlin?
3. The musical treatment: songs and their lyrics, musical score? The introduction the legend of Arthur, Merlin's magical songs, Mad Min?
4. The initial focus on Excalibur and the legend for the King of England? The atmosphere of legend and of challenge? Arthur's drawing of the sword at the end and his acclamation as King?
5. The focus on Merlin - his appearance, style, qualities as magician, his anticipation of Arthur's visit, his knowledge of the future? His type of magic, skills e.g. in the packing of his goods, the washing of the dishes, changing Arthur into fish, squirrels and birds? The wisdom of his character, his guiding of Arthur? The humour of his friendship with Archimedes, Archimedes' ironic comments as well as his participating in the training?
6. The character of Archimedes, the irony of his dialogue? Satire and humour?
7. Arthur and his nickname of 'Wart'? His hunting, falling through the roof, friendship with Merlin, the training programme, his experience as a fish and using his brains to escape the shark, his being a squirrel and experiencing the reality of love, his being a bird and the experience with Mad Min? His role at the castle, his work for Sir Ector and his son, the preparations for the tournament? Children identifying with Arthur?
8. Sir Ector and his son, their plans for the tournament, the son's eating and laziness, lording it over Wart? His wife and her anxiety about the dishes etc.? Their antagonism towards Merlin?
9. The humour of Min and her black magic, the humour of ugliness?
10. Arthur and his being a fish and the water sequences, the threat of the shark? The squirrel and her love? The bird and the pursuit by the eagle?
11. Merlin and his clash with Mad Min and their outdoing each other - and the humour of his becoming a virus and making Min ill?
12. The overtones of the Middle Ages with the final tournament?
13. Merlin and his going into the 20th. century - his comments on what was to come? The humour of these touches?
14. The appeal of a Disney cartoon, its role as a fable for young audiences?
