Gawain and the Green Knight – 1991
I didn’t realize that the story told in Gawain and the Green Knight was actually based on a 14th-century poem until I saw this adaptation. The story itself wasn’t unknown to me though. It’s kind of a classic story anyway. If you’re somewhat into fantasy films you should recognize the basics right away. In this, a Green Knight turns up in King Arthur’s Court and wants to play a game. A deadly game it seems. He offers anyone willing to accept the challenge to use his axe to cut off the Green Knight’s head. But to be prepared for the same treatment carried out by the Green Knight if he survives the blow.
As I said, I am familiar with this story. I saw it for the first time many years ago in an adaptation with Miles O’keefe and Sean Connery called Sword of the Valiant – The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yes, it’s a very long title! The film itself isn’t very good but I’ve always liked it and the scenes where Sean Connery is present are a treat. Here there’s no Sean Connery to play the Green Knight but Malcolm Storry does it great. I wouldn’t say he’s as convincing as Sean Connery is. But then again, he’s Sean Connery…
The story is basically the same. There are pretty grave differences in the tasks the young Gawain needs to fulfill though. I have not read the poem so I cannot really say what is more like the poem. But I guess that this has more in common with the literary source than the other one. But it is not as grand. If you can call the 1984 Miles O’Keefe film grand that is. But it is a nice family adventure/fantasy movie that holds up the story. The morals are very clear and I guess the fact that it is a TV film explains the lack of most production values. It’s probably a movie that I’ll never see again though.
I think the storyline is too easy, even if it’s closer to the poem (which I don’t know) and I feel somewhat robbed of a nice adventure, puzzle, and riddle-solving along the way. Gawain and the Green Knight could have been made a little more exciting and with a little more uncertainty about where it would end I think. Of course. we all know and understand that Gawain will fulfill his mission.
But it would have been nice to at least plant a seed of doubt just to make it a little interesting.
