King Arthur - Antoine Fuqua

King Arthur released in 2004

Directed by American Antoine Fuqua, with screenplay by American David Franzoni (both known for ‘action’ films)

But film is not just “American”: Film uses international cast of very famous actors (Welsh, Irish, English, Australian, Danish, and Swedish) and filmed in the Republic of Ireland and UK

Presents account of Arthur’s rise to kingship as military leader in 5th-C. Britain, with no royal family ties

Uses dates similar to Latin chronicle account by Nennius in 9th C.

• Described northern British king named Arthursus who defeated Saxons in battle at Badon Hill in 495

Narrator claims Arthur was ‘ancestrally named’ for ‘first’ Artorius

Roman historical records do refer to Roman general Lucius Artorius Castus in 3rd C. CE

• But Artorius was his Roman family name, not individual name

Artorius was sent to lead Roman army unit at Hadrians wall in Britain

• Wall built by Emperor Hardian in 2nd C. CE to protect Romans and allied Britons against attack by unconqured Celts in northern Britain

Lucius also put down rebellion of Armorican Britopns in Gaul, and then died fighting for Roman Empire in Croatia

Artorius not first member of Artorius member in Roman army, but may have been the first to serve in Britain

Hadrians wall had many forts in which Roman troops lived, trained, and kept supplies while protecting northern border area

Larger forts had market squares, bath houses, amphitheaters, and temples, as well as military barracks and offices

• Similar to Caerleon (City of Legions) on Roman border with western Britons

Film slowly reveals complex identity for its version of King Arthur

Had Roman father who served in army in Britain and died in battle

Had British mother killed during attack on village by Picts

Flashback of attack that killed mother shows Arthur as a child pulling fathers sword out of grave memorial in attempt to rescue her

• Pictish warrior calls Arthur’s sword ‘Excalibur’ in earlier scene

• Merlin describes sword as being made from British iron and claims sword was released from father’s grave by Arthurs love for his mother

Arthur depicted as Christian taught about free will by theologian Pelagius

• Historical British Christian who presented ideas in Romae, but was declared heretic and executed

Because Arthur is half-British, Picts call him “Briton who kills his own people,” but they also admire his military skills

Opening and closing of film narrated by Lancelot of Sarmatia

Tells of Romans conquering Sarmatians of central Eurasia

• After defeat of Sarmatians, Romans allowed horsed warriors to live if they and their male descendants agreed to serve in Roman cavalry from then on

• His comment “Better if they had died that day” offers critique of Romans

• Film also shows Roman soldiers using Christian Chi-Ro symbol on banners and shields while they slaughter Sarmatians, which suggests that Romans had moved away from peaceful goals of their faith

Film shows Lancelot being taken by Roman soldiers as boy in 452 and ending up in Arthur’s unit at Hadrian’s Wall in 467

Sarmatian Warriors were sent by Roman to fight in Britain, and some may have fought under Lucius Artorius Castus in 3rd C. (but no records show this)

Film depicts all of Arthur’s ‘knights’ as Sarmatian warriors (horsemen who fight with bows and arrows, as well as swords, axes, and spears)

Film depicts RT as Arthurs invention to encourage mutual respect among his knights, long before he becomes king

But only six knights are left at start of film

• Lancelot, Gawain, Bors, Galahad, Tristan, and Dagonet

Arthur is Christian, but believes in freedom to choose religious beliefs, even though official faith of Roman Empire is Christianity at this time

Traditional identities of Knights are completely gone

Galahad is not Christian or Lancelot’s son

Gawain is not Arthur’s nephew

Bors has eleven children with British woman before marrying her, instead of being Chaste Grail knight

Dagonet is based on character in LMD and Idylls called Arthur’s ‘wise fool’

Film turns Guinevere into Woad warrior, rather than Romanized Briton

• May be based on historical British queen Boudicca who led rebellion of Britons against Roman rule in 60 CE, but was later defeated

After they rescue her from Roman prison, she seeks to engage Arthur and Lancelot politically, sexually, and emotionally

• Tries to make them understand British resistance to Roman occupation of their homeland

Lancelot seems to be attracted to Guinevere, but she chooses Arthur, perhaps because he has British heritage and she has heard about his great military leadership

• Initiates sexual relationship with Arthur before they are married

Lancelot jokes about having affairs with other men’s wives

Lancelot saves Guinevere’s life in final battle against Saxons

Films accounts of Battle of Badon Hill and how Arthur becomes king do not fit with details in any previous source, including Latin chronicles

Film sets main events in 467 near end of Roman rule of Britain

Film links personal and political transitions for Arthur and Sarmatian knights

• Arthur’s leadership of knights ending with their freedom from Roman service

• But Romans postpone release of Arthur’s knights in order to protect Roman family on estate north of Hadrian’s Wall from invading Saxons

• Arthur freed Woad Guinevere and other Britons from imprisonment by Romans, and she persuades Arthur to lead Britons against Saxons for higher cause than Roman Empire: Freedom from oppression

• Remaining knights join him and Woads against Saxons in Battle of Badon Hill, instead of leaving with Romans, after which Merlin declares Arthur king

Film depicts Merlin as Woad military and religious leader who views Arthur as having skills needed by Britons to fight against Saxon invaders

• Arthur’s knights have heard rumors Merlin is sorcerer, but film shows no evidence he uses magic

Film first associates Woads with ambush tactics on Romans and attacks on Britons who live with Romans, including killing of women and children

But Woads join forces with Arthur and knights against Saxons at Battle of Badon Hill, which film depicts as Roman fort next to Hadrian’s Wall

After Battle of Badon Hill, Merlin married Arthur and Guinevere and presents them as symbol of unity among different peoples

At end of marriage, Merlin declares Arthur king, and all people there cheer him as leader (Britons, Woads, and Sarmatians)

• Differs from depiction of coronation as Christian in HKB, Morte D’Arthur and Idylls of the King

Battle against Saxons not depicted as Christians defeating Pagans, as in HKB

• Woads and RT knights all depicted as Non Christians

Film depicts Roman Christian leaders as corrupt, and Arthur becomes disillusioned with use of religion as motivation for actions to achieve good

• Bishop shown to deceive Arthur and use him for personal gain

• Roman aristocrat believes that Christian Romans should use non-Christian Britons as slaves to work on his estate

• Christian priest on Roman estate approves use of torture and death for all who will not convert to Christianity, including children

Arthur first shown to be motivated by duty to Rome, which he idealizes as source of faith, freedom, and justice

But sense of duty to Rome gets replaced by personal choice to protect less powerful people from harm by more powerful forces (both Roman and Saxon)

Arthur argues that “Deeds by themselves are meaningless unless they are done for a higher purpose”

Film depicts higher purpose of Arthur and his knights as freedom, not higher purpose given by institutions such as Roman Empire or Christian Church

Arthur follows Pelagius’s teaching that free will and self-sacrifice are keys to making world better place, which Arthur believes is true goal of Christianity

Guinevere says Lancelot’s description of Sarmatia as land without boundaries sounds like true freedom (like wild geese in OFK)

Arthur tells Britons working as slaves for Roman aristocrat that they were free from the day they were born

Before Battle of Badon Hill, Arthur tells Sarmatians, who awaited their freedom from service to Roman army that their freedom comes from inside them and that they must find their true ‘homes’ in their hearts

Film links images of animals set free from service to humans to human spirits set free from boundaries

Film takes story of King Arthur back to chronicle and heroic genres (but with some 21st C. changes)

Very few elements from Celtic myth

Film’s focus on battle skills and political identity moves Arthurian characters away from romance narrative genre

• Guinevere tells Arthur, “You and I are not the polite people who live in poems’

• Lancelot’s desire for Guinevere does not defeat his reason in this account

  • He admits to Guinevere that he would have left her and boy Lucan to die, rather than endanger his fellow soldiers or their mission for Rome

• Arthur and Guinevere dont’ complete their night of passion because Saxons arrive outside Roman fort and battle preparation takes priority

Removal of family relationships between Arthur and knights cut out many other traditional parts of tales about King Arthur and RT knights

Film retells story of King Arthur against backdrop of distrust of political and religious authorities in new millennium

Questions about validity of US presidential election in 2000 (Supreme court ended FLorida vote recount to make George Bush president)

Higher levels of international terrorism evade traditional security forces

• 9/11 attacks on US, with subsequent attacks in Philippines, Spain and UK

• Anthrax sent to government and media offices sickens and kills workers

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq raise questions about imperialism, nation-building, and religious prejudice

Revelations of long-term child abuse by Roman Catholic priests and marital infidelity by Protestant Christian clergy suggest hypocrisy of religious leaders

Ethnic difference flare into violence and murder in Africa and Asia (ethnic cleaning in Rwanda in 1994 and Balkans from 1991-2000)

Women in some communities gain farther freedom

Film reflects disillusionment with political and religious institutions at beginning of 21st C.

Films advertising commands audience to “Rule your own destiny”

• Suggest that viewers have right and power to ‘rule’ own lives or at least have free will to make choices for good or evil

• Arthur wins kingship through actions, not miracle or inheritance

Film suggests tales about King Arthur may still be sued to explore how people use power, as well as to entertain

Film suggests potential for using power in service of justice, but doesn’t tell story of how Arthur uses power as king

Like OFK, film suggests importance of using variety of tools in seeking one’s goals, including alliances with those who might appear to be enemies

Film gives King Arthur of Britain of modern ‘action hero’ and widens relevance of his story for global audience in search of freedom and justice