The Magic Sword (film)

"The Magic Sword" redirects here. For other uses, see Magic sword (disambiguation).

The Magic Sword
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bert I. Gordon
Produced by	Bert I. Gordon
Written by	Bernard Schoenfeld
Starring	Basil Rathbone Estelle Winwood Anne Helm Gary Lockwood Liam Sullivan Maila Nurmi
Music by	Richard Markowitz
Cinematography	Nicolas Vogel Paul Vogel
Editing by	Harry Gerstad
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	Apr 1962
Running time	80 min.
Country	USA
Language	English

The Magic Sword (also known as St. George and the Dragon, St. George and the Seven Curses (the film's original title),^[1] and The Seven Curses of Lodac) is a 1962 live action fantasy film, mainly aimed at children, based loosely on the medieval legend of St. George and the Dragon.

The film appeared on a 1992 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. In a highly unusual admission, characters Joel Robinson and Tom Servo said the movie was "pretty good for a Bert I. Gordon film" during a theater segment (though Crow T. Robot seemed to disagree). The writers of the show continued the praise in their Amazing Colossal Episode Guide.

Plot summary

Sir George (Gary Lockwood) is the foster son of Sybil (Estelle Winwood), an elderly sorceress. Not much is said about his background other than that his "royal parents died of the plague" in his infancy. He is secretly in love with Princess Helene (Anne Helm), who is kidnapped early in the film by the evil wizard Lodac (Basil Rathbone). Lodac intends to feed her to his pet dragon in seven days. George wants to go on a quest to liberate his lady love, but Sybil believes he is too young and tries to comfort the youth by showing him a magic sword, a steed, a suit of armour, and six magically frozen knights he will command when he turns 21. The impatient George, however, tricks Sybil and locks her in a cellar, then leaves with his magical implements and revived company of knights. Sir George and his party appear before the king and insist on journeying to Lodac's castle to rescue Helene, even though this angers Sir Branton (Liam Sullivan), a knight who had previously been given the task and who also desires the princess. The knights must brave a series of monsters and other dangers to complete the task.

Mythological references

The film is notable for its many mythological and folkloric motifs and references. Each of Sir George's knights seems to be named after a saint or other figure associated with his homeland:

• Sir Dennis of France, after Saint Dennis, patron saint of France
• Sir Pedro of Spain
• Sir Patrick of Ireland, after Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland
• Sir Anthony of Italy
• Sir James of Scotland, James being the name of a number of Scottish kings
• Sir Ulrich of Germany, perhaps in honor of Saint Ulrich of Augsburg

A 1606 book by Richard Johnson, Seven Champions of Christendom, lists the seven as St George of England, St Denis of France, St James of Spain, St Patrick of Ireland, St Andrew of Scotland, St David of Wales and St Anthony of Italy.^[2]

Sybil, the name of George's foster mother, was also the name of a prophetess in Greco-Roman mythology, and furthermore there is the Perseus/St. George motif.

Production

The film was shot on the 20th Century Fox backlot and at Goldwyn Studios.^[3]

Notes

1. ^ Issuu.com
2. ^ footnote p.532 Keith, Gilbert The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton 2002 Ignatius Press
3. ^ p.81 Weaver, Tom I Was a Monster Movie Maker 2001 McFarland

External links

• The Magic Sword at the Internet Movie Database
• The Magic Sword is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
• The Magic Sword at AllRovi