Adventures of Sir Galahad

Infobox Film
name = Adventures of Sir Galahad


image_size =
caption =
director = Spencer Gordon Bennet
producer = Sam Katzman
writer = George H. Plympton
Lewis Clay
David Mathews
Original screenplay
narrator =
starring = George Reeves
Nelson Leigh
William Fawcett
Hugh Prosser
Lois Hall
music = Mischa Bakaleinikoff
Musical director
Marlin Skiles
Stock music (composer)
cinematography = Ira H. Morgan
Black and white
editing = Dwight Caldwell
Earl Turner
distributor = Columbia Pictures
released = December 22, 1949
runtime = 252 minutes
15 episodes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by = "Batman and Robin"
followed_by = "Cody of the Pony Express"
website =
amg_id = 1:142912
imdb_id = 0041096

"Adventures of Sir Galahad" (1949) was the 41st serial released by Columbia Pictures. It was based on Arthurian legend and, notably, was one of the very few serials of the time with a period setting that was not a western.

Plot

In fact, the Arthurian film cycle started with the "Adventures of Sir Galahad" serial. In this version, the youth Galahad, trying to emulate his father Sir Lancelot, wants fervently to be admitted to the Knights of the Round Table order. When he defeats Sir Bors and Sir Mordred in tournament, King Arthur agrees to knighthood if he can guard Excalibur for one night. Unfortunately, during that night the sword is stolen by a mysterious personage known only as the Black Knight. Possesion of Excalibur makes the holder invincible and without it the sovereignty of Arthur is endangered, then Galahad is refused knighthood until the sword is found. Galahad, aided by Sir Bors, is hindered in his quest by Ulric, the Saxon King, who invades England, and by Merlin the magician, who harasses our hero at every turn. Galahad suspects that the Black Knight is a traitor within Camelot who seeks the throne in alliance with the Saxons, while Morgan le Fay, Arthur's half sister and also a magician, helps him fight both Merlin's magic and the Saxons. When Queen Guinevere is seized by the traitors, Merlin relents and sends Galahad to the Lady of the Lake, who gives him Excalibur. Finally, Galahad unmasks the Black Knight and restore the talismanic symbol of Arthur's powers, Excalibur, not without before suffering sufficient trials and tribulations over 15 episodes to prove himself worthy of knighthood.

Cast

Chapter titles

# The Stolen Sword
# Galahad's Daring
# Prisoners of Ulric
# Attack on Camelot
# Galahad to the Rescue
# Passage of Peril
# Unknown Betrayer
# Perilous Adventure
# Treacherous Magic
# The Sorceror's Spell
# Valley of No Return
# Castle Perilous
# The Wizard's Revenge
# Quest for the Queen
# Galahad's Triumph_Source: [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 249-250
chapter = Filmography ]

Production

"The Adventures of Sir Galahad" was based on Arthurian myth and legend, a setting that gave it "unique" opportunities for a serial. [cite book
last = Harmon
first = Jim
coauthors= Donald F. Glut
authorlink = Jim Harmon
title = The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury
origyear = 1973
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 9780713000979
pages = pp. 330
chapter = 13. The Classics "You Say 'What Dost Thou Mean By That?' and Push Him Off the Cliff" ]

Alternative titles

*Was released under the titles "La Espada Fatal" (Latin America), "Le Chevalier Casse-Cou" (France) and "De Heldhaftige Reeder" (Belgium).

Facts

* George Reeves, who gave a solid and credible performance as Galahad, became a popular star few years later when he was cast in the title role of "The Adventures of Superman".
* According to William C. Clines, Reeves helped to make this a superior serial to "Son of the Guardsman" (1946) – another Medieval European setting with cliff-hangers released by the same studio.

[cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 29
chapter = 3. The Six Faces of Adventure ]

Related films

*"Knights of the Round Table" (1953)
*"Prince Valiant" (1954)
*"The Sword in the Stone" (1963)
*"Gawain and the Green Knight" (1973)
*"Lancelot du Lac" (1974)
*"Excalibur" (1981)
*"First Knight" (1995)
*"Merlin" (TV-movie, 1998)
*"King Arthur" (2004)
*"Merlin" (TV-series, 2008)

See also

* List of film serials by year
* List of film serials by studio

References

External links

* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:142912 All-Movie.com]
* [http://www.cinefania.com/movie.php/44274/ Cinefania.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041096/ IMDb.com]
* [http://www.emovieposter.com/imagearchive/title_info.php?id=9728 eMoviePoster.com]
* [http://www.serialexperience.com/image_gallery/George_Reeves.jpgSerial-Experience.com]

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Columbia Serial
before="Batman and Robin" (1949)
years="Adventures of Sir Galahad" (1949)"
after="Cody of the Pony Express" (1950)