A Knight's Tale

It was a boring weeknight before term started, with nothing to do, a group of us decided cinema was the answer! There were plenty of films to choose from, but somehow I ended up ‘agreeing’ to pay four pounds to watch this film. Admittedly I hadn’t heard of the film before that night – but it sounded like some Disney film…

In all honesty, a Disney film would have been more historically accurate. Pocahontas was at least ‘based’ on a true story – wasn’t it? According to the director of A Knight’s Tale, hair dye was commonly used by young medireview maidens. Jousting crowds regularly clap and stamp their feet to the tune of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ – or rather in this case Robbie Williams’ take on the 80s classic. However, despite these ridiculous (and surely tongue-in-cheek) errors and a simplistic plot, it was still an enormously entertaining film.

It stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, a simple peasant who wants to win fame in jousting contests. Unfortunately, only the nobility can compete in tournaments. With the help of one Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), who forges him a Patent of Nobility, he is transformed from peasant lad into Sir Ulrich Von Liechtenstein of Gelderland. The rest of the movie is joyously predictable. Thatcher/Ulrich enters and wins tournament after tournament. He wins over the local fans and, most importantly, a certain maiden, who happens to sit a little higher than he does in the social ladder.

A Knight’s Tale is not Braveheart or The Patriot – but since when has a history lesson made for good entertainment? Just leave your common sense at the door.

Ian Yeung