Themes: Heroic Mission, Knights and Ladies, Mythical Creatures
Main Cast: Basil Rathbone, Estelle Winwood, Anne Helm, Gary Lockwood, Liam Sullivan
Release Year: 1962
Country: US
Run Time: 80 minutes
Plot
In this fun-filled adventure-fantasy, a rookie knight embarks upon a valiant quest to save a princess who has been captured by a malicious magician. Along the way he must battle the usual assortment of dragons, ogres and other mythical beings. He is assisted by a good witch who gives him a magic sword. Unfortunately, the magic fails and suddenly he must find his own magic from within. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Children -- who are its main target audience anyway -- are likely to enjoy The Magic Sword, although those who expect CGI-level special effects or big budget sets and costumes are likely to scoff at it. Most adults will not particularly care for Sword, which is admittedly a pretty slipshod affair; however, those adults who saw Sword as a child or who have a soft spot for earnest and sincere if not very well done children's movies may find themselves entertained. Those who enjoy laughing at such film's shortcomings will also find plenty to enjoy here, for Sword is filled with laughably poor dialogue and inept characterizations. Many of the howlers come about because the film does have such an innocence about it that the possible double intenders it inadvertently includes can be quite amusing. Star Gary Lockwood's unpolished and basically poor performance only adds to the amusement. Fortunately, Basil Rathbone and Estelle Winwood are on hand to provide some professional performances. They're both operating in "high ham" mode, mind you, especially Rathbone, but they're rather delicious. Sword may not be a good film, but it's basically inoffensive and safe, and it does provide pleasure in its way. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
John Mauldin - Sir Patrick; Jacques Gallo - Sir Dennis; Leroy Johnson - Sir Ulrich; David Cross - Sir Pedro; Angus Duncan - Sir James; Taldo Kenyon - Sir Anthony; Maila "Vampira" Nurmi - The Hag; Jack Kosslyn - Ogre; Lorrie Richards - Anne; Merritt Stone - King; Angelo Rossitto - Dwarf; Danielle de Metz - French Girl; Richard Kiel - Pinhead
Credit
Oscar Rodriguez - Costume Designer, Bert I. Gordon - Director, Harry Gerstad - Editor, Richard Markowitz - Composer (Music Score), Dan Striepeke - Makeup, Franz Bachelin - Production Designer, Paul Vogel - Cinematographer, Bert I. Gordon - Producer, George R. Nelson - Set Designer, Milt Rice - Special Effects, Bernard Schoenfeld - Screenwriter
The Magic Sword (also known as St. George and the Dragon, St. George and the Seven Curses (the films 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, and the film is one of a handful of MST3K episodes considered watchable on its own.
Now in public domain because of missing copyright indication.
Sir George (Gary Lockwood) is the foster son of Sybil (Estelle Winwood), an elderly witch. Not much is said about his background other than that his parents are dead and he is of "royal blood". He is secretly in love with Princess Helene (Anne Helm), who is kidnapped early in the film by the evil wizard Lodac (Basil Rathbone) who intends on feeding her to his pet dragon. George wants to go on a quest to liberate his lady love, but Sybil believes he is too young, comforting the youth by showing him a magic sword, a steed, a suit of armour and magically frozen knights he will command when he is 21. The impatient George however tricks Sybil into a locked underground compartment and takes off with his magical implements and revived company of knights. Sir George and his party then appear before the King and insist on journeying to Lodac's castle to rescue his daughter, even though this angers the knight, Sir Branton (Liam Sullivan) who had previously been given the task.
Mythological references
The film is notable for its many mythological and folklore motifs and references. Each of Sir George's knight's seems to be named after a saint, or another 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
A 1606 book by Richard JohnsonSeven 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, George's foster mother, was the name of a prophetess in Greco-Roman mythology, and furthermore there is the Perseus/St. George motif.
