In my opinion this film is unique. It follows Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte D'Arthur" fairly accurately. This is something rarely achieved by other films focused on the genre. The casting is excellent, Nigel Terry portrays both the naive boyish Arthur and the elder statesman with great panaché. Helen Mirren makes for a convincingly evil Morgan Le Faye whilst the gorgeous Cheri Lunghi shines as Arthur's bride. Lancelot is convincing as he struggles with divided loyalties but the main credit for the film's success must surely go to Nicol Williamson as Merlin. The film attempts to portray a dark period of English history and this is convincingly portrayed in the atmosphere, costume and make up of the actors but by adopting a light hearted portrayal of a serious character, he manages to balance just the right amount of comic relief. Towards the film's conclusion the charge of the knights through the orchard to the sound of a choir singing the "Carmina Birana" has to be one of the high points of British cinema.