The timeless tale of Camelot has captured imaginations for centuries, inspiring poets, novelists, playwrights and songwriters over the years. "It's biblical in a way because it is legend," says Sean Connery, whose stature in the worldwide film community is itself legendary. "It identifies with human life and what we'd like to think is the order of things -- that there is somebody with enough wisdom and power to create an ideal place to live."
"First Knight" breaks away from the commonly-told Arthurian legend in its conception of Lancelot. Screenwriter William Nicholson conceived Lancelot not as a knight but as a rootless rogue with a troubled past. "In this film, Lancelot is emotionally damaged," says Richard Gere, who plays the solitary figure. "He's like a traveling samurai -- no connections, no responsibilities, and no fear. It makes him the perfect fighter. Why? Because he doesn't care if he lives or dies."
"Lancelot comes to Camelot as a wanderer not looking to be a knight, not dreaming of peace and brotherhood and nobility, but really just absorbed with his own freedom," Zucker notes.
On the other side of the spectrum, the legendary Arthur is a great and beloved king who believes in democracy and doing what is best for the whole of society, which is more apparent in the words etched into the Round Table: "In serving each other we become free." "It's like the Greek mythology in that heroes are set up and then given an Achilles' heel," Connery notes. "Otherwise, how can anybody on the human level identify with them or understand what they're all about?"
"Arthur has spent a lifetime devoting himself to building Camelot and serving the people of his great city," says the director. "And now, for the first time in his life, Arthur wants to feel what it's like to love and be loved by one woman, and he feels he has met that one woman: Guinevere."
Sean Connery's presence alone would more than explain why so many people love and follow King Arthur. "As soon as Sean steps in front of the camera, that's all taken care of instantly," the director says. "Arthur must be a natural leader -- not just by the words that come out of his mouth or his actions, but by the kind of person he is, and, of course, in "First Knight," our Arthur has that kind of charisma. I can't imagine anybody else but Sean Connery in the role."
The glue that binds the story together is Lady Guinevere, a beautiful, intelligent young woman who is torn between her feelings and her obligations
"Guinevere is very pure in her emotion and she has a parallel line with Arthur because she's from royalty," says Connery. "She is the Lady of Leonesse and has had all the accouterments of duty."
"Guinevere's dilemma is complex in that she's drawn toward two very strong and attractive men," says Zucker. "She's going to marry Arthur not only because he'll be able to protect Leonesse but also because he's a wonderful man. They share similar values."
Guinevere's first encounter with Lancelot leaves them both shaken. "There's clearly a very strong connection between them," Zucker notes. "Here is this man filled with freedom and careless abandon, meeting this woman who is full of obligation and responsibility; it creates friction. There's a sense of opposites attracted to the missing parts that they see in each other. She is attracted to his ability to run and be free and he senses that she is someone who is very grounded, and who has a home, which he doesn't. Although he won't admit it, he feels a strong need for that sense of home."
"The fact that Lancelot saves her life opens a door in that she's forever indebted to him," says Julia Ormond, who stars as Lady Guinevere. "But when he kisses her, it opens another door that perhaps Guinevere hadn't anticipated. It's like she has been given a view into another world."
Zucker adds: "But they do love each other, and Guinevere is caught between her attraction to him and her love for Arthur, her obligation to her people and to fulfill the role of Queen of Camelot."
There was no doubt in Zucker's mind that the actress he wanted to play Guinevere was Julia Ormond, whom he had seen in "Legends of the Fall" as well as the TV film "Stalin." "There is a great intensity about Julia, a great integrity that shines through in her acting," says producer Hunt Lowry.
"I'm very lucky that a Julia Ormond existed," Zucker says. "This particular woman is really the center of the story. She moves the action. If you don't understand why both men want her, the movie doesn't work. Julia is not only strong and able to stand up to both men, but she also happens to be gorgeous."
When Lancelot follows Guinevere to Camelot, a unique relationship develops between the rogue and the king. "From the very beginning, Arthur senses something special in Lancelot, something that may be of use to him one day but he doesn't quite know what," says Zucker. "What's very different about this telling is that Lancelot doesn't come to serve Arthur. Lancelot comes to Camelot because he's in love with Guinevere, but during the course of the movie, he learns the meaning of knighthood."
"On a deeper level, Lancelot thinks that the bad things that happened to him were his fault," says Gere. "I think most people are disconnected from other people and themselves through guilt and self-loathing. So, in the process of coming to Camelot where people are kind and generous and thoughtful, Lancelot falls in love with the ideal of Camelot, and he's able to give the best part of himself to the people and to the love of one woman."
"The choice of Lancelot as his "First Knight" is totally understandable because of the qualities that Lancelot possesses," Connery adds. "The irony, of course, is that when Arthur finally falls in love, it's with the woman that has herself fallen in love with the man that Arthur thinks is so terrific. It's as Arthur says: 'You will choose me but your heart chooses him,' and therein lies her dilemma."
"These kind of mythic connections that people have to play out are just as applicable today as they were two thousand years ago or two thousand years into the future, I'm sure," adds Gere.
When Gere was mentioned in connection to the role, all other candidates fell out of the running. "He's a great actor," says the director. "He has qualities which are extremely attractive to women as well as the strength and endurance for the physical demands of the role, in terms of the fighting and stunt work. He also has the maturity to make the turn in the character from loner to knight. It was a perfect match."
As tensions mount and betrayal hangs heavy in the air, a fourth player senses a vulnerable kingdom and plans his attack. "Malagant is the classic Lucifer character that was one of the Knights of the Round Table but wanted to be king," says Zucker. "Being a knight isn't enough for him; he doesn't want to share power, so he left Camelot to form his own kingdom of outlaws."
"He was the angel on the right-hand side of God who fell from Grace," says Academy Award-nominated actor Ben Cross, who plays Malagant. "He still hankers after the Round Table and that life, but nevertheless he's driven by ambitions to power and subjugating people."
Malagant was the hardest role to cast. After seeing scores of English actors, the filmmakers finally found Cross. "Malagant is mean but it's not an erudite or upper-class mean. Ben has this strong, visceral and scary quality with so much power and strength," says Zucker. "I was thrilled to have found him finally because no one else came close to what I wanted and Ben just nailed it."
Appearing in a small cameo role is the man who has dominated the English theatre for much of the century, Britain's premier acting knight, Sir John Gielgud, as Oswald, trusted family retainer of Guinevere's family. "It was a real treat to be able to work with him and observe him," notes Zucker. "Nobody knew what to call him. Do you call him Mr. Gielgud or Sir Gielgud? Do you call him Sir John? Nobody quite knew, but he would prefer people just to call him John. He doesn't like any pretension."
In addition to the romantic escapism of the Arthurian tale, Zucker feels the story holds audiences in a deeper psychological sway. "It's always powerful in a movie when one character knows the difference between right and wrong," he says. "I think we're desperately looking for those people in politics but we never seem to find them. People who know the truth are always very attractive to us. Arthur's strength comes not only from having the biggest army and the counsel of the Round Table to participate in decisions, but also from knowing what God expects of him; he believes in a God whose primary demand is that we treat each other ethically."
"That's what life is," Gere adds. "It presents us with all the possibilities of finding our way back home. And, literally, in this story, Camelot is that home. It is a community of angels that back you up and take care of you. It's a utopian ideal for sure and probably only can exist in the realm of dreams and drama."
