A Knight's Tale (2001)
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A peasant squire poses as a knight to compete in medieval tournaments and win the heart of a noblewoman.
The story
In 14th-century Europe, a peasant squire named William Thatcher finds himself in a desperate situation when his master, Sir Ector, dies during a jousting tournament. To claim the prize and secure his future, William dons his master's armor and assumes his identity to compete in the competition. Although only nobles are permitted to participate, William's ambition leads him to forge a path of glory. Accompanied by his friends and a debt-ridden Geoffrey Chaucer, he navigates the complexities of medieval chivalry, faces off against formidable rivals, and seeks to win the admiration of a noblewoman while keeping his true identity a secret.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After his master dies, William Thatcher poses as a knight in a 14th-century tournament. He teams up with his friends and the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who provides a fake identity. During the competition, William faces off against the arrogant Count Adhemar of Anjou while falling for a noblewoman named Jocelyn. He eventually discovers that one of his opponents is actually Prince Edward. After a series of victories and a public trial where his true identity is revealed, Edward declares William a true knight of noble lineage. In the final match, William faces Adhemar in a brutal joust. Despite being injured by Adhemar's illegal tactics, William manages to unhorse his rival and win the world championship. The film ends with the group celebrating and Chaucer preparing to write an account of the events.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brian Helgeland
- Writers
- Brian Helgeland · writer
- Cast and characters
- Heath Ledger · William Thatcher; Mark Addy; Rufus Sewell; Paul Bettany · Geoffrey Chaucer; Alan Tudyk; James Purefoy · Edward the Black Prince
- Genres
- action; comedy
- Themes
- honor; destiny
- Tone and mood
- anachronistic
- Premise and plot tags
- medieval; competition
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Knight's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 60% · review count: 153; Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Awards and nominations
- British Supporting Actor of the Year · London Film Critics' Circle Award · 2002 · win; Hardest hit · Taurus World Stunt Awards · win; Best work with an animal · Taurus World Stunt Awards · win; Breakthrough Female performance · MTV Movie Awards · 2002 · nomination; Best Kiss · MTV Movie Awards · 2002 · nomination; Best Musical Sequence · MTV Movie Awards · 2002 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film features a soundtrack with 1970s music.; Lances were made of balsa wood and filled with uncooked linguine.; The film's title is derived from a story in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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