An underrated fantasy movie from the 1950s, Knights of the Round Table, provides a welcome break from the standard Camelot story, allowing Lancelot to step into the role of the hero. Although some movies and TV shows that dive into Camelot have been willing to divide their focus between multiple Arthurian figures, it’s generally King Arthur Pendragon himself that guides the narrative. However, that’s not the case with Knights of the Round Table, which takes a decidedly different approach.

Released in 1953 and directed by Richard Thorpe, Knights of the Round Table featured a mulтιтude of recognizable names from the Arthurian legends, including Morgan Le Fay, Percival, Gawain, and Guinevere. It included two of the decade’s most bankable stars as the male and female leads, Robert Taylor as Lancelot and Ava Gardner as Guinevere. The actor who played King Arthur only received third billing, considering that it really wasn’t his movie. Knights of the Round Table chose instead to shine the spotlight Lancelot, even though he isn’t the one who gets to hold Excalibur.

Knights Of The Round Table Depicts Lancelot As The Real Hero Of The Arthurian Legends

Robert Taylor’s Lancelot Is The Main Character Of The 1953 Movie

Knights of the Round Table subverts expectations of an Arthurian story by telling the story that most viewers already know, but from a different perspective. Just as it happens in the legends and most movies and shows about the story, Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone, becomes the King of England, forms the Knights of the Round Table, carries on a romance with Guinevere, and battles his evil rival, Modred. But despite all this, the main character here is actually Lancelot, who experiences all of these events alongside Arthur. In fact, the story takes off when Lancelot enters Arthur’s life.

Knights of the Round Table leans on the infamous Lancelot-Guinevere romance and the former’s reputation as a warrior to make him the true protagonist. In many Arthurian stories, it’s understood that while Arthur is the leader of the Knights of the Round Table, his skills are inferior to those of Lancelot. The 1953 movie is true to that idea, quickly showing that Lancelot is the better swordsman of the two. What’s more, he’s also the true subject of Guinevere’s affections, with Arthur essentially serving as the obstacle standing in the way of the two being together.

Knights Of The Round Table Is One Of The Best Camelot Movie Adaptations

Knights Of The Round Table Was Nominated For 2 Academy Awards

Knights of the Round Table does take some liberties with the old King Arthur stories, but presents a vibrant take on Camelot, complete with a cast of compelling characters and great sword-fighting action. Robert Taylor is perfectly cast as Lancelot; as evidenced by his other roles in medieval action movies like Ivanhoe and Quo Vadis, his commanding presence makes him well-suited for the greatest knight in Camelot. Just the casting of Robert Taylor, one of Hollywood’s top male actors at the time, drove home the notion that Lancelot was the superior warrior in the movie and perhaps the character who always deserved to be the hero of the story.

Its choice of perspective gave Knights of the Round Table a great deal of character-building opportunities, which it made the most of throughout the film. Lancelot is the better fighter (and arguably the better knight to boot), but he’s not the one who ends up with Guinevere nor is he the one who gets to wield Excalibur. In this way, Knights of the Round Table offers a unique twist on the “chosen one” trope, picking someone other than the hero of prophecy to be the viewers are meant to root for in the movie.

It’s worth noting that taking this direction helped the film cover a part of the story that some Camelot movies and shows struggle to adapt or avoid altogether. As the legends dictate, Arthur dies in battle with Modred. Because of this, it’s often difficult to tell the whole story, but Knights of the Round Table gets around this easily, as Arthur’s death is the moment that allows Lancelot to fully take over.