Plot
After his master dies, a peasant squire, fueled by his desire for food and glory, creates a new identity for himself as a knight.
Release Year: 2001
Rating: 6.7/10 (67,865 voted)
Critic's Score: 54/100
Director:
Brian Helgeland
Stars: Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell
Storyline Inspired by "The Canterbury Tales," as well as the story of Ulrich von Lichtenstein, this is the story of William, a young squire with a gift for jousting. After his master dies suddenly, the squire hits the road with his cohorts Roland and Wat. On the journey, they stumble across an unknown writer, Chaucer. William, lacking a proper pedigree, convinces Chaucer to forge genealogy documents that will pass him off as a knight. With his newly-minted history in hand, the young man sets out to prove himself a worthy knight at the country's jousting competition, and finds romance along the way.
Cast: Heath Ledger
-
William Thatcher
Rufus Sewell
-
Count Adhemar
Shannyn Sossamon
-
Jocelyn
Paul Bettany
-
Geoffrey Chaucer
Laura Fraser
-
Kate
Mark Addy
-
Roland
Alan Tudyk
-
Wat
Bérénice Bejo
-
Christiana
(as Berenice Bejo)
Scott Handy
-
Germaine
James Purefoy
-
Colville
Leagh Conwell
-
Young William Thatcher
Christopher Cazenove
-
John Thatcher
Steven O'Donnell
-
Simon the Summoner
(as Steve O'Donnell)
Jonathan Slinger
-
Peter the Pardoner
Nick Brimble
-
Sir Ector
Taglines:
He didn't make the rules. He was born to break them.
Opening Weekend: $16,511,391
(USA)
(13 May 2001)
(2980 Screens)
Gross: $56,083,966
(USA)
(29 July 2001)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
(extended version)
Did You Know?
Trivia: Heath Ledger knocked out one of director Brian Helgeland's front teeth with a broomstick when the two were demonstrating a jousting move. It was several months before Helgeland's mouth had healed enough to repair the damage. He says it was the only jousting injury during filming.
Goofs:
Continuity:
Right before William is told, instead of losing, to win the tournament for Jocelyn, William asks Wat if he remembers the church when they were kids. Wat's hair then changes from being down his forehead, to pushed back, between the shots.
Quotes:
[first lines]
William:
Should we help him?
User Review
Entertaining
Rating: 9/10
This comment is to counter those who have issue with modern rock and
other time problems being in this movie. This movie was designed to
entertain. It was NOT a historical piece and nowhere does it claim to
be one. This is the story of a boy who aspires to be more than what
society set out for him. The movie uses odd references to history's
great figures and humor to bring its story across to the viewer. So I
say that, for those of you who cannot enjoy a piece of entertainment
due to its well placed use of anachronisms, I strongly suggest you stay
away from any of Shakespeare's works. (Not to say that this movie was
on level with Shakespeare...) The makers of "A Knight's Tale" set out
to entertain, and did so dutifully.
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