i love 'camelot'. i contend it is one of the best translations of a broadway show to film media. i love the book, the look, the score, the casting and the direction. richard harris and vanessa redgrave are the perfect arthur and guenivere. if there is a weak link it is franco nero as lancelot getting one of the worst dubbed singing voices in musical history. otherwise it is actually a better film than the original broadway production.
richard harris plays arthur as a big kid with a big heart, a lot of love, warmth and charm. he is just so damn perfect. vanessa redgrave gives us a guenivere that is worth fighting a war over. and she has never been more sensual as a guenivere should be.
the score soars. it seldom falls flat although 'if ever i would leave you' one of it's most famous tunes is utterly destroyed by the aforementioned nero dubbing. rather than list my favorites i give you some videos instead. please realize these are not from the blu ray version but some older you tube clips.
'i wonder what the king is doing tonight' introduces us to mr harris's youthfully charming arthur
'where are the simple joys of maidenhood' in turn introduces us to a youthful yet sensual guenivere
'the lusty month of may' gives us an equally lusty guenivere, lusty knights and lusty ladies
'camelot'
'what do the simple folk do'
'take me to the fair'
'how to handle a woman'
don't let it be forgot
that once there was a spot
for one brief shining moment...
and now it is on blu ray forever
