Film Review #13: The Sword in the Stone

If there ever was a Walt Disney Classic that is up for the biggest debate regarding it's role as a Disney Classic, it's this one.  The Sword in the Stone is one of the weaker efforts of all of Disney's many years of animation.  The film lacks the Disney magic, and I was even thinking of skipping over this film like I did the Package Projects and going back to this later, but since this film did get a Walt Disney Classics logo on it's first video release, I feel like I have to.  Ugh!  Here we go.

Plot: The film begins with telling the story of the heavenly miracle that became the people of London of the magic sword that was placed in a stone.  Whoever pulled this sword out of the stone would be King, but none ever did, and England forgot about it.  (Why did this need to be in the beginning?)

Merlin the enchanter finds a boy named Wart (Arthur), and decides to school the boy in the ways of the world, but since they lived in anti-scientific Dark Ages, most of the time, Wart regards Merlin with a curious confusion.  Wart lives in the slightly oppressive manor of the knight Sir Ector and his bully of a son named Kay.  During a series of comic adventures, Wart learns the ways of wisdom and knowledge and encounters many dangerous foes, including a looney witch named Madam Mim.

What's Bad?: The film goes at the pace of a day at school.  The film isn't a film to show a bunch of kids between the ages of 6 and 10 (I learned this the hard way).  While you do learn many lessons, it isn't that memorable or engaging, until you encounter the mad Madam Mim, who is pretty enjoyable.

The songs aren't that memorable, with the exception of "That's What Makes the World Go Round" which is a pretty decent song.  The score is just as slow as the story.

The film lacks a central antagonist, as Mim only appears to be a minor character, like King Louie or the Cheshire Cat.

What's Good?: There are only three redeemable things about this film.  The first two were already mentioned above.  The third is Merlin, who is like a prototype of the Genie in Aladdin.  This also seemed to be the blueprint that many other films unknowingly followed, as this film was the first Disney film to break the fourth wall multiple times.

Overall: The film lacks magic.  It lacks heart and grit.  It would have been one of the worst Disney films of all time, had it not been for a great Merlin, and the horrible blitzkrieg of bad Disney films in the 2000's.  You could avoid this one if you want, but it does have a funny wizard in it.  See it, but keep the audience down to your youngest kids.

Report Card

Hero:                   C
Heroine:               N/A
Villain:                 B+
Side Characters:  A-
Songs:                   B-
Score:                   C+
Themes:               B
Story:                  C+
Animation:         C+
Special Effects:  C-

Final Grade : C+