Word: camelots
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...CAMELOT. Joshua Logan's re-creation of the fantasy land inhabited by King Arthur (Richard Harris), Queen Guinevere (Vanessa Redgrave) and Lancelot (Franco Nero) is about as enchanting as a Hollywood back lot, despite the regal talents and rich voice of the leading lady...
Into the Manhattan premiere of the film Camelot swept Socialite Drue Heinz, resplendent in her pink brocade Oscar de La Renta gown. Then another limousine and out stepped Socialite Jean Tailer, proudly wearing her pink brocade Oscar de La Renta gown. And then came Socialite (and super saleswoman for Bergdorf Goodman) Jo Hughes, equally chic in the identical Oscar de La Renta gown...
Unfortunately, there is nothing royal about Camelot's carious screen version. It has been brought crunchingly down to earth by the churlish touch of Director Joshua Logan. To be sure, the film is a re-creation of the triangled plot involving King Arthur (Richard Harris), Queen Guenevere (Vanessa Redgrave) and Lancelot (Franco Nero), the interloper-knight who gives his rivals at the Round Table their joust desserts, thereby arousing the lady's passions. The King ignores their affair until the appearance of his bastard son Mordred (David Hemmings), who sunders the kingdom with slander and rumor...
Even on Broadway, Camelot never quite succeeded in capturing the wonderful, free imagination of White's original. The show suffered from a certain staginess-unconvincing battles, overweight choral numbers, anachronistic jokes. The movie, which should have opened up the drama, shuts it down instead. Logan makes every scene appear to be viewed from the wrong end of a telescope, minimizing the story and simplifying the actions. When Arthur sings about fishing, he awkwardly pantomimes the act of casting; when Guenevere chants the simple joys of maidenhood, she is forced to remain supine for 32 bars. Camelot's fantasy...
...properly revolting as the evil princeling, and Harris invests his role with dignity and tragedy. But it is Vanessa Redgrave who emerges as the film's most telling virtue-a touching, tragic beauty whose elongated face and aristocratic grace are reminiscent of a medieval tapestry. Without her, Camelot would be disastrous. With her surprisingly true voice and regal talents, it has its brief, shining moments, though in the end Camelot is reduced to Camelittle. Arthur's final nostalgic song seems less a memorial for the dream castle that never was than for the picture that might have been...