''Merlin'' is a two-part 1998 television
miniseries
A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...
that originally aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...
. It retells the legend of
King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
.
Sam Neill
Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...
starred in the title role in a story that covers not only the rise and fall of
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as the ...
but also the phase in the
legendary history of
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
that precedes it.
The film deviates from more traditional versions of the legend, notably by including new characters such as
Queen Mab
Queen Mab is a fairy referred to in William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', where "she is the fairies' midwife". Later, she appears in other poetry and literature, and in various guises in drama and cinema. In the play, her activity i ...
and by keeping Merlin through the whole reign of King Arthur over Britain (whereas in older versions, Merlin left earlier in the king's reign).
The film was followed by a sequel in 2006, ''
Merlin's Apprentice
''Merlin's Apprentice'' is a 2006 miniseries. It is a sequel to the 1998 television miniseries ''Merlin'' with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson reprising their roles as Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, albeit slightly different versions of their ...
'', which was loosely connected with traditional
Arthurian legend
The Matter of Britain is the body of medieval literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and Brittany and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it, particularly King Arthur. It was one of the three great Weste ...
.
Plot
Merlin, an elderly man telling his life story, describes a Britain faced with
invasions
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing co ...
and tyrant kings increasingly cruel to the people.
Fairy Queen Mab seeks to reclaim her power by drawing people back to worship
the "Old Ways." To do so, she creates a wizard named Merlin, whom she intends to champion her crusade. Merlin's mother dies giving birth to him, and he is raised by his guardian, Ambrosia.
Years later, a teenage Merlin recounts to Ambrosia how he rescued a nobleman's daughter, Nimue, from drowning by magically growing a branch. Ambrosia tells him of his past, and he is sent to Mab to begin training with Frik, Mab's
gnome servant; however, Merlin has little interest in helping Mab's crusade to restore the Old Ways, angering her. Merlin discovers from the
Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake (french: Dame du Lac, Demoiselle du Lac, cy, Arglwyddes y Llyn, kw, Arloedhes an Lynn, br, Itron al Lenn, it, Dama del Lago) is a name or a title used by several either fairy or fairy-like but human enchantresses in the ...
, Mab's sister, that Mab let his birth mother die and that Ambrosia is ill. Mab reaches Ambrosia's home before Merlin, but when Ambrosia refuses to convince Merlin to return to Mab, Mab lashes out, mortally injuring Ambrosia. Merlin tries to attack Mab but can't defeat her; she coldly dismisses the deaths of his mother and Ambrosia as "casualties of war" and vows that Merlin will help her. Merlin makes a blood oath to use his powers only to defeat Mab.
Many years pass. The tyrant King
Vortigern
Vortigern (; owl, Guorthigirn, ; cy, Gwrtheyrn; ang, Wyrtgeorn; Old Breton: ''Gurdiern'', ''Gurthiern''; gle, Foirtchern; la, Vortigernus, , , etc.), also spelled Vortiger, Vortigan, Voertigern and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in ...
is angered that his new castle keeps collapsing. Mab convinces Vortigern his castle will only stand if Merlin's blood is mixed with the mortar. Vortigern orders Merlin killed but relents when Merlin tells Vortigern of his vision: a
crimson dragon representing
Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon ( Brittonic) (; cy, Ythyr Ben Dragwn, Uthyr Pendragon, Uthyr Bendragon), also known as King Uther, was a legendary King of the Britons in sub-Roman Britain (c. 6th century). Uther was also the father of King Arthur.
A few ...
defeating the
white dragon
The white dragon ( cy, Y Ddraig Wen) is a symbol associated in Welsh mythology with the Anglo-Saxons.
Origin of tradition
The earliest usage of the white dragon as a symbol of the Anglo-Saxons is found in the '' Historia Brittonum''. The rele ...
that represents Vortigern. Mab tells the king that he can vanquish Uther by sacrificing Nimue to a dragon in the hope that Merlin will break his vow not to use magic. Merlin uses magic to save Nimue, and she is sent to
Avalon
Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in th ...
to recover from her burns. Merlin asks the Lady of the Lake for help, and she gives him the magical sword
Excalibur
Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in t ...
.
Merlin warns Uther of Vortigern's intention to attack him under cover of winter. Uther heeds Merlin's warning, and Merlin uses Excalibur to defeat Vortigern during battle, giving Excalibur to Uther afterward.
Uther becomes obsessed with
Igraine
In the Matter of Britain, Igraine () is the mother of King Arthur. Igraine is also known in Latin as Igerna, in Welsh as Eigr ( Middle Welsh Eigyr), in French as Ygraine (Old French Ygerne or Igerne), in '' Le Morte d'Arthur'' as Ygrayne—of ...
, the wife of
Gorlois
In Arthurian legend, Gorlois ( cy, Gwrlais) of Tintagel, Duke of Cornwall, is the first husband of Igraine, whose second husband is Uther Pendragon. Gorlois's name first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae'' (). A vas ...
, Lord of
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...
. Seeing his emerging madness, Merlin tricks Uther out of Excalibur and plunges it into the Rock of Ages, who promises to keep it until a good man can withdraw it. Uther's mind is plagued by madness and lust for Igraine, and Britain slides back into civil war. Merlin strikes a deal with Uther to let him bed Igraine in exchange for guardianship of the son born from the union and for Gorlois and his men to be spared. Merlin transforms Uther's appearance into that of Gorlois, fooling everyone in
Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle ( kw, Dintagel) is a medieval fortification located on the peninsula of Tintagel Island adjacent to the village of Tintagel (Trevena), North Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The site was possibly occupied in the Romano-British p ...
except for Igraine's young daughter,
Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan ''n''a, Morgain ''a/e Morg ''a''ne, Morgant ''e Morge ''i''n, and Morgue ''inamong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a ...
. After bedding Igraine, Uther has Gorlois and his men slaughtered, deliberately going back on his word to Merlin.
While Igraine is in labor, at Mab's behest, Frik convinces Morgan to place a black stone beneath the baby's sheets in his crib. Igraine gives birth to
Arthur
Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more w ...
. Mab then confronts Merlin, proclaiming Arthur to be damned, but Merlin vows to raise him in the ways of good and hopes Arthur will help bring about her demise.
Merlin tutors Arthur. Uther sinks further into madness and commits suicide, leaving the kingdom in turmoil. The noblemen in the kingdom try to take Excalibur from the Rock of Ages, but none can until Merlin presents Arthur, who is allowed to take the sword.
After initial hostility, the nobles unite behind Arthur as their rightful king. Merlin leaves, thinking the kingdom is finally at peace. Mab, however, instructs Frik to seek out Morgan (
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award ...
) and poison her mind by making her beautiful and having her seduce Arthur. He is unaware of their half-sibling relationship, and Merlin races back to Camelot to confront Arthur. Morgan gives birth to
Mordred
Mordred or Modred (; Welsh: ''Medraut'' or ''Medrawt'') is a figure who is variously portrayed in the legend of King Arthur. The earliest known mention of a possibly historical Medraut is in the Welsh chronicle ''Annales Cambriae'', wherein h ...
, who, conceived through incest, is born evil. Mab helps raise Mordred to become Arthur's downfall. Arthur starts construction of his castle of Camelot and marries
Guinevere
Guinevere ( ; cy, Gwenhwyfar ; br, Gwenivar, kw, Gwynnever), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First me ...
.
Arthur decides to take his knights on a quest for the
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracu ...
, he holds a tournament to crown a champion who will defend and complete Camelot in his absence. The Lady of the Lake vows to guide Merlin to a man worthy of being Camelot's guardian. Merlin meets a boy,
Galahad
Sir Galahad (), sometimes referred to as Galeas () or Galath (), among other versions of his name, is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of S ...
, and his parents,
Lancelot
Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), also written as Launcelot and other variants (such as early German ''Lanzelet'', early French ''Lanselos'', early Welsh ''Lanslod Lak'', Italian ''Lancillotto'', Spanish ''Lanzarote del Lago' ...
, a skilled rider and swordsman, and
Elaine of Astolat
Elaine of Astolat (), also known as Elayne of Ascolat and other variants of the name, is a figure in Arthurian legend. She is a lady from the castle of Astolat who dies of her unrequited love for Sir Lancelot. Well-known versions of her story ap ...
. Merlin brings Lancelot to Camelot, where he wins the tournament.
In Arthur's absence, Guinevere and Lancelot embark on a love affair. Mab makes sure Elaine sees his betrayal, and she is found dead at the shores of Camelot not long after. Lancelot flees Camelot in his guilt and shame. Arthur and his knights return, their quest for the Grail a failure.
Mordred introduces himself as Arthur's son and heir and reveals Guinevere's betrayal to all. Arthur is forced to condemn her to be burned at the stake for treason, but he relents and has Merlin save her before she is harmed, causing him to lose respect among the younger nobles. Lancelot rides back to Camelot to save Guinevere, and they ride away into exile.
Mordred raises an army among those dissatisfied with Arthur and Merlin. Meanwhile, Frik and Morgan have fallen in love. When Morgan refuses to allow Mab to use Mordred further, Mab kills her. Frik vows revenge on Mab but is left powerless when she takes away his magic.
Mab creates an idyllic wilderness home for Nimue and asks her to persuade Merlin to stay with her, hoping to stop him from intervening in the coming battle. Wanting to be with him, Nimue agrees and sends for Merlin.
The armies of Mordred and Arthur begin the
Battle of Camlann
The Battle of Camlann ( cy, Gwaith Camlan or ''Brwydr Camlan'') is the legendary final battle of King Arthur, in which Arthur either died or was fatally wounded while fighting either with or against Mordred, who also perished. The original l ...
, where many on both sides are slain. Arthur defeats Mordred and kills him, but Mordred deals Arthur a fatal blow. Sensing his protégé is dying, Merlin leaves Nimue to go to Arthur, but Mab's creation seals itself behind him, parting Merlin from Nimue forever. On the battlefield, Mab cannot save Mordred, and Arthur lives long enough to tell Merlin to return Excalibur to where it was found. Merlin gives back the sword to the Lady of the Lake. She tells Merlin she is slowly dying as the Old Ways are forgotten. Merlin accuses her of lying to him about the guardian of Camelot, but she explains that it was Galahad who was the true guardian and could have averted all this, though she assures Merlin that Arthur's death is not his fault. Merlin encounters Frik among the survivors of Arthur's army, who warns him that although Mab is significantly weakened, she is still dangerous.
Merlin confronts Mab at Camelot, but the ensuing magical duel ends in a stalemate. Mab sneers that she is invulnerable to conventional means of destruction, but Merlin responds that she will be defeated when she is forgotten. Mab slowly fades into nothing as Merlin, Frik, and the entire court of Camelot turn their backs on her and walk away.
Merlin is again shown back in the present, finishing his story. Frik appears along with Merlin's aged magic horse, who Frik says will take him to Nimue. Frik explains that sometime after Mab disappeared, the spells she had cast lost their effectiveness, and Nimue was set free. Merlin finds the elderly Nimue at Ambrosia's old forest home. He manages one last act of magic to restore them both to youth so they can live out their lives together.
Cast
*
Sam Neill
Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...
as Merlin
**
Daniel Brocklebank
Daniel Brocklebank (born 21 December 1979) is a British actor, best known for portraying the roles of Ivan Jones in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' (2005–2006), and Billy Mayhew in ITV's other long-running soap ''Coronation Street'' (2014 ...
as teenage Merlin
*
Miranda Richardson
Miranda Jane Richardson (born 3 March 1958) is an English actress. She made her film debut playing Ruth Ellis in '' Dance with a Stranger'' (1985) and went on to receive Academy Award nominations for '' Damage'' (1992) and '' Tom & Viv'' (1994). ...
as Queen Mab and The Lady of The Lake (sisters)
*
Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini (born 18 June 1952) is an Italian-American actress, author, philanthropist, and model. The daughter of the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and the Italian film director Roberto Rossellini, she is note ...
as Nimue
** Agnieszka Kozon as teenage Nimue
*
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and writer. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. In 2019 Short became an Officer of the Order of Canada.
H ...
as Frik
* Paul Curran as Arthur
*
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award ...
as Morgan le Fay
** Alice Hamilton as young Morgan le Fay
*
Rutger Hauer
Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century.
Hauer's career began in 1969 with the title role in the Dutch television series ' ...
as King Vortigern
*
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...
as the Rock of Ages
*
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...
as King Constant
*
Billie Whitelaw
Billie Honor Whitelaw (6 June 1932 – 21 December 2014) was an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and was regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works. She was a ...
as Ambrosia
*
Lena Headey
Lena Kathren Headey ( ; born 3 October 1973) is a British actress. She gained international recognition and acclaim for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on the HBO epic fantasy drama series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she re ...
as Guinevere
*
Jason Done
Jason Done (born 5 April 1973) is an English actor who appeared as Mordred in the 1998 TV miniseries ''Merlin'', opposite Sam Neill. He is best known for his role as Stephen Snow in ITV drama '' Where The Heart Is'' from 1999 to 2001 and Tom ...
as Mordred
*
Rachel De Thame as Igraine
* Mark Jax as Uther
*
Jeremy Sheffield
Jeremy Sheffield (born 17 March 1966) is an English actor and former ballet dancer. He is most noted for his roles in ''Holby City'', ''Murder in Suburbia'' and ''Hollyoaks'' on television, as well as in the films '' Creep'' and ''The Wedding Da ...
as Lancelot
*
Sebastian Roché
Sebastian Roché (born 4 August 1964) is a French-American actor. He is known for his roles as Kurt Mendel in '' Odyssey 5'', Jerry Jacks in ''General Hospital'', Thomas Jerome Newton in '' Fringe'', Balthazar in ''Supernatural'', Mikael in bo ...
as Gawain
*
John McEnery
John McEnery (1 November 1943 – 12 April 2019) was an English actor and writer.
Born in Birmingham, he trained (1962–1964) at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, playing, among others, Mosca in Ben Jonson's '' Volpone'' and Gavest ...
as Lord Ardente
*
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Roger Ashton-Griffiths (born 19 January 1957) is an English character actor, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his role as Mace Tyrell in the HBO fantasy series ''Game of Thrones''.
Life and career
Born in Hertfordshire, ...
as Sir Boris
*
Nicholas Clay
Nicholas Anthony Phillip Clay (18 September 1946 – 25 May 2000) was an English actor.
Early life
Clay was born in Streatham, London on 18 September 1946, the son of a professional soldier in the British Army's Royal Engineers. The famil ...
as Lord Leo
*
Robert Addie
Robert Alastair Addie (10 February 1960 – 20 November 2003) was an English film and theatre actor, who came to prominence playing the role of Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the 1980s British television drama series '' Robin of Sherwood''.
Early li ...
as Sir Gilbert
*
Keith Baxter as Sir Hector
*
Nickolas Grace
Nickolas Andrew Halliwell Grace (born 21 November 1947) is an English actor known for his roles on television, including Anthony Blanche in the acclaimed ITV adaptation of ''Brideshead Revisited'', and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1980s seri ...
as Sir Egbert
*
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and leader of t ...
as Lord Lot
*
Peter Woodthorpe
Peter Woodthorpe (25 September 1931 – 13 August 2004) was an English actor who supplied the voice of Gollum in the 1978 Bakshi version of ''The Lord of the Rings'' and BBC's 1981 radio serial. He also provided the voice of Pigsy in the cul ...
as Soothsayer
Production
The film was produced by
Dyson Lovell and directed by
Steve Barron
Steven Barron (born 4 May 1956) is an Irish-British filmmaker. He is best known for directing the music videos for the songs "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Summer of '69" and "Run to You (Bryan Adams song), Run to You" by Bryan Adams, "Mon ...
. The story is by Edward Khmara, with the teleplay written by
David Stevens and
Peter Barnes. Illustrator
Alan Lee served as the film's conceptual designer.
Despite heavy fantasy elements, the production is partly historically accurate, keeping with the probable origins of the Arthurian legend in
Sub-Roman Britain
Sub-Roman Britain is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that hin ...
. The costumes and props used in the film include
Dark Age
The ''Dark Ages'' is a term for the Early Middle Ages, or occasionally the entire Middle Ages, in Western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire that characterises it as marked by economic, intellectual and cultural decline.
The conce ...
or
Early Medieval
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
Celtic and
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
-style weapons and armor (such as
Iron Age swords,
mail
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letter (message), letters, and parcel (package), parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid ...
,
scale
Scale or scales may refer to:
Mathematics
* Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points
* Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original
* Scale factor, a number ...
, and
leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and ho ...
). In contrast, other Arthurian films like ''
Excalibur
Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in t ...
'', ''
Knights of the Round Table
The Knights of the Round Table ( cy, Marchogion y Ford Gron, kw, Marghekyon an Moos Krenn, br, Marc'hegien an Daol Grenn) are the knights of the fellowship of King Arthur in the literary cycle of the Matter of Britain. First appearing in li ...
,'' and ''
First Knight
''First Knight'' is a 1995 medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Sean Connery as King Arthur, Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere and Ben Cross as Malagant.
The film follows the rogue La ...
'' used
High Medieval
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
or
Late Medieval
The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Rena ...
-style weapons and armour (such as
longswords and full suits of
plate). However, some anachronisms are present, like the use of the terms "knight" and "Sir" and the presence of Roman ''
lorica segmentata
The ''lorica segmentata'' (), also called ''lorica lamminata'' (see §Name), is a type of personal armour that was used by soldiers of the Roman army, consisting of metal strips fashioned into circular bands, fastened to internal leather stra ...
'' armour years after it was discontinued. During the conflict between Vortigern and Uther, Uther is said to be invading from
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
, despite the film taking place long before the age of the Vikings and thus of the
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
colonization, which gave
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
its name.
Nicholas Clay
Nicholas Anthony Phillip Clay (18 September 1946 – 25 May 2000) was an English actor.
Early life
Clay was born in Streatham, London on 18 September 1946, the son of a professional soldier in the British Army's Royal Engineers. The famil ...
, who plays Guinevere's father,
Lord Leo, and
Robert Addie
Robert Alastair Addie (10 February 1960 – 20 November 2003) was an English film and theatre actor, who came to prominence playing the role of Sir Guy of Gisbourne in the 1980s British television drama series '' Robin of Sherwood''.
Early li ...
, who plays Sir Gilbert, both appeared in
John Boorman
Sir John Boorman (; born 18 January 1933) is a British film director, best known for feature films such as ''Point Blank (1967 film), Point Blank'' (1967), ''Hell in the Pacific'' (1968), ''Deliverance'' (1972), ''Zardoz'' (1974), ''Exorcist I ...
's 1981 film ''
Excalibur
Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in t ...
'' as (respectively)
Lancelot
Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), also written as Launcelot and other variants (such as early German ''Lanzelet'', early French ''Lanselos'', early Welsh ''Lanslod Lak'', Italian ''Lancillotto'', Spanish ''Lanzarote del Lago' ...
and
Mordred
Mordred or Modred (; Welsh: ''Medraut'' or ''Medrawt'') is a figure who is variously portrayed in the legend of King Arthur. The earliest known mention of a possibly historical Medraut is in the Welsh chronicle ''Annales Cambriae'', wherein h ...
. Paul Curran, who played the adult King Arthur, played
Kay
The name Kay is found both as a surname (see Kay (surname)) and as a given name. In English-speaking countries, it is usually a feminine name, often a short form of Katherine or one of its variants; but it is also used as a first name in its own ...
alongside
Jason Connery
Jason Joseph Connery (born 11 January 1963) is a British actor and director. He is the son of Sean Connery and Diane Cilento. On screen, he is best known for appearing in the third series of the ITV drama series '' Robin of Sherwood'' in 1986. ...
as Merlin in ''
Merlin: The Quest Begins'', an unrelated television film released the same year.
Reception
The original television broadcast in the United States achieved record audiences of an estimated 70 million, "ratings that could only be labeled magical," as ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' stated.
Accolades
Sequel
Hallmark Entertainment
Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...
filmed a subsequent miniseries in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...
, entitled ''
Merlin's Apprentice
''Merlin's Apprentice'' is a 2006 miniseries. It is a sequel to the 1998 television miniseries ''Merlin'' with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson reprising their roles as Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, albeit slightly different versions of their ...
'', with Neill and Richardson returning, although Richardson played a somewhat different role.
The miniseries was broadcast in 2006 on
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies ...
.
References
External links
*
{{TV series based on Arthurian legends
1998 American television series debuts
1998 American television series endings
1990s American television miniseries
Television series based on Arthurian legend
American sword and sorcery films
1998 films
1998 fantasy films
Films set in England
Sonar Entertainment miniseries
Television series produced at Pinewood Studios
Works based on Merlin
Films directed by Steve Barron
Television about magic
Witchcraft in television
Wizards in television
1990s American films