Synopsis

In a version of the Arthurian legend stripped of magic, wandering swordsman Lancelot falls in love with Guinevere, the future queen of Camelot. Torn between personal desire and loyalty to King Arthur, Lancelot becomes one of the king's knights as the ruthless Malagant gathers forces to conquer Arthur's realm. Their private conflict is soon overshadowed by a battle for Camelot's survival.

Factoids & Trivia

• Principal photography took place from July 25 through October 23, 1994, in Wales and England. Locations included Trawsfynydd, Harlech, Black Park Country Park, and St Albans Cathedral.

• A large Camelot court set was constructed beside Lake Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, Wales. The lake and surrounding mountains provided the setting for the film's island stronghold.

• The film's production design was created by John Box, whose earlier credits included Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.

• Jerry Goldsmith's score was later expanded into a limited-edition two-CD release by La-La Land Records in 2011. The set was restricted to 5,000 copies and added more than an hour of music to the original soundtrack album.

• First Knight earned approximately $127.6 million worldwide after opening in U.S. theaters on July 7, 1995. Its theatrical reception was mixed, but Goldsmith's music and the film's large-scale sets have remained frequent points of praise.