The Sword in the Stone

Country: United States

Language: English

Release Date: December 25, 1963

Runtime 79 Minutes

Rating G

## Plot

After the King of England, Uther Pendragon, dies without an heir to the throne, a sword magically appears inside an anvil atop a stone, with an inscription proclaiming that whoever removes it is the rightful King of England. Many have failed to remove the sword, which becomes forgotten, leaving England in the Dark Ages.

Years later, an 11-year-old orphan named Arthur, commonly called Wart, accidentally scares off a deer his older foster brother Sir Kay was hunting, causing Kay to launch his arrow into the forest. While retrieving the arrow, Arthur meets Merlin, an elderly wizard who lives with his talking pet owl Archimedes. Merlin declares himself Arthur's tutor and returns with him to his home, a castle run by Sir Ector, Arthur's foster father. Ector's friend, Sir Pellinore, arrives to announce that the winner of the upcoming New Year's Day tournament in London will be crowned king. Ector decides Kay will be a contender and appoints Arthur as Kay's squire.

To educate Arthur, Merlin transforms them both into fish. They swim in the castle moat to learn about physics, The Pike Was About to Swallow Arthur Then Merlin Transforms The Pike Into a Bear. After the lesson, Arthur is sent to the kitchen as punishment for attempting to relate what happened to Ector and Kay. Merlin enchants the dishes to wash themselves, then takes Arthur out again for another lesson.

For the next lesson, Merlin transforms them both into squirrels to learn about gravity. Arthur almost gets eaten by a wolf, but Merlin Transformers Both Wolf Into a Handsome Squirrel and The Hawk Into a Elder Squirrel, female squirrel and Granny Squirrel Sees Them and falls in love with them They Each Dumped Arthur and Merlin. After they return to human form, Ector accuses Merlin of using black magic on the dishes. Arthur defends Merlin, but Ector punishes Arthur by giving Kay another squire, Hobbs.

Resolving to make amends, Merlin plans on educating Arthur full-time. However, Merlin's knowledge of future history confuses Arthur, prompting Merlin to appoint Archimedes as Arthur's teacher. Merlin transforms Arthur into a sparrow and Archimedes teaches him how to fly. Soon after The Bear Chases Arthur Into the Haunted Forest Where The Evil Witch Madam Mim, Arthur encounters Madam Mim, an eccentric, evil witch who is Merlin's nemesis. Merlin arrives to rescue Arthur before Mim can destroy him, and Mim challenges Merlin to a wizards' duel and, despite Mim's cheating, Merlin outsmarts her by transforming into a germ and infecting her, illustrating the importance of knowledge over strength.

On Christmas Eve, Kay is knighted. When Hobbs comes down with the mumps, Ector reinstates Arthur as Kay's squire. Merlin ultimately scolds Arthur for choosing war games over education. When Arthur attempts to justify his decision, Merlin angrily transports himself to 20th-century Bermuda.

At the tournament, Arthur realizes he left Kay's sword at the inn. It is closed for the tournament, but Archimedes sees the "Sword in the Stone", which Arthur removes almost effortlessly, unknowingly fulfilling the prophecy. When Arthur returns with the sword, Ector recognizes it and the tournament is halted. Ector places the sword back in its anvil, demanding Arthur prove that he pulled it. He pulls it once again, revealing that he is England's rightful king, earning Ector and Kay's respect and the former's apology.

Later, the newly crowned King Arthur sits in the throne room with Archimedes, feeling unprepared for the responsibility of ruling a country. Merlin returns from Bermuda and resolves to help Arthur become the great king he has foreseen him to be.

## Cast

* Arthur/Wart as Rickie Sorensen, Richard Reitherman, and Robert Reitherman
* Lord Merlin as Karl Swenson
* Archimedes as Junius Matthews
* Lord Ector as Sebastian Cabot
* Sir Kay as Norman Alden
* Madam Mim and Granny Squirrel as Martha Wentworth
* Sir Pellinore as Alan Napier
* Scullery Maid: Barbara Jo Allen
* Wolf/Handsome Squirrel as Jimmy MacDonald
* Joe DeRita as Elder Squirrel
* Sir Bart as Thurl Ravenscroft
* Girl Squirrel as Ginny Tyler
* Knights/Nobles in Crowd as Tudor Owen
* Frank Welker as The Bear