Alan Ladd stars as a medieval blacksmith at the time of King Arthur, where he fulfills the American dream by working his way up from rags to riches by killing people (nobly of course).
Many have linked the film’s ideology to the prevailing McCarthyism of the epoch, especially the treachery from within, which works in favour of foreign powers. The historic authenticity is challenging even to the average schoolboy as Saracens, Cornishmen and Vikings all compete to invade Arthurian England and impale themselves on Ladd’s sword.
Not content with showing some of Spain’s finest castles, the producers did what only Hollywood would do, combining the frequently used walls of Ávila with the also frequently shown Alcázar castle of Segovia to make one super ‘Disney’ castle, which is Camelot in the film.