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First Knight

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First Knight is a 1995 film about an aged and war-weary King Arthur, who is forced to go to battle one last time against the traitor Prince Malagant, whilst in the meantime his new bride Guinevere and new knight Sir Lancelot betray the king in their own way.

Directed by Jerry Zucker. Written by William Nicholson.
Their greatest battle would be for her love.

King Arthur

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  • Lancelot, just a thought. A man who fears nothing is a man who loves nothing; and if you love nothing, what joy is there in your life? I may be wrong.
  • May God grant us the wisdom to discover right, the will to choose it, and the strength to make it endure.
  • This is the heart of Camelot, not these stones, not these timbers, these palaces and towers. Burn them all and Camelot lives on, because it lives in us. Camelot is a belief that we hold in our hearts...Either what we hold to be right and good and true is right and good and true for all mankind, under God, or we’re just another robber tribe.
  • For the first in my life, I wanted what all wise men say can't last; what can't be promised or made to linger any more than sunlight. I don't want to die without having felt its warmth on my face.

Guinevere

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  • I only know one way to love my lord, and that is body and mind and soul.

Malagant

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  • Self-sacrifice is very easy. It's having to sacrifice someone you love that puts your convictions to the test.
  • [on his "palace"] They say this was once the greatest castle ever built. Now grass grows in the halls where kings once feasted, and peasants cart away the mighty walls stone by stone to build shelters for their pigs. Ha! Such is glory.

Dialogue

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Arthur: God uses people like you, Lancelot. Because your heart is open. You hold nothing back. You give all of yourself.
Lancelot: If you knew me better, you would not say such things.
Arthur: Oh, hey, I take the good with the bad, together. I can't love people in slices.
Lancelot: Do you know how to win a sword fight?
John: How?
Lancelot: Be the only one with a sword!
Guinevere: If there is any honor in you, promise me never to do that again.
Lancelot: I don't know about honor. But I promise you, I won't kiss you again till you ask me to.
[At a meeting of the Knights of the Round Table...]
Malagant: May I congratulate the king on his forthcoming marriage. [points to the empty seat] I see my place hasn't been taken yet. [sets his sword down on the table] To think that I was once first among your knights.
Arthur: You left this council of your own free will.
Malagant: We each of us must follow our own road, my lord, and mine had further to go.
Arthur: And where does your road take you, Malagant? To Lyonesse?
Malagant: [innocently] Lyonesse is my neighbor! I've offered the lady a treaty of friendship. I still await an answer.
Guinevere: You call burning villages an act of friendship?
Malagant: Oh yes, my lady. Since your honored father's death, your land has been more lawless by the day. Were you yourself not attacked on the road here?
Guinevere: You know who attacked me.
Malagant: I made it my business to know. The bandits have been hunted down. Justice has been done.
Guinevere: [angrily] What justice? You know no law higher than yourself!
Arthur: [reading] "Armed forces to be given access to all Lyonesse. Troops to assist in the enforcement of law in all Lyonesse." [to Guinevere] Do you want to sign this?
Guinevere: I'll never sign it.
Arthur: There's your answer. She says no.
Malagant: She's very brave. Now she's to be married. So, is Lyonesse to come under the protection of Camelot?
Arthur: Is Lyonesse in need of protection?
Malagant: [scoffs] Come, Arthur. I'm here to settle this business. We both know Lyonesse is too weak to stand alone. Let's say half each. The lesser gives way to the greater, and what nation could be greater than Camelot, the land of justice and the hope of mankind? Come. Your hand on it. We'll all live together as friends.
Arthur: [hands his treaty back] You offer me what isn't yours to give.
Malagant: [to the rest of the council] You all know me. You know I'm a man of my word. Don't make an enemy of me. I mean no harm to Camelot.
Arthur: [rises] You know the law we live by. And where is it written, "Beyond Camelot live lesser people, people too weak to protect themselves; let them die", hmm?
Malagant: Other people live by other laws, Arthur. Or is the law of Camelot to rule the entire world?
Arthur: There are laws that enslave men, and laws that set them free. Either what we hold to be right and good and true is right and good and true, for all mankind, under God, or we're just another robber tribe.
Malagant: Your fine words are talking you out of peace and into war.
Arthur: There's a peace that's only to be found on the other side of war. If that battle must come, I will fight it!
Sir Agravaine: And I! [the other knights echo him]
Malagant: [contemptuous] The great Arthur... and his great dream. No dream lasts forever.
[Malagant's men have captured Guinevere and brought her to an abandoned castle]
Malagant: Welcome to my palace, my lady. [bows mockingly] I think we can release the lady from her bonds. [draws a dagger] If she so wishes.
[Guinevere pulls her bonds across the blade; as he sheathes it, Malagant notices something...]
Malagant: What's this? Your dress is torn. Ralf?
Ralf: Yes, my prince?
Malagant: I gave orders that the lady was not to be harmed.
Ralf: But my prince, I didn't -- [Malagant backhands him, knocking him to the floor]
Malagant: [inspects Guinevere's dress] Your dress is quite spoiled, my lady. You're almost... [rips it off, leaving her in her undergown] a queen. Ralf?
Ralf: My prince?
Malagant: Did you do this?
Ralf: [resignedly] Yes, my prince. [Guinevere looks at him in disbelief]
Malagant: You see? This is what Arthur doesn't understand. Men don't want brotherhood. They want leadership. [claps his hands with a shout, and several men approach; he chuckles] Shall we?
[Malagant's men have interrupted Lancelot's execution and demands fealty from King Arthur]
Arthur: I have no pride left in me. What I do, now I do for my people and for Camelot. And may they forgive me. This is my last act as your king. Do not be afraid. All things change. [thrusts sword onto the ground] I am Arthur of Camelot, and I command you now... all... [kneels but suddenly rises with sword] TO FIGHT!! [everybody is surprised and Malagant's men draw swords too] Fight like you've never fought before! Never surrender! Never surrender! Fight as you never- [gets shot by several crossbow bolts; loses sword]
Guinevere: NO!!!
Arthur: [as the knights get him out of danger] CAMELOT LIVES!!!! [the citizens and knights start attacking Malagant's troops]
Malagant: BURN IT! BURN EVERYTHING!

Cast

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