The Sword in the Stone

1963 cartoon

Rating: 14/20 (Abbey: 12/20)

Plot: King Arthur, before he was King Arthur, makes a wizard friend and later pulls the titular sword from the titular stone which makes him king.

Here's a question--why's Merlin need to stand on a stool to sing his silly songs and perform magic? I mean, he's the guy who said, "Don't take gravity too lightly or it can catch up with you." It seems like standing on a stool like that is only asking for trouble.

Though I really like how the characters look and move in this, it seems like Disney went really cheap with the backgrounds. It also seems like Disney recycled itself in a scene where Arthur (Wart) is being chased by skinny Gaston, the latter who stumbles and falls on his face. The first time, it's in a forest, and the character trips over a log. The second time is in the town right near the end of the movie. It's the same angles and everything, and I think they just reused the characters over a different background.

But I do like how the characters move. Merlin's beard is almost a character on its own, and you just have to love how Merlin and the witch lady march to their wizards duel. That duel itself is a highlight, showing off the creativity of these Disney storyboarders, the kind of creativity that can overcome financial restraints. Most of the movie has Merlin changing Wart and him into various animals, and though I appreciated the whimsy in those scenes, I wish the legends added up to a little more. There's really no arc to this character. He turns into various animals and then stumbles into this situation where he yanks the sword from the rock. The end.