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Movies / Upcoming / The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone

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The Sword in the Stone (1963)

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Reviews Counted:22

Fresh:16

Rotten:6

Average Rating:6/10

Consensus: A decent take on the legend of King Arthur, The Sword in the Stone suffers from relatively indifferent animation, but its characters are still memorable and appealing.

Runtime: 79 mins

Genre: Childrens

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: In London, during medieval times, there was a large stone with a heavy sword imbedded in it. The man who could pull the sword from the stone would become king of England, but no man, despite his... In London, during medieval times, there was a large stone with a heavy sword imbedded in it. The man who could pull the sword from the stone would become king of England, but no man, despite his strength, was able to complete the deed. However, when a young lad named Wart appears, he just might be able to pull off the impossible.... [More]

Starring: Ricky Sorenson, Karl Swenson, Norman Alden, Sebastian Cabot

Starring: Ricky Sorenson, Karl Swenson, Norman Alden, Sebastian Cabot, Martha Wentworth, Alan Napier, Junius Matthews

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Screenwriter: Bill Peet
Composer: George Bruns

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Sword in the Stone

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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It makes a good effort at being something like My First Arthur Story.

Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy | comment Comment
11/15/09
Tim Brayton
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy

It feels older than contemporary Disney work due to flat, creaky animation. The story still has resonance for kids, though.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
11/03/09
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Innocuous fun for all the family -- well, those under eight anyway. Grown-ups should seek out Excalibur instead.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
11/03/09
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It is seldom mentioned in discussions of Disney's work, and no character in it evolved into a Disney favorite.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
11/03/09
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There is still some life in the characterizations, though the animation is turning stiff and flat.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
11/03/09
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

The feature-length cartoon demonstrates anew the magic of the Disney animators and imagination in character creation.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Sadly, in viewing the film as an adult, I lost a bit of the magic.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
08/24/08
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

For all of its inventiveness, the film's characters are never quite as endearing as they should be, and the central relationship between Arthur and Merlin is oddly detached.

Full Review Source: DVD Review | comment Comment
07/02/08
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
DVD Review

He had my heart racing like a squirrel. He had my body soaring into the stratosphere like a bird. He had me slippery and firm like a fresh young perch.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
06/22/08
Eric Henderson
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine

Fans of the fairy-tale format will recognize a little Cinderella in the structure.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
06/15/08
James Plath
James Plath
DVDTown.com

A beautifully animated Disney feature.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
08/19/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
07/01/05
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

comment Comment
04/08/05
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Catholic Sun

Not one of Disney's brighter moments.

comment Comment
07/19/04
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

No review available.

comment Comment
07/15/03
Josh Gilchrist
Josh Gilchrist
Billings Outpost (Montana)

The humor sparkles with real, knowing sophistication -- meaning for all ages -- and some of the characters on the fifth-century landscape of Old England are Disney pips.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/21/03
Glenn Collins
Glenn Collins
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Minor Disney fare, but still enjoyable. The climactic wizard's duel is a real high point.

comment Comment
10/15/02
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Flipside Movie Emporium

Not top-notch Disney animation, but still OK.

comment Comment
08/21/02
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

No review available.

comment Comment
08/16/02
Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Film Freak Central
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
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