The legend of King Arthur gets the Disney treatment in this animated tale based on the TH White novel. It’s pretty forgettable and a bit dated (the movie was made in 1963 and just doesn’t rank as a Disney classic), but there’s some fun to be had as magician Merlin and his owl Archimedes meet young Arthur (known as Wart to his pals) and try to teach him about the world in preparation for him becoming king one day. There’s interference from a bad guy, of course – in this case Madam Mim – but nothing truly scary or exciting really happens.
Instead there are some jokes and some amusement when Merlin turns Arthur into various cute animals that may entertain smaller viewers. Older kids, on the other hand, would probably rather catch other versions of the Arthur legend, such as John Boorman’s grim 1981 Excalibur or 2004’s grisly King Arthur (both ‘15’ certificate films really aimed at adults).
Is The Sword In The Stone suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Little ones may be scared by Madam Mim.
If you like this, why not try: The Road To Eldorado, The Black Cauldron, Peter Pan 1953, Dragonheart, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame,