Arthur of the Britons

Plot

The episode opens with Arthur and Kai being brought as captives into King Athel’s village. Morcant, who appears to be in command, accuses them of being Saxon spies, and tells a Warrior to kill them quickly. But before the command can be carried out, the old, blind King Athel appears, establishes Arthur’s identity, and berates Morcant for his supposed mistake. He introduces Arthur and Kai to a worried-looking young man called Tarn, who is his grandson, and only living relative. During the introductions, Kai only has eyes for a young woman in the crowd.

At the feast that is held to welcome Arthur and Kai, the young woman sings a love song, clearly directing it at Kai. He follows her down to a meadow, where it transpires that he and the woman, Goda, were once close, but Kai went away to fight, and Goda moved on. Kai tries to persuade Goda to leave Athel’s village and return home with him. She says it is too late – she is betrothed to Morcant.

The next morning, when Arthur and Kai are preparing to return home, Kai hangs back, still hoping that Goda will change her mind, and come with him. Arthur complains about his lovesick behaviour, saying he shouldn’t expect her to come running when he calls. But Goda appears, Kai helps her onto his horse, and they depart.

Morcant persuades King Athel to allow him to take some men to join Arthur in fighting the Saxons. He then reveals to the Warrior that he has a spy in Arthur’s camp, who will discover the system of defences that protects Arthur’s people. His true intention is not to join Arthur, but to launch a sneak attack on his village.

When Arthur and Kai arrive home, Kai immediately announces that he and Goda are to be wed, in three days’ time, and invites everyone to a celebration feast. Llud seems delighted, but Arthur is clearly less than happy.

Goda goes to investigate the area around the village, and accidentally triggers Arthur’s warning system, which the villager manning them helpfully explains to her. She immediately relays the information to the Warrior from her village, who is hiding in the undergrowth.

On her return, Kai asks where she’s been, and tries to persuade her to go for a ‘walk’ with him, but she fobs him off.

Early next morning, Kai decides he can’t wait the three days it will take for the abbot to arrive, so he goes to the hut where Goda is supposed to be sleeping. Finding her and her belongings gone, he immediately wakes Arthur and Llud, who realise that their defences are compromised.

Meanwhile, Morcant arrives with a small force, intending to kill everyone in what he assumes is a sleeping village. But he finds all the huts empty. Kai and Llud lead the cavalry down the path towards him, and Arthur and his foot soldiers spring up from hiding to block Morcant’s escape.

Heavily out-numbered, Morcant’s men refuse to engage Arthur’s superior force, so Arthur leaves it to Kai to deal with Morcant, in single combat. They fight, and Kai drowns Morcant in the lake.

Arthur returns to King Athel’s village, and – sword in hand – enters a hut where Tarn cowers away from him. At the same time, Kai enters a hut where Goda is sleeping, and wakes her with the blade of his axe.

When Arthur comes out, King Athel – who knows that Kai killed Morcant, and fears the Arthur has killed Tarn – accuses Arthur of treachery. Arthur tells him Tarn is alive, and tries to explain that it was Morcant who was the traitor, but Athel won’t listen to reason. He insists that they are now enemies, though his attempts to fight Arthur are futile.

Arthur and Kai meet on the return journey, have a terse exchange, and gallop into the distance together.


Author note

Scott Forbes was an Oxford-educated actor, who worked in the US and in England; he took up screen-writing later in life.


Timeline

In the UK, “Enemies and Lovers” was originally shown as episode 9 of season 1, but in the German book, “Konig Arthur”, and in the German DVD set, "Enemies and Lovers" appears immediately after “The Challenge”, and before “The Gift of Life.” 

There is a telling note at the bottom of call sheet no. 25 showing that "pick ups" - shots filmed after the bulk of an episode has been completed - from both "Enemies and Lovers" and "The Challenge" were to be filmed on Saturday 29th July.  From this, we can deduce that those episodes were filmed prior to "The Gift of Life." 

An article in the Bristol Evening Post published 13th July refers to Oliver Tobias' spear injury, incurred during filming of "The Challenge", as having occurred during the week beginning 10th July, making that the third episode.  The bulk of "Enemies and Lovers" must therefore have been the fourth episode, most of which was filmed in the week beginning 17th July. 

An exception to this was the scene in which Morcant's men run down the hill behind Arthur's village (at Woodchester), in an attempt to take Arthur and his people by surprise; they are seen running towards a burnt-out wooden structure - the same one seen in flames at the beginning of "The Gift of Life." 

    

Oliver Tobias still looks a bit fragile following the injury suffered in “The Challenge”; when they arrive home, instead of his usual casual slide down his horse’s neck, Arthur accepts help, leaning on the lad taking his horse.



In the scene where Kai drowns Morcant, Oliver Tobias may even be wearing some sort of protective gear under a rather high collar.



Perhaps – as well as the need for Kai to redeem himself in the eyes of the village – Oliver’s injury was a practical reason why Kai is the one to fight Morcant.

The keeper of this archive speculates that the "pick-ups" scheduled for Saturday 29th July might have been shots of Arthur and Kai riding along a track near the banks of the River Chew; similar shots were used in both "The Challenge" and "Enemies and Lovers."

On 8th August, a photo from the episode appeared in the Cheddar Valley Gazette.

Suggested shooting order so far

Arthur is Dead
Daughter of the King
The Challenge
Enemies and Lovers


Locations

Arthur’s people are still living in the village by the lake, at Woodchester.





“Enemies and Lovers” is the last episode to feature this location.

King Athel’s village is the one built at Woodborough Mill Farm, Wollard, and first seen in “The Gift of Life.”



In its incarnation as Ulrich's village, there were only about five huts in the entire settlement.



A few more huts have been added since then, as well as a new trackway into the village, and Arthur and Kai are marched past what looks like the skeleton of another new building.



The bridge is clearly the same one in both episodes. But while Kai and Goda's first conversation occurs by the stream - actually the river Chew - in King Athel's village at Woollard, some of it was filmed near a much larger body of water - probably one of the lakes at Woodchester.



The Villager’s statement that “It’ll take a day and a half to ride to Glevum, and a day and a half back” hints that Arthur’s village is 30 - 40 miles from Gloucester. The Wollard location is actually about 35 miles south west of Gloucester.


Inside Information

Hilary Dwyer, who played Goda, was later to marry Duncan Heath, and help run Duncan Heath & Associates, the actors’ agency that represented Michael Gothard from 1978 to 1982.

Michael Gothard's adopted sister, Wendy, recalls, "There is a bit in ‘Enemies and Lovers’ where Kai runs up to a girl, arms outstretched to hug her. He did that ALL the time: long arms outstretched." More of Wendy's memories can be found here.


Cast notes

Esmond Knight, who played King Athel, had a career spanning nearly 6 decades.

Athel’s grandson, Tarn, is played by the young Peter Richardson, who later masterminded and starred in the "Comic Strip" spoofs.


The Tragedy of King Athel

The political situation in King Athel’s village is reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy, with the blind and foolish old king, the evil plotting couple, and the innocent young heir to the throne.

Morcant seems to have made it standard procedure to detain any strangers caught near Athel’s village: a deliberate attempt to isolate King Athel and his grandson Tarn from anyone who might speak against him, or give them any support. Clearly recognising Arthur and Kai, Morcant orders their summary execution. Perhaps he already knows about his betrothed’s prior association, and wants to get rid of a romantic rival; perhaps his main target is Arthur, as a political rival.

Utterly ruthless (Morcant later tells his men to leave no man, woman or child alive during his attack on Arthur’s village) it seems quite possible that Morcant was responsible for the death of Tarn’s parents; nevertheless, King Athel has agreed that in the event of his own death, Morcant will be regent until his grandson Tarn comes of age. Tarn seems painfully aware that when King Athel dies, his own life will be forfeit, though the old king is oblivious to the danger. The only time Tarn seems relaxed is when greeting the important visitors, perhaps seeing, in Arthur, a glimmer of hope.

The day Arthur appears Athel’s longhouse, sword in hand, is the day Tarn has been expecting for most of his young life – but he thought that the man with a sword who came when he was alone would be Morcant. Rather than killing him, Arthur backs Tarn into Athel’s throne. Very soon, he will have to take up the old king’s responsibilities.


Dark Age Men

Kai – as so often – allows himself to be led by his emotions. He knows what he wants, and goes after it. Whether or not he really searched for Goda for three seasons, he certainly makes a pretty speech about it, and claims her as his own.

“As the hawk drops from the sky, from this moment you are mine.” “Your prey?” “Aye, and my woman.”

Perhaps when she calls out, “Kai! It’s too late now”, she is trying to warn him of the disaster that is about to strike, but Kai ignores her protests and Arthur’s scepticism, and behaves like a love-struck teenager. As soon as they arrive home, Kai announces his love to the world, extravagantly inviting everyone to his wedding celebration.

If everything had gone to plan, this might have given his status a considerable boost; he would be entertaining the whole village, and marrying a Celt of some apparent importance: "Goda, Daughter of Hywel." As it turns out, his gamble almost costs him everything.

For any man, to be abandoned by the woman he loved, on the eve of marriage, is the kind of thing that could scar him for life. But Kai’s tragedy isn’t only a personal concern. His error of judgement in welcoming a spy into Arthur’s camp has endangered the whole village, and when he realises this, he almost breaks down. For a man in Kai’s position – a warrior who needs to keep the confidence of the men he leads into battle – such a public humiliation could have dealt a mortal wound to his reputation.

Understanding this perfectly, Arthur gives Kai the chance to retrieve something from the wreckage, by despatching Morcant.

Having disarmed his enemy, Kai chooses to fight him bare-handed, and when Arthur offers him a hand out of the water, he seems reluctant to take it. Perhaps he thinks it would have been easier if Morcant had put him out of his misery. Nevertheless, he has got a little pride back.

There is just one more thing he must do. In one of the darkest moments in the whole series, Kai finds Goda sleeping, and wakes her with his axe. Goda spied on Arthur’s people, and betrayed them to their enemy; traitors must die. Though the details are left to our imagination, Kai later tells Arthur: “She got what she deserved.”


"By the Gods!"

Arthur says “Heaven help us” when he realises Goda is coming home with them.

Kai sends for Felix, Abbot of Gloucester, to conduct the official marriage service. This may have been simply a status symbol; Kai has never shown any religious inclinations before. But he intends to at least appear to do this by the book, so he sends Goda to stay with Selvira, one of the village women, who - judging by her garb - may be a member of a religious order.




The best laid plans …

Having been prevented from killing Arthur and Kai on the spot, Morcant sets Goda up to ensnare Kai, who is only too willing to believe that she will leave her betrothed for him. However, when Goda discovers the secret of Arthur’s defences, Morcant’s plan - “We attack, from there!” - is somewhat lacking in tactical genius.

Arthur’s evacuation of the village must have been accomplished with great despatch; it seems likely that he had drilled his people for just this contingency.


Great moments

Kai, somehow managing to swagger with his hands tied behind his back.
Goda calling Kai, “You pig!” and his amused reaction to it.
Arthur’s expression when Goda shows up for the return journey, and when Kai throws her luggage to him to carry.
The subtle interaction between Arthur and Kai before and after Kai fights Morcant.


Quote/unquote

Arthur sums up Kai’s problem: “He has a sickness – one that reoccurs every time he sees a pretty face.”


Arthur’s wisdom

Wise or not, Arthur seems to have learned that fighting Kai over a woman is pointless. He fought him over Eithna in “Daughter of the King.” This time, he seems to accept that “if a man and a woman want to be together, they will be together. That’s the law.”


Family Ties

The information Arthur gives to Athel – that his father was slain at the Battle of Ilchester, and that Athel gave his mother the circular clasp Arthur now wears – is the first we hear of Arthur’s parents.

The esteem in which Llud is widely held is shown when Athel says of Kai, “It is enough that you’re the son of Llud, to be welcome at my hearth.”


Celts and Saxons

Morcant tries to use the Celt/Saxon conflict to further his own ends, first claiming to think the Arthur and Kai are Saxon spies – which, given Arthur’s complexion, he could only hope to get away with because King Athel is blind – and then pretending he wants to help Arthur fight the Saxons, though for some reason he says they are coming “from the far north.” King Athel is well aware of the Saxon problem: “It was ever so.”


‘A man on a horse is worth ten on foot’

When Arthur arrives at King Athel’s village, his captors are leading Bernie; the Warrior walks past Skyline, who is tethered nearby. When Arthur leaves the village, he is riding Skyline. He rides the same horse on his second departure from Athel’s, but when he meets up with Kai, he is riding Bernie again.

Predictably, it is Trooper, the same – evidently strong and reliable – horse who carried Kai and the children to Ulrich’s in “The Gift of Life”, who carries Kai and Goda back to Arthur’s village. When Kai rides back after his final encounter with Goda, he is riding Pythagoras, who has once again had the shape of his blaze altered to look like Trooper's.

When they ambush Morcant, Llud is riding Curly. Blondie is among the Celts’ horses.

See this post for further details of the horses of "Arthur of the Britons."


Dressed to kill?

Arthur wears a leather tunic we haven’t seen before. At the beginning, he is also wearing a blue cloak, with the metal clasp King Athel recognised as having been a gift from himself to Arthur’s mother.

Kai wears the same suede/leather shirt as in The Challenge, or one very similar. When he goes to look for Goda on the morning of the attack, he throws on the big cloak with the fur trim. For the rest of the episode, Arthur wears his ring armour, and Kai wears his studded tunic.

Llud also wears a studded tunic, seen before in “Arthur is Dead” and "Daughter of the King."



The same tunic was later worn by Robin of Sherwood (played by David Robb) in “Ivanhoe”: a film in which Michael Gothard appeared as a Saxon prince, Athelstan.



Morcant wears two different tunics; the one he wears to attack Arthur’s village is more elaborate than the one he wears at Athel’s.

Goda wears a striking – and expensive-looking – blue dress for the whole episode, except for during the scene where she sings at the feast, when – like most of the other women – she wears grey.

King Athel and his grandson Tarn are both also unaccountably clad in dresses.



Perhaps it is indicative of their rank, but Tarn’s, which reaches only to his knees, is particularly emasculating. King Athel later dons a battle helmet with no eye holes.


‘That is bloody dangerous!’

Kai finds both Arthur and Llud sleeping with weapons in their hands. When Arthur’s people ambush Morcant’s, they are armed with swords, spears and shields.

The only real fight in the episode is between Kai and Morcant: Kai’s axe against Morcant’s sword. Kai easily relieves Morcant of his weapon, then they fight hand-to-hand. Morcant also grabs a long pole to jab at Kai, who then drowns him in the lake.

Some interesting filming techniques and angles are used for this fight. This may be partly in an effort to disguise the use of a stunt double for Morcant.




On the table

Athel’s feast includes the usual liberal helpings of grapes and apples. Also, some melons, what might be gooseberries, a pheasant, and what appears to be a small pig on a spit.


Honourable mention

You have to feel sorry for the people of Athel's village. While loyal to their King, they clearly realise that he's lost his grip. Despite Athel’s declaration that Arthur is an enemy, one of them helps Arthur onto his horse, and no one makes any attempt to stop him from leaving, while their King is slashing wildly with his sword, trying to kill him.

Also, the Warrior deserves some credit for his sensible response to Morcant’s ridiculous command to attack Arthur and his men: “There’s too many of them.”


What’s going on here?

Arthur’s reaction to Kai’s romance with Goda is interesting. At first he appears genuinely amused, but when he realises Kai is serious about her, his expression runs through anger and contempt, to utter shock and devastation when Goda actually shows up. One might have expected that his main concern would be the political ramifications; Kai is, after all, stealing Goda from King Athel’s chosen second-in-command, to whom she is betrothed. But despite the outright hostility Arthur displays, he doesn’t use the political situation as a reason to stop Kai from bringing her home with him; in fact, he makes no mention if it. Perhaps Kai hasn’t told Arthur about Goda’s prior betrothal!

Kai sends for Felix, Abbot of Gloucester, to conduct the official marriage service: but the Benedictine abbey at Gloucester doesn’t appear to have been founded until about 1022 – centuries after the wedding was to take place.

Who is Hywel? King Athel tells Morcant to leave Hywel in command of the village, and Kai mentions that Goda his Hywel’s daughter, as if he were some local dignitary, but we are never introduced to him.

Arthur’s confrontation with Tarn is puzzling. Tarn gave him no reason to suspect he was in league with Morcant, yet Arthur threatens him with a sword. Perhaps having been almost murdered in his bed made Arthur tetchy.

After betraying Kai, Goda would probably have returned to King Athel’s village, which is where Arthur is returning from at the end of the episode; so why do Arthur and Kai appear from different directions before riding off together?

And finally, the audience is asked to believe that Goda would choose Morcant over Kai. This seems to be asking rather a lot of the imagination!


Music

Once again, the minstrel – this time in King Athel’s village – is played by Meic Stevens; he plays what looks like a hummel, while Goda sings one of his songs, Love Owed.

Some of the 34 tracks of incidental music, beautifully written and orchestrated for the series by Paul Lewis, used in this episode, were:

Track 6, Infiltration and Treachery: Arthur and Kai are brought to Athel’s village.
Track 15, At Dead of Night: King Athel decides Arthur and Kai can be trusted.
Track 18, Celtic Girl: Kai spots Goda in the crowd.
Track 20, The Fair Rowena: Kai and Goda walk in the meadow.
Track 30, Night Scene: Arthur berates Kai; Goda appears.
Track 32, Children’s Games: Arthur, Kai and Goda ride home.
Track 22, Revelry: They arrive at Arthur’s village.
Track 6, Infiltration and Treachery: Goda investigates Arthur’s defences.
Track 3, Celtic Horns: Goda tells the Warrior her findings.
Track 6, Infiltration and Treachery: Goda returns to the village.
Track 31, Lyrical Romance: Kai runs to meet Goda.
Track 16, Danger Mounts: Morcant’s attack begins.
Track 11, Desolation and Despair: Kai drowns Morcant.
Track 23, Arrival of Arthur: Arthur leaves King Athel’s village.
Variations on title theme: Arthur and Kai ride home.

The whole suite of music, written by Paul Lewis, is available on CD.


Cast

Arthur ……………... Oliver Tobias
Kai .….….….….…... Michael Gothard
Llud ………….......... Jack Watson
Athel …..................... Esmond Knight
Goda ………..…....... Hilary Dwyer
Morcant ……….…… Mark Eden
Warrior …………….. Robert Russell
Minstrel …………… Meic Stevens
Villager .…………… Rex Holdsworth
Tarn …….……......... Peter Richardson

Crew

Director ……………. Sidney Hayers
Story ……………....... Scott Forbes
Executive Producer … Patrick Dromgoole
Producer ……………. Peter Miller
Associate Producer … John Peverall
Production Manager ... Keith Evans
Post-production ...…... Barry Peters
Fight Arranger ……... Peter Brayham
Incidental music ……. Paul Lewis
Theme music ……….. Elmer Bernstein
Cameraman …………. Tony Impey
Camera Operator ……. Roger Pearce
Editor ……………….. David Williams
Sound recordist ……... Bob Stokes
Dubbing mixer ……… John Cross
Art Director …………. Doug James
Assistant Director …… Simon Hinkley
Production Assistant … Maggie Hayes
Costume Design …….. Audrey MacLeod
Make-up …………….. Christine Penwarden

Plot

The episode opens with Arthur and Kai traipsing through a waterlogged yard, in the middle of winter, bringing supplies from a store hut to the longhouse. They then compete with Llud for “who fetches the mead” by throwing knives at a target board, while discussing Kai’s success at bedding Leesa, one of the village girls, on whom Arthur also had his eye. But Arthur’s aim is spoiled by his anger at a rival Celtic chieftain, Bavick, who often raids the villages of other Celts; Arthur vows to “split his head in two.”

In the next scene, set in summer, Arthur, Kai, and some of their men are out riding when they spot a party of armed Celts, whom Arthur mistakes for Bavick’s men. Before joining battle, Arthur and Kai chase down a riderless horse they have spotted. They are then almost attacked by another local leader, Tugram, who takes them for Bavick’s men. Bavick recently attacked and burned Tugram’s village, and took all the women.

They spot Bavick’s daughter, Eithna, jumping out of a tree, and Arthur sends Kai to capture her – a task he sets about with gusto.

Back at the longhouse, Arthur talks to their captive, and learns that Bavick - a doting father - is a man who keeps his word. Arthur tells Tugram and Kai that he intends to make Bavick promise not to attack other Celts, in exchange for the safe return of his daughter. Hearing this, Eithna rushes out and attacks Arthur, who cuts off a lock of her hair. Llud sets off – with the lock of hair – to negotiate with Bavick.

The next morning, Arthur tells Eithna to go to the lake to bathe, and put on a dress. When she refuses, he throws her over his shoulder, carries her down, and pitches her into the lake.

Bavick takes Llud captive, and refuses to consider the terms offered until his daughter is returned.

Meanwhile, Kai finds Eithna preening by the lakeside, and they discuss Arthur’s philosophy. Kai is about to put Eithna’s opposing philosophy – “You should know what you want, and take it” – into practice, when a messenger arrives from Bavick, demanding the return of Eithna in exchange for Llud.

Eithna tells Arthur he is weak for using a woman as a hostage, and also for giving in, rather than killing her. Arthur explains that he is trying to stop the cycle of violence.

The parties meet to exchange prisoners, and as Llud crosses paths with Eithna, he snatches her from her horse, and once again takes her prisoner.

Later that day, a message arrives to say that Bavick finally agrees to Arthur’s terms: a promise of peace for the safe return of Eithna. But - apparently enamoured of Arthur - Eithna says that she wants to stay in his village. Arthur insists on returning her to her father. At a feast to celebrate the success of the negotiations, Eithna tells Kai, “You could be of service to me.”

The next morning, apparently after a night of passion, Kai tells Arthur that as he and Eithna want to be together, she is staying with him. A brawl between Arthur and Kai ensues, and Arthur ends up pulling a knife, but when Kai accuses him of wanting Eithna, Arthur slowly lowers it.

Seeing the fight as proof that Arthur is attracted to her, Eithna is pleased, and returns home, saying that when they meet again, it will be as friends.

In the final scene, Arthur and Kai are both brooding over their fight. Llud hands Kai two horns of wine, one of which Kai throws in Arthur’s face. He gives the other to Arthur, who responds in kind. Their quarrel is over.


Timeline

“Daughter of the King”, the second episode to be directed by Peter Sasdy, was mainly filmed in July 1972, during the week beginning 3 July. This is borne out by the call sheet for the first day of filming on this episode. For some reason, the introductory and closing scenes were shot, or re-shot, much later in the year.

Michael Gothard himself mentioned re-shooting the knife-throwing scene, in a letter he wrote in November 1972.



The scene outside the longhouse (left) was filmed following torrential rains that fell in the area surrounding the Woollard village location, at the beginning of December 1972. By the time the location of this particular scene was filmed, the two small huts - which first featured near the entrance to what was then the Saxon village in "The Gift of Life" (right) - had been surrounded by a palisade.

Despite being filmed second, this episode was not shown until 7 November 1973, towards the end of "Season 2." It is not known why it was shown so far out of order. Perhaps HTV wanted to avoid showing two episodes in which Arthur and Kai have a big fight (the other being “The Challenge”) in quick succession. However, when the series was shown in Germany in 1974, "Daughter of the King" was the second episode shown, and "The Challenge" was the third. Perhaps it was just that the post-production work on the episode was not completed in time to show it in second position in the UK, on 13 December 1972.

Arthur criticises Eithna for riding a horse, and dressing in breeches, but in episodes filmed later, Rowena is seen riding, and wearing breeches, and Arthur refrains from comment. If the episodes are watched in the order in which they were aired in the UK, this makes Arthur look very inconsistent, but if they are watched in filming order, Arthur appears to have matured, and learned more respect for women's choices.

Dates first aired

UK: 7 November 1973
Germany: 5 August 1974


Suggested shooting order so far

Arthur is Dead
Daughter of the King


Locations

The version of Arthur’s village seen throughout most of this episode is the one by the lake at Woodchester Park, near Stroud, in Gloucestershire.

The knife-throwing scene in the longhouse was filmed in the village at Woodborough Mill Farm in Woollard, which was originally built as a Saxon camp. The production was moved to this location in August 1972, because it became too expensive to transport the cast and crew from Bristol to Woodchester each day.

As a result, we see the Celts using two different longhouses in the same episode: the Woollard version at the beginning, and the Woodchester version throughout the rest of it!

The locations of the scenes where Arthur’s, Tugram’s, and Bavick's men meet, and of Bavick’s palisaded village, have not yet been established.


Cast notes

Madeleine Hinde - who played Eithna in this episode - had worked with Michael Gothard only a couple of years before, on a historical epic, “The Last Valley.” Michael played "Hansen", a mercenary fighter, who tries to rape Madeleine’s character, "Inge."



Tony Steedman, who played Tugram, was later seen as Wolfie’s dad in “Citizen Smith”, and as Socrates in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”



We also see an early performance by Iain Cuthbertson, almost unrecognisable as Bavick.




Inside Information

Michael's adopted sister, Wendy, recalls: “In ‘Daughter of the King’, the bit where he sort of nudges Arthur? That was a typical Michael thing. If he wanted something he would come and sit next to you and give that little nudge. If there was no response, he would give a bigger nudge, and so on and so on, until you caved in! ... The more I see of ‘Arthur of the Britons’, the more I see that there is SO much of Michael in Kai.”

More of the memories she has shared can be found here.


Re-working the legend

When Arthur gives Eithna her impromptu bath, the "Lady of the Lake" becomes the lady in the lake! Of Arthur and Kai’s fight over Eithna, Patrick Dromgoole said: “The jealousy of Arthur and Kai over Eithna is a common dramatic triangle, as in the original Malory”, making her also a parallel to Guinevere.


Dark Age Men

Bavick, the villain of the week, is depicted as rapacious. Tugram complains, “They took our women away!” and complains to Arthur, “You’re being very protective with Bavick’s whelp. Is he being as tender with the women he took from our villages?”

But Kai also treats Eithna as a spoil of war. He seems to expect that Arthur will ravish her, and if Arthur isn’t interested, Kai is ready to try his luck, though he doesn’t seem to mind when she puts up a fight: “A wildcat! I like that.”

Arthur demands of Eithna, “Do you ever dress like a woman?” To encourage her to put on a dress, he – very childishly – humiliates her, by throwing her into the lake. Why he cares so much about his enemy’s daughter’s attire is never explained, but Kai is pleased with the result: “Arthur’s done well with you in my absence.”

Kai and Arthur's seeming rivalry over Eithna is foreshadowed in the opening scene, where they banter about their competition for Leesa’s favour, and also by the minstrel's song: "Let not a woman’s guiles and wiles, quiet smiles, blind your eyes."

Kai tells Arthur: “if a man and a woman want to be together, they will be together. That’s the law” - but it isn’t clear whether this is a religious or civil matter. In the end, they refuse to allow Eithna's machinations to spoil their friendship.

The women kidnapped from Tugram's village are completely left out of the negotiations between Arthur and Bavick.


The burden of command

Arthur's leadership responsibilities are never far from his mind, and his pride as leader of the Celts is hurt when Celts kill one another. In the opening scene, he quickly switches from joking about Kai’s latest conquest to the problem of Bavick – from the private to the political - and Kai seems almost to roll his eyes, regretting that something has set Arthur off again! He says that Arthur "grows old before his time."

Later, Arthur is so intent on achieving peace among the Celts, that he even thinks twice about giving up his hostage to save Llud’s life.


Arthur’s wisdom

Once again, the episode focuses on how fed up Arthur is, of “the bloody business of Celt killing Celt.” When Eithna accuses Arthur of being weak, he says: “Not weak – practical. If I’d killed you, your father would have sought vengeance. All your death would have achieved is more death.” When he finally secures Bavick’s promise, he says “I’ll drink to anything that brings peace between the Celts without shedding a single drop of blood.”


The hot-headed side-kick

There has still been no mention of why Kai - who looks like a Saxon - is living among the Celts. Eithna evidently notices that there's something different about him, because she asks him why he stays with Arthur. Perhaps the writers hadn’t yet worked out exactly how their principal characters were connected. Nevertheless, Kai’s loyalty to Llud is unquestionable; when Bavick takes Llud hostage, Kai asks Arthur, “Llud’s life for a dream? Why are you hesitating?”

Kai tends to agree with Eithna, that “a warrior settles his arguments with the sword”, and talking is “for women and old men”; he claims that he is staying with Arthur to find out who is right.

But at this point, Kai is still pulling against Arthur; for the sake of his attraction to Eithna, he is quite prepared to put his leader's peace plan at risk.


'Don’t call me old!'

Though Llud’s prosthetic hand has already served to stop Mark of Cornwall's sword in "Arthur is Dead", its first mention in the series occurs during the knife-throwing scene: “Your aim is off, Kai. I could do better with my silver hand.” Bavick also refers to it: “You are the silver-handed, eh? … the warrior who is always at Arthur’s side.”


The best laid plans ...

Arthur’s decision to allow Llud to go to Bavick’s camp as his negotiator is inexplicable, and has a predictable result: Llud is taken hostage. However, Llud’s recapture of Eithna is masterful.

When Arthur and Kai fight, Eithna thinks her plan – to find out Arthur’s feelings for her by taking Kai to bed – has worked. But she consistently fails to appreciate that Arthur’s main concern is not romance, but peace. He fights Kai so that he can keep his word, by sending the troublesome princess back to Bavick, not because he wants her for himself. Though she leaves thinking that they are friends, the look on Arthur's face as she rides away tells a different story.


'A man on a horse is worth ten on foot'

It is in “Daughter of the King” that the phrase at the head of this section is used, by Arthur. He considers horses so important that he catches one that is running loose, before taking on what he assumes to be a group of enemy fighters.

He challenges Eithna for riding: “Horses are worth their weight in any metal. They’re for soldiers. Yet your father lets his children ride.” He sees this as evidence that Bavick values her very highly, and spoils her – which makes her a useful hostage.

During this episode, Arthur mostly rides his second white or "grey" horse, Skyline. Eithna’s loose horse, which he catches by riding alongside it and scrambling across onto its back, is the dapple called Jim, on whom she departs at the end of the episode.

Kai rides a black or bay horse with a wide irregular blaze and snip, "Trooper." Llud rides "Curly", a chestnut horse with a very wide blaze with a curl at the top left. This is his usual mount for most of the series, but is not the horse he rides in the credits.

Tugram rides a black or bay horse with an irregular blaze of variable width, and wide triangular snip, “Pythagoras.” Bavick is seen riding a bay horse with a star shaped like an inverted "Y", "Yogi".



Among the horses ridden by Arthur's men are Blondie (Dirk’s horse in the first episode), Arthur’s grey horse, Bernie, and a large chestnut with an irregular blaze, “Flame”, who is also seen with Bavick's men, along with a small bay with a blocky star, Charlie.

When Kai stops to talk to Eithna by the lake, he dismounts in an unconventional manner, by swinging his right leg over his horse’s neck. This method looks good, and also allows the rider to avoid taking their eyes off what's in front of them. Arthur often dismounts this way, but Kai only does it when he is trying to impress.

See this post for further details of the horses of "Arthur of the Britons."


'By the Gods!'

Bavick brings up religion: “The monks say, ‘an eye for an eye.’”

Arthur’s banner – a red cross on a white background – is visible once again.


'A wager’s a wager'

The quotation at the head of this section is supplied by Llud, when the three principals are seen competing, by throwing knives at a board, for who gets sent to fetch the supplies. Llud evidently won the last round, sending Arthur and Kai out to the store shed. This time, Kai loses out again.

This is not the only time we see either gambling or knife-throwing given a prominent role in the series.


'That is bloody dangerous!'

Arthur has to jump from one horse to another. Kai gets to brandish his axe – “the only thing Bavick understands” – at both Tugram and Eithna.

Eithna jumps to the ground from the bough of a tree. She pulls a knife on Kai, but for some reason, it isn’t taken away from her when she is captured. Perhaps they think that as a woman alone, she can't do too much harm with it! Nevertheless, she later uses it to attack Arthur.

Llud grabs Eithna off her horse, and rides back to Arthur with her dangling by his side.

Both Bavick’s and Tugram’s men are armed with spears and swords.

Near the end of the episode, Kai and Arthur fight, landing on fishing baskets, and breaking a trestle table, and Arthur pulls a knife on Kai. After that, Arthur and Kai both attack innocent pieces of furniture – Kai with his knife, and Arthur with his sword.


Dressed to kill?

The green shirt Llud is wearing in the knife-throwing scene didn’t appear in Llud’s wardrobe until about November 1972 – another clue that the scene was filmed later than the rest of the episode, for most of which he is wearing his studded tunic over a white shirt.

As well as his women, Bavick seems to have stolen all of Tugram’s shirts, because the poor chap spends most of the episode with bare arms and chest, covered only by a leather jerkin.

Kai wears a blue shirt in the the knife-throwing scene, and puts on two furry jackets, including one with huge sleeves, to go outside. For most of the episode he is wearing his studded tunic.

Arthur has a selection of clothes: a tunic with a hood, a brown tunic with light brown trim, and – from the first episode – his ring armour, and yellowish-tan tunic. During the knife-throwing scene, he wears a sleeveless sheepskin jacket, also seen in "The Wood People."


On the table

Kai brings a dead stag in from the store house. This stag also features in “The Gift of Life” and “The Penitent Invader”, but we never see anyone eating it! Arthur carries a sack of what is presumably grain, and Llud demands mead.

At the first feast, after the capture of Eithna, Llud seems to be eating lettuce, though he also has a choice of apples and what might be medlars; one of the extras is eating a chicken leg.

Arthur and Eithna have a whole chicken between them, a big bowl of apples and grapes, some bread, and what looks like raw turnips. Arthur eats two fish, one after the other.

Later, Eithna has bread, meat and apples, and eats grapes in a desultory manner.

At the last feast – after Bavick capitulates, there is a whole dead piglet on the table, and Llud starts up a raucous chant, “Wine! Wine! Wine!”


Great moments

The opening scene is a wonderful glimpse at how Arthur, Kai and Llud spend their spare time.

Eithna’s reaction after Kai offers to help her pass the long, tedious night - “My thanks, but I should not want the night to be any longer, or more tedious, than necessary” - is priceless.



Arthur and Kai’s fight, and their reconciliation, by soaking each other with wine, sets the tone for the series.


Quote/unquote

Arthur: A man on a horse is worth ten on foot.

Kai: Every man should enjoy his last night alive.


Extra! Extra!

Once again, there is no hint that HTV paid any heed to a rule of thumb so common with other TV series of the period: "If it's in the shot, it's in the plot!" Numerous extras manage to get on with their daily lives as Celts in the background, while their leaders are concerned with matters of consequence.

Also, we get a glimpse (left) of one of the rare breed cattle that were brought in to make the show more realistic - they later starred as Rowena's purchases in "Six Measures of Silver" (right).




Honourable mention

This goes to the "stunt chicken" who rushes out of the path of Llud’s horse.


'Night-night, Kiddies!'

In the first scene, when Arthur and Kai joke about their rivalry over Leesa, Arthur makes a Chaucerian sexual innuendo: “Which one of her three eyes did she use, eh?” This is unlikely to have been understood by most of the demographic at which the series purported to be aimed!

When Eithna tells Arthur that her father has only one child, Arthur gives a casually chilling retort - "None, now."

Tugram's intention to kill their prisoner, Eithna, and use her head on a spear to lead an attack on Bavick, is one of the more bloodthirsty moments in the series.

NB. The title of this section is another of Director, Sid Hayers’ catch-phrases!


What’s going on here?

It's nice to see that Arthur and Kai do their own dirty work, traipsing through water and mud with the provisions, rather than ordering the lower ranks to fetch and carry for them! But where did Kai get the Wellington boots he is wearing under his furry boot covers?

Llud's first concern when they return to the longhouse is their failure to bring mead, and during the feast later on, he randomly starts shouting, "Wine! Wine! Wine! Wine! Wine!" It looks as if he has a bit of a drink problem!

During the scene where Arthur catches the loose horse belonging to Eithna, the camera cuts away before he successfully gets onto the second horse’s back; perhaps he didn't actually make the swap successfully!

Why was Eithna up in a tree?

Though wine might have been produced in England, it’s unlikely that Arthur would have been able to get hold of huge bunches of grapes, like the one at which Eithna is seen picking.



Later, Eithna seems very amused as Arthur appears to be pouring wine all over the place, rather than into any particular receptacle.



Arthur may have brokered a peace with Bavick, but we never find out whether Tugram’s men get their women back!


Music

As Arthur’s minstrel, folk artist Meic Stevens sings, and plays the lyre.

Some of the 34 tracks of incidental music, beautifully written and orchestrated for the series by Paul Lewis, used in this episode, were:

Track 21, Celtic Bard: Arthur and Kai bring supplies from the store
Track 33, Springtime: Kai goes to bring in the barrel of mead.
Track 10, Battle on Horseback: Arthur’s men ride across the countryside, and Kai chases Eithna.
Track 16, Danger Mounts: Arthur and his men discuss how to deal with Bavick; Eithna attacks.
Track 8, Kai the Saxon: Llud rides off to negotiate with Bavick
Track 22, Revelry: Arthur throws Eithna in the lake.
Track 20, The Fair Rowena: Eithna preens by the lake.
Track 30: Night Scene: Arthur hears that Bavick has accepted his terms
Track 3, Celtic Horns: They go to make the exchange with Bavick
Track 10, Battle on Horseback: Arthur and Kai fight.
Track 30: Night Scene: Arthur and Kai resolve their differences.

The whole suite of music, written by Paul Lewis, is available on CD.


Cast

Arthur ……………... Oliver Tobias
Kai .….….….….…... Michael Gothard
Llud ………………... Jack Watson
Bavick ……………... Iain Cuthbertson
Eithna ……………… Madeleine Hinde
Tugram ……………. Tony Steedman
Minstrel ……...……. Meic Stevens
Treg ………………...Timothy Kightley
Horseman …………. Colin Fisher

Crew

Executive Producer .... Patrick Dromgoole
Producer ……………. Peter Miller
Director …………….. Peter Sasdy
Story ………………... David Pursall and Jack Seddon
Associate Producer …. John Peverall
Production Manager ... Keith Evans
Fight Arranger ….…... Peter Brayham
Post-production …….. Barry Peters
Cameraman ……….... Bob Edwards
Camera Operator ….... Roger Pearce
Clapper/loader ............ Peter Thornton
Film Editing ……….... Don Llewellyn
Sound recordist …….. Mike Davey
Dubbing Mixer ……... John Cross
Art Direction ….……. Doug James
Assistant Director …... Simon Hinkley
Production Assistant ... Ann Rees
Wardrobe ……..…….. Audrey MacLeod
Make-up ….….……... Christine Penwarden
Incidental music …….. Paul Lewis
Theme music ………... Elmer Bernstein