A Knight for a Day
{{for|the 1907 musical by Raymond Hubbell|A Knight for a Day (musical)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = A Knight for a Day
| image = A_knight_for_a_day_poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| director = Jack Hannah
| producer = Walt Disney
| writer =
| screenplay =
| story = Bill Peet
| narrator = John Brown
| starring = Jack Mather
Arch Denison
| music = Oliver Wallace
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio = Walt Disney Productions
| distributor = RKO Radio Pictures
| released = {{Film date|1946|03|08}}
| runtime = 7 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
A Knight for a Day is a 1946 Disney short film starring Goofy, which is loosely based on the novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5HIOi04Be5kC&q=A+Knight+for+a+Day+1946+inspired+by+A+Connecticut+Yankee+in+King+Arthur%27s+Court&pg=PA205|title=King Arthur on Film: New Essays on Arthurian Cinema|first=Kevin J.|last=Harty|date=1 January 1999|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786401529|accessdate=3 May 2018|via=Google Books}} Directed by Jack Hannah, this 7-minute animated comedy short was scripted by Bill Peet.{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |accessdate=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/86/mode/2up |pages=86–87}} While classified as a Goofy cartoon, Goofy himself is not used in this film, but his appearance is used as the basis for all the characters.
Plot
The story takes place at a stadium in medieval Canterbury (which is later incorrectly indicated to be in the British Empire), and features a jousting competition between Sir Loinsteak and Sir Cumference, who is a black knight and the current champion, with a sportscaster-like announcer calling the action of the battle. The prize for the contest is the right to marry Princess Esmeralda.
Due to a pre-bout accident, Sir Loinsteak is knocked out, leaving his loyal and humble squire Cedric to take his place in the tournament. While Sir Cumference dominates the inexperienced simpleton early on, Cedric's unorthodox improvisations gradually begin to tip the scales in his favor. Finally, after launching assaults with his lance, sword, mace, and (surprisingly) a jackhammer, Sir Cumference collapses from exhaustion. Cedric wins by default and is crowned the new champion. Princess Esmeralda leaps down to her new fiancé with glee, while a serf nonchalantly pushes Sir Cumference from the field in a scoop shovel.
Voice cast
Home media
This short is included on the VHS releases of Here's Goofy and The Sword in the Stone and the DVD releases of Volume 3: The Prince & The Pauper and The Sword in the Stone.
References
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0038674}}
{{Goofy in animation|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knight for a Day, A}}
Category:1940s Disney animated short films
Category:Films directed by Jack Hannah
Category:Films produced by Walt Disney
Category:Films set in the Middle Ages
Category:Goofy (Disney) short films
Category:Films scored by Oliver Wallace
Category:Films with screenplays by Bill Peet
Category:Films based on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Category:1950 and before films about time travel
Category:Animated films based on works by Mark Twain
Category:1946 animated short films
Category:Animated films based on American novels
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