Trial by Combat
{{Short description|1976 British film by Kevin Connor}}
{{for|the method of settling accusations by single combat|Trial by combat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Trial by Combat
| image = Trial by Combat (film) Theatrical Poster.png
| caption = Theatrical poster
| director = Kevin Connor
| producer = Paul Heller
Fred Weintraub
| writer = Julian Bond
Steven Rossen
Mitchell Smith
| narrator =
| starring = John Mills
Donald Pleasence
Barbara Hershey
David Birney
Margaret Leighton
Peter Cushing
Brian Glover
John Savident
| music = Frank Cordell
| cinematography = Alan Hume
| editing = Willy Kemplen
|studio = Combat
| distributor = Gamma III (USA)
Columbia-Warners (UK)
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1976|9||US}}
| runtime = 88 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Trial by Combat (US title: Dirty Knights' Work) is a 1976 British action adventure comedy film directed by Kevin Connor and starring John Mills and Donald Pleasence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8e8b36|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505105422/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b8e8b36|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2019|title=Trial by Combat (1976)|website=BFI}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/dirty-knights-work/2030010556/|title=Dirty Knights' Work|website=TVGuide.com}}
The film was also known as A Choice of Weapons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/a-choice-of-weapons-v9414|title=A Choice of Weapons (1976) - Kevin Connor | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related|website=AllMovie}}
Plot
A British organisation known as the Knights of Avalon is discontent that so many criminals can evade the law. So they decide to secretly hunt down these criminals, and battle and execute them with medieval weapons.
One day the founder of the organisation, Sir Edward Gifford, witnesses their actions, and they execute him too. His son, Sir John Gifford, decides to investigate his father's murder.
Cast
- John Mills as Colonel Bertie Cook
- Donald Pleasence as Sir Giles Marley
- Barbara Hershey as Marion Evans
- David Birney as Sir John Gifford
- Margaret Leighton as Ma Gore
- Peter Cushing as Sir Edward Gifford
- Brian Glover as Sidney Gore
- John Savident as Police Commissioner Oliver Griggs
- John Hallam as Sir Roger
- Keith Buckley as Herald
- Neil McCarthy as Ben Willoughby
- Thomas Heathcote as Tramp
- Bernard Hill as 'Blind' Freddie
- Diane Langton as Ruby
- Roy Holder as William Renfield
Production
Filming took place over ten weeks from October 1975.{{cite news|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|date=3 October 1975|page=55|title=Rich opposes family hour}} Finance came from Warner Bros. Connor said the two American producers, Paul Heller and Fred Weintraub "were great, they left me alone to do the film. I may have gotten a few nudges to shoot faster, but by and large they didn't interfere with anything once we got the script. They didn't insist on more closeups or similar stuff you get with some producers. Again, I was very lucky to have good producers to give me the people I wanted and let me realize my vision."{{cite web|url=http://www.coolasscinema.com/2022/12/lost-worlds-and-chainsaw-pigs-interview.html|website=Cool Ass Cinema|date=4 December 2022|title=Lost Worlds and Chainsaw Pigs: An Interview With Director Kevin Connor }}
Reception
The Boston Globe wrote "the scenes with Glover and Miss Leighton are about all this film has to offer."{{cite news|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=4 October 1976|page=15|title='Knights' hard grind}}
The Miami Herald called it "predictably awful."{{cite news|newspaper=The Miami Herald|date=5 October 1976|page=24|title=British thriller unspeakably bad}}
The Guardian called it an "unspeakably inept farrago."{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian|date=20 May 1976|page=10|title=High and likely}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0074409|Trial by Combat}}
- [https://letterboxd.com/film/trial-by-combat/ Trial by Combat] at Letterbox DVD
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=choice_of_weapons}}
{{Kevin Connor}}
Category:Films directed by Kevin Connor
Category:British serial killer films
Category:British vigilante films
Category:1970s English-language films
Category:English-language action films
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