This post is about 1963 animated film The Sword and the Stone. It was released on 25th December 1963 and produced by Walt Disney. It is based on the book of the same name written by T. H. White. It is the 18th Disney animated feature – length film and the last animated film released by Walt Disney Productions before Walt Disney’s death on 15th December 1966.

The film begins with the narrator explaining what has happened in England before the film begins and also sets up the sword in the Stone which is to be pulled by the true king of England.

Merlin is then introduced along with his pet owl Archimedes. Merlin is a wizard and is waiting for his new student.

Through a vision of Merlin’s Arthur “Wart” is introduced along with his adopted brother Sir Kay.

After Arthur causes Kay to lose his Arrow, Arthur decides to go into the nearby forest and retrieve the arrow for Kay.

While trying to retrieve the arrow from a high up branch, Arthur loses his balance and falls through the roof of Merlin’s cottage.

Merlin introduces himself and offers to teach Arthur which he accepts. Because of the chores Arthur has back at the keep he lives in Merlin agrees to move to the keep much to the annoyance of Sir Ector, Arthur’s adoptive father and Kay’s biological one.

After several lessons/adventures with Merlin, including being turned into a fish, squirrel and bird, Merlin leaves to go to Bermuda in the 20th century.

The film ends with Arthur, having pulled out the sword from the stone, King of England and Merlin after he returns from his adventures in Bermuda as the Royal Adviser.

Wart’s character is based on the legendary ruler of Britain. Historians do not know whether King Arthur was a real person.

Merlin’s magic sometimes takes him too literally. When he angrily said, “Blow me to Bermuda”, he accidentally ended up in twentieth-century Bermuda.

Madam Mim is based on a character of the same name in the book The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White. The author later released an expanded version of the book called The Once and Future King, in which Madam Mim does not appear.

I will rate the film into five categories, lighting, sound, sadness, scariness and Autism friendly. I will also give an overall score.

Lighting and sound categories are in reference to light and sound sensitivity.  As a person with Autism I have both but it is possible to have one or the other and still be a person with Autism

Lighting: 1/10

Sound: 1/10

Scariness: 4/10

Sadness: 1/10

Autism Friendly: Yes

Overall Score: 7/40

In my opinion this is a lovely children’s film and the only thing I would possibly change is having Arthur be King longer so we could see how he copes more. This is one of the very few Disney films I haven’t seen as a child, however being English I have heard/seen many different versions of the story of King Arthur.