The 30 best medieval movies of all time, ranked
The 30 best medieval movies of all time, ranked
Declan Gallagher, Kevin JacobsenMon, October 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC
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Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine in âThe Lion in Winterâ; Cary Elwes as Westley in âThe Princess Brideâ; TimothĂ©e Chalamet as Henry V of England in âThe KingâCredit: Screen Archives/Getty Images; 20th Century Fox; Netflix
Medieval stories have captured moviegoersâ imaginations for decades, bringing the legendary battles and sweeping landscapes of yore into the 20th and 21st centuries. There is an undeniable appeal to these tales: They allow us to escape the unglamorous complexities of our modern-day world and be transported to seemingly simpler times, when conflict was rawer and more visceral. At the same time, they remind us that, although centuries have passed, weâre still dealing with many of the same problems, from corruption among our leaders to familial conflicts.
A truly great film set in medieval times manages to blend striking visuals with timeless themes that connect us with the distant past. There are historical epics like Braveheart (1995) and Arthurian fantasies like Excalibur (1981), but there are also films that have fun with the genreâs many tropes, like Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Shrek (2001). Ahead, weâre counting down the 30 best medieval movies of all time, which may or may not make us want to pick up a sword ourselves.
01 of 30
The King (2019)
TimothĂ©e Chalamet as Henry V of England in âThe KingâCredit: Netflix
Between scoring Oscar nominations and starring in worldwide blockbusters, TimothĂ©e Chalamet took on the role of Prince Henry of Wales, charting his reluctant ascent to the throne in this medieval Netflix drama. While Chalametâs screen presence may feel contemporary, he proves a strong match for the material here, tracking the young princeâs journey from brooding hedonist with little interest in power to ruthless, cynical leader.
Rather than a romanticized view of heroes and conquests, the film takes a grittier approach in showcasing the grim realities of the medieval past. Director David MichĂŽdâs epic is not entirely self-serious, however, with Robert Pattinsonâs flamboyant turn as the Dauphin of France injecting the proceedings with a colorful burst of energy. âKevin Jacobsen
Where to watch The King: Netflix
02 of 30
Black Death (2010)
Sean Bean as Ulrich in âBlack DeathâCredit: Magnet Releasting/Courtesy Everett Collection
Christopher Smithâs devious plague thriller stars Eddie Redmayne as a monk recruited by a knight (Sean Bean) to lead a group of soldiers to a village where, rumor has it, someone is using witchcraft to raise plague victims from their graves.
Part pandemic horror story, part road movie, and part medieval adventure, this blood-and-pus-soaked epic makes gorgeous use of its limited color palette and its dirty, muddy authenticity. Smith is a director highly adept at switching genres, sometimes multiple times within a scene, and Black Death finds him performing at the height of those abilities. Itâs an unexpected, stylishly rendered entry into the genre that delights in wrong-footing viewers. âDeclan Gallagher
Where to watch Black Death: Tubi
03 of 30
Doomsday (2008)
Craig Conway as Sol (center) in âDoomsdayâCredit: Rogue Pictures/Everett
Set in the near future decades after a zombie virus has decimated the U.K., a one-eyed military official (Rhona Mitra) leads a team of operatives into âthe Hot Zoneâ (a.k.a. Scotland) to find a cure for the virus. If youâre wondering what, exactly, is medieval about that premise â hoo boy, just wait and see. Itâs one of the greatest surprises in a movie filled with jaw-droppers.
Doomsday is a terrifically authentic callback to the grindhouse genre, combining everything from zombies to punks to car chases to medieval swordsmen and pursuits on horseback. Itâs a wild, untethered time at the movies, one which operates entirely on a streamlined internal logic that you either agree to instantly or spend 108 minutes butting relentlessly up against. âD.G.
Where to watch Doomsday: Prime Video (to rent)
04 of 30
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Orlando Bloom as Balian de Ibelin in âKingdom of HeavenâCredit: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett
Ridley Scottâs Crusades epic stars Orlando Bloom as a bereaved blacksmith who teams up with his specially skilled father (Liam Neeson) on the road to Jerusalem. After arriving, he finds himself in the court of King Baldwin IV (Edward Norton) and at the center of a war with the Muslims.
Scottâs film has several versions, all of which are worth watching in some capacity, though the Directorâs Cut fleshes the story out best. Though not Scottâs finest historical epic (hey, itâs tough to top 2000âs Gladiator), Norton is particularly fine here, and Bloom gives what is perhaps his best leading-man performance. âD.G.
Where to watch Kingdom of Heaven: Prime Video (to rent)
05 of 30
The Northman (2022)
Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd as Amleth in âThe NorthmanâCredit: Aidan Monaghan/Focus Features, LLC
Robert Eggersâ brutal adventure basically boils down to âHamlet, with Vikings!â It follows Alexander SkarsgĂ„rdâs Amleth (get it?), a former prince and current plunderer, as he makes his way across an arid wasteland seeking to save his long-lost mother (Nicole Kidman) and get revenge against the uncle (Claes Bang) who murdered his father (Ethan Hawke).
Eggersâ film is an impeccably mounted, occasionally humorous, brutal folk fairy tale. It feels like the sort of movie that in the old days would have been called âan old-fashioned epic,â except here there are added dashes of ludicrous perversity and outrageous splatter. âD.G.
Where to watch The Northman: Netflix
06 of 30
Becket (1964)
Peter OâToole as King Henry II of England and Richard Burton as Thomas Becket in âBecketâCredit: Everett
This gripping historical epic centers on the mercurial relationship between King Henry II (Peter OâToole) and his trusted companion Thomas Becket (Richard Burton). Frequently squabbling with the Church over taxation, Henry sees a golden opportunity after the Archbishop of Canterbury dies and appoints Becket to the position as a strategic political move. But after Becket has a spiritual awakening, the friends soon find themselves at odds, leading to a series of choices that change their lives forever.
Acclaimed for its engrossing storytelling and powerhouse performances, Becket earned 12 individual Oscar nominations, including two Best Actor bids for Burton and OâToole. While neither actor took home a trophy, OâTooleâs tempestuous performance as Henry and Burtonâs measured portrayal of Becket make for a potent drama of Shakespearean proportions. âK.J.
Where to watch Becket: Prime Video
07 of 30
Masque of the Red Death (1964)
Vincent Price as Prince Prospero in âMasque of the Red DeathâCredit: Everett
Vincent Price stars in this Roger Corman riff on Edgar Allan Poeâs proto-slasher melodrama about a Satan-worshiping prince (Price) who engages in various perversions high atop his eerie castle whilst the Red Death fells his kingdom.
Cormanâs film is lush and packed with delightful, era-appropriate details that nicely offset the modern anachronisms. This is one of the directorâs most complete works, one which often plays as a genuinely sprawling and well-designed period piece adorned with a few sequences of shocking violence and genuine, macabre suspense. âD.G.
Where to watch Masque of the Red Death: Prime Video
08 of 30
Beowulf (2007)
Wealthow (voice: Robin Wright) and Beowulf (voice: Ray Winstone) in âBeowulfâCredit: Paramount/Everett
The best of Robert Zemeckisâ mo-cap experimentation/wilderness period, this epic â loosely based on the classic fable â follows Ray Winstone as the titular warrior, who seeks to rid a village of terror wrought by an evil demon known as Grendel (Crispin Glover, brilliantly). After defeating the beast, he incurs the wrath of its seductive, deadly mother (Angelina Jolie).
Horny and harrowing in equal measure, Zemeckisâ film is enchanting, ravishing, and occasionally puzzling. Indeed, Beowulf plays as if a sword-and-sorcery-obsessed 12-year-old got their hands on $150 million and their first issue of Playboy. Itâs a complete blast featuring arresting visuals that still impress today. âD.G.
Where to watch Beowulf: Prime Video (to rent)
09 of 30
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Dave Chappelle as Ahchoo and Cary Elwes as Robin Hood in âRobin Hood: Men in TightsâCredit: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett
Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) escapes prison and returns to Nottingham to battle the nefarious Prince John (Richard Lewis) and woo the gorgeous Maid Marion (Amy Yasbeck).
Mel Brooksâ parody of Prince of Thieves, released just two years before this, smartly casts Elwes in a subversion of his famous role in The Princess Bride (1987). Itâs one of Brooksâ last classic send-ups, with the legendary comedian providing a sharp script and a righteous supporting performance. âD.G.
Where to watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights: Prime Video (to rent)
10 of 30
Shrek (2001)
Donkey (voice: Eddie Murphy) and Shrek (voice: Mike Myers) in âShrekâCredit: DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett
An ogre (Mike Myers) and a sassy donkey (Eddie Murphy) venture across the postmodern fairy tale landscape of Far Far Away to rescue a princess with a secret (Cameron Diaz) from the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow).
This amiable DreamWorks parody, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, kicked off the trend of self-referential, adult-skewing animated movies, for better or for worse. Three sequels (with a fourth on the way), two Puss in Boots spinoffs, and numerous straight-to-video specials have been largely unable to recapture the magic of the original Shrek. Its prime attributes are a deviously well-written screenplay and top-shelf vocal performances from the entire cast. âD.G.
Where to watch Shrek: Peacock
11 of 30
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
Justice Smith as Simon, Chris Pine as Edgin, Sophia Lillis as Doric, and Michelle Rodriguez as Holga in âDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among ThievesâCredit: Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures and eOne
A roguish thief (Chris Pine) leads a group of neâer-do-wells (including Michelle Rodriguez and Sophia Lillis) on an expedition to retrieve an ancient relic from a smarmy ruler (Hugh Grant, reliably brilliant).
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley had the essential idea to take the long-gestating IP of the massively successful role-playing game and turn it into a crowd-satisfying heist comedy that, while remaining inextricably and loyally tied to the source material, doesnât bog down unfamiliar viewers with nonsensical plot points. Honor Among Thieves is one of the better recent blockbusters, effortlessly evoking the halcyon days of summer popcorn movies when the heroes had an edge, the stakes were relatable, and the action set pieces focused on character arcs rather than errant spectacle. âD.G.
Where to watch Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: Paramount+
12 of 30
The Black Cauldron (1985)
Taran (voice: Grant Bardsley), Hen Wen, and Dallben (voice: Freddie Jones) in âThe Black CauldronâCredit: Everett Collection
When the dastardly Horned King (John Hurt) makes off with a soothsaying pig, herder Taran (Grant Bardsley) embarks on a rescue mission while entertaining his dream of becoming a fabled knight in shining armor. Joining him on his quest are Princess Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan) and man-beast Gurgi (John Byner).
A nearly forgotten classic, The Black Cauldron represents all of the best signatures from Disneyâs hand-drawn era. It features the warm and often compelling characters the studio is known for, along with the requisite doses of humor and pathos, but the film especially excels as a sword-and-sorcery adventure that pays honor to the genreâs most reliable tropes, offering a gateway into the genre for younger viewers without softening its edges or dulling the storyâs impact. âD.G.
Where to watch The Black Cauldron: Disney+
13 of 30
A Knightâs Tale (2001)
Heath Ledger as William Thatcher in âA Knightâs TaleâCredit: Everett Collection
Brian Helgelandâs cheeky actioner follows a young peasant (Heath Ledger) who enters the competitive jousting field to woo a fair maiden (a note-perfect Shannyn Sossamon) but also to stick it to the stuck-up royals.
If you were to describe A Knightâs Tale, it would sound like a mess. A medieval romance that is, at its heart, a slobs-versus-snobs comedy with an anachronistic hard-rock soundtrack that gives it the feeling of a Bollywood epic. Yet, the movie unabashedly works as supreme entertainment. The cast is unmatched and the pace jocular, but its greatest trick is managing to maintain an element of uncertainty and suspense. âD.G.
Where to watch A Knightâs Tale: Paramount+
14 of 30
The Last Duel (2021)
Adam Driver as Jacques Le Gris and Matt Damon as Sir Jean de Carrouges in âThe Last DuelâCredit: Patrick Redmond/20th Century Studios
Ridley Scottâs hard-edged, brainy-and-brawny action-adventure is a lot better than its reputation suggests. Matt Damon and Adam Driver star as longtime friends who are torn apart when the formerâs wife (Jodie Comer) accuses the latter of assault. In a particularly medieval flourish, the authenticity of the womanâs statement â and indeed her fate â is to be determined by a duel between the two men.
Adopting a Rashomon-style device that plays the events from each of the three leadsâ perspectives, Scott creates a tense drama with a lot to say about the medieval womanâs plight. As the movie moves into its central duel, Scott does nice work balancing the punishing violence on display with compelling character development. âD.G.
Where to watch The Last Duel: Prime Video (to rent)
15 of 30
The Green Knight (2021)
Dev Patel as Gawain in âThe Green KnightâCredit: A24
David Loweryâs perfectly pitched mythological fairy tale, based on the ancient poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, stars Dev Patel as Gawain, a wastrel nobleman who fells the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson) with a fatal sword blow and then must be on the receiving end of the same deed one year later. This sends the young man on a journey across the countryside, where he encounters various characters, including a scavenger of dead bodies (Barry Keoghan).
Lowery uses the classic text to craft a rich and lyrical folk story that is at once a callback to early cinematic adventures and a completely modern spin on an old fable. Alicia Vikander is particularly good as Gawainâs put-upon love, and Sarita Choudhury stuns as sorceress Morgan le Fay. âD.G.
Where to watch The Green Knight: Hulu
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16 of 30
Excalibur (1981)
Nicol Williamson as Merlin and Helen Mirren as Morgana le Fay in âExcaliburâCredit: Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Based on Thomas Maloryâs masterwork Le Morte dâArthur, this handsomely mounted medieval drama fulfills every major checkpoint of the Arthurian legend. Told with an epic sense of grandeur, Excalibur charts Arthurâs life from pulling the sword from the stone to establishing the Knights of the Round Table and Camelot to the quest for the Holy Grail.
Director John Boorman expertly blends the grim, bloody realities of the period with a dreamy opulence befitting of its mythic subject matter. The film, which rightfully earned an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, is also a key early text for several beloved U.K. actors, including Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and Gabriel Byrne, and helped launch Helen Mirren (a scene-stealer here as the scheming Morgana) into worldwide stardom. âK.J.
Where to watch Excalibur: Prime Video (to rent)
17 of 30
Braveheart (1995)
Mel Gibson as William Wallace (center) in âBraveheartâCredit: Everett Collection
Director/star Mel Gibsonâs masculine, blood-drenched passion project is a biopic following Scottish patriot William Wallace leading an assault against the English after his family is murdered.
Braveheart revived the medieval swashbuckling genre in a particularly brutal form with this rigorously detailed, if historically patchy, yarn. It heralded Gibson as an urgent filmmaker with a flair for spectacle and, most especially, carnage. As the lead, he also gives one of his finest performances as Wallace, modulating beautifully between portraying a real-life person who is also a folk hero. âD.G.
Where to watch Braveheart: Paramount+
18 of 30
Throne of Blood (1957)
Isuzu Yamada as Lady Asaji Washizu and ToshirĆ Mifune as Taketoki Washizu in âThrone of BloodâCredit: Mary Evans/Toho Company/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
Akira Kurosawaâs riveting take on Macbeth set in feudal Japan stars ToshirĆ Mifune as a samurai who is cajoled by his wife (Isuzu Yamada) to usurp the throne through murder and deceit.
Throne of Blood is one of Kurosawaâs most celebrated films and, to date, one of the most imaginative and fulfilled reimaginings of Shakespeareâs text. At the time of its release, this was one of the most expensive Japanese films. Every penny seemingly ended up on the screen in sumptuous detail, being a masterwork of technical artistry and perfectly calibrated performances. âD.G.
Where to watch Throne of Blood: HBO Max
19 of 30
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Princess Aurora (voice: Mary Costa) in âSleeping BeautyâCredit: Everett Collection
Disneyâs seminal feature finds Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) cursed by the evil witch Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) to die on her 16th birthday. When the plan fails, and Aurora only falls into a deep slumber, itâs up to the dashing Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley) and a trio of fairies to wake her and break the spell.
One of the most enduring animated films of all time, Sleeping Beauty is a sterling example of the genre in every fashion. With resplendent hand-painted scenery and a tight screenplay that incorporates dashes of horror and comedy into the romance with aplomb, Disneyâs final animated effort of the 1950s closed out the decade with grace. âD.G.
Where to watch Sleeping Beauty: Disney+
20 of 30
Henry V (1989)
Emma Thompson as Princess Katherine de Valois and Kenneth Branagh as King Henry V in âHenry VâCredit: Everett Collection
Kenneth Branaghâs feature directorial debut is a lush, grandiose adaptation of Shakespeareâs play about the tormented king of England attempting to claim Franceâs land, culminating in the fateful battle of Agincourt.
Branagh came out of the gate swinging with this brawny film, a smart and gritty resurrection of one of Shakespeareâs darkest works. He stuns in the lead role, well-aided by a murdererâs row of British talent including Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, and Emma Thompson, who speak Elizabethan prose as if born to do so. âD.G.
Where to watch Henry V: Prime Video
21 of 30
Macbeth (1971)
Jon Finch as Macbeth and Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth in âMacbethâCredit: Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
Roman Polanskiâs savage Shakespeare adaptation stars Jon Finch in the title role and Francesca Annis as his scheming bride, who encourages Macbeth to turn against his friends and court in a ruthless ascent to the throne.
Macbethâs themes of deceit and dishonor sit squarely within the directorâs filmography while also crafting one of the most atmospheric and affecting Shakespeare works to date. In casting primarily younger actors in the roles and upping the storyâs perversion and brutality, Polanski set the mold for Baz Luhrmannâs Romeo + Juliet (1996) and other, more post-modern adaptations like 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and O (2001). âD.G.
Where to watch Macbeth: Prime Video (to rent)
22 of 30
Army of Darkness (1992)
Bruce Campbell as Ash in âArmy of DarknessâCredit: Everett Collection
Sam Raimiâs unexpected and supremely delightful Evil Dead threequel finds Ash (Bruce Campbell) exiled to medieval times, where he must break out from under the thumb of sniveling Lord Arthur (Marcus Gilbert) to recover the Book of the Dead and return home. Embeth Davidtz, playing a Maid Marian type, makes easy work of her status as the most resourceful and memorable final girl in the Evil Dead franchise.
Having essentially remade the first Evil Dead (1981) with Evil Dead 2 (1987), Raimi decided to do the farthest-flung, most unanticipated finale to round out the trilogy. The result is a gripping horror adventure that reminds us of the unfortunately low number of movies like this in existence. âD.G.
Where to watch Army of Darkness: Prime Video
23 of 30
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
RenĂ©e Jeanne Falconetti as Jeanne dâArc (right) in âThe Passion of Joan of ArcâCredit: Henry Guttmann Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty
Carl Theodor Dreyerâs seminal silent film chronicles the persecution of the eponymous 19-year-old warrior (RenĂ©e Jeanne Falconetti) who claimed to have spoken to God and ultimately died at the hands of overzealous religious leaders (here embodied by AndrĂ© Berley and EugĂšne Silvain) for her beliefs.
Dreyerâs extraordinary picture, with a script informed by the actual court records in Jeanne dâArcâs case, remains one of the earliest examples of flawless visual storytelling. So emphatic are the images that the interstitial dialogue cards are hardly necessary. Dreyer shoots his film in claustrophobic close-ups, effectively trapping the audience within Joanâs plight. The result is one of the most suspenseful and haunting silent films ever made. âD.G.
Where to watch The Passion of Joan of Arc: HBO Max
24 of 30
Ran (1985)
PÄ«tÄ as KyĆami and Tatsuya Nakadai as Ichimonji Hidetora in âRanâCredit: Everett
Legendary auteur Akira Kurosawa transports the story of King Lear to 16th-century feudal Japan in this sweeping war drama. After the aging Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai) announces his retirement and plans to divide his territory among his three sons, the family descends into a civil war of tragic proportions. Two of the brothers fight for absolute power while the youngest is banished; a scheming wife seeks revenge for Hidetoraâs slaughter of her family; and Hidetora gradually loses his sanity.
Ran is a gripping tale of how power, ego, and corruption can destroy a family from within. Using a dynamic color palette and eye-popping battle sequences, Kurosawa creates a fascinating dissonance between the vibrancy of his visuals and the horrific physical and emotional carnage of the story. Itâs a brutal tale, told confidently by one of cinemaâs greatest directors. âK.J.
Where to watch Ran: Tubi
25 of 30
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Terry Jones as Sir Bedevere and Graham Chapman as King Arthur in âMonty Python and the Holy GrailâCredit: Everett
Graham Chapman stars as King Arthur in this merry send-up of medieval misfortunes. Along with his servant, Patsy (Terry Gilliam), horseman Lancelot (John Cleese), and Sir Robin (Eric Idle), the men embark on a quest to obtain the Holy Grail, facing giants, murderous shrubbery, and mincing sirens along the way.
Arguably the best Python content ever produced, this positively hysterical feature finds each actor at the height of their side-splitting powers. Many of this movieâs most famous sequences have been repeated ad nauseam, but theyâre such sharply accomplished pieces of comedy that they still land solidly decades later. âD.G.
Where to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Prime Video
26 of 30
The Lion in Winter (1968)
Nigel Terry as John, Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart, and John Castle as Geoffrey in âThe Lion in WinterâCredit: Everett
âOf course he has a knife. He always has a knife. We all have knives! Itâs 1183, and weâre barbarians,â proclaims Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn) in this wickedly delightful reimagining of King Henry IIâs (Peter OâToole) dysfunctional relationship with his family. With Henry considering which of his three sons heâll name as his successor, the battle lines are drawn as the family â including Henryâs estranged, spirited wife Eleanor â convenes over the Christmas holiday.
Rather than try to replicate exactly how Henry and his family would have spoken in 12th-century Europe, screenwriter James Goldman, adapting his own play, contemporizes the dialogue, making it feel gloriously alive for a modern audience. While often darkly humorous, the film cuts deeper when considering how the family trades barbs as a way of inflicting emotional violence on each other. Widely acclaimed upon its release, The Lion in Winter scored three Oscar wins, including Best Actress for Hepburn. âK.J.
Where to watch The Lion in Winter: Tubi
27 of 30
Rashomon (1950)
Masayuki Mori as Takehiro Kanazawa and Machiko KyĆ as Masako Kanazawa in âRashomonâCredit: Courtesy Everett Collection
Kurosawaâs seminal work inspired countless imitators with its ingenious exploration of conflicting perspectives. Taking shelter from a rainstorm, a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) and a priest (Minoru Chiaki) recount a ghastly crime to a commoner (Kichijiro Ueda): A samurai (Masayuki Mori) has been found dead, and his wife (Machiko KyĆ) assaulted. But as the two men recall the testimonies of those involved â including a notorious bandit (Toshiro Mifune) and the dead samurai himself, speaking through a medium â it becomes clear that everyone has a drastically different version of events.
Kurosawaâs searing drama is at once a multilayered investigation of human nature and a fascinating exploration of the slippery, subjective nature of truth. Itâs a haunting film that manages to feel both expansive in ideas and terrifically claustrophobic in presentation, with the limited locations and conflicting accounts lending the movie a feeling of a constantly looping nightmare. âD.G.
Where to watch Rashomon: HBO Max
28 of 30
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Errol Flynn as Robin Hood in âThe Adventures of Robin HoodâCredit: Everett
William Keighley and Michael Curtizâs seminal swashbuckler stars Errol Flynn, in perhaps his best-remembered role, as the eponymous hero of Sherwood Forest. Alongside his Merry Men (including Alan Hale as Little John and Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck), Robin Hood sets out to thwart the villainous Prince John (Claude Rains) and his ruthless ally Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone), who are plotting to seize the throne from the imprisoned King Richard (Ian Hunter). Robin also works to win the hand of the lovely Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland).
This is one of Hollywoodâs great early blockbusters. Filmmakers continue to mine the tropes and signatures Keighley and Curtiz helped popularize here, with the assortment of well-known literary characters playing like something of a Marvel mash-up for 1938. The set pieces are wonderfully accomplished, with thrilling stunt work, vibrant Technicolor cinematography, and attention to detail that many current popcorn movies wish they possessed. âD.G.
Where to watch The Adventures of Robin Hood: Tubi
29 of 30
The Princess Bride (1987)
Robin Wright as Princess Buttercup and Cary Elwes as Westley in âThe Princess BrideâCredit: Everett Collection
The late Rob Reinerâs masterpiece is a majestic and heartfelt homage to fairy tales and their villains, monsters, heroes, and romance. A grandfather (Peter Falk) reads his sick grandson (Fred Savage) a story the young boy fears will be all about kissing but is instead a swashbuckling adventure through a fantastical medieval world (with just a little kissing along the way).
Cary Elwes has never been better than he is here as the heroic Westley, who assumes the identity of the Dread Pirate Roberts and sets out to rescue his beloved Buttercup (Robin Wright) from the clutches of the villainous Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Along the way, he joins forces with the skilled swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), whoâs determined to avenge his fatherâs murder at the hands of a six-fingered man. The Princess Bride is nothing short of a classic, the type thatâs so objectively brilliant itâs a waste of time to decorate it with superlatives. Dazzling adults and children in equal measure, itâs scary, exciting, romantic, and silly in spades. âD.G.
Where to watch The Princess Bride: Disney+
30 of 30
The Seventh Seal (1957)
Bengt Ekerot as Death and Max von Sydow as Antonius Block in âThe Seventh SealâCredit: Everett
Ingmar Bergmanâs landmark feature stars Max von Sydow as a soldier who, upon returning home from the battlefields of the Crusades to find his village in the throes of the bubonic plague, sets out on a journey to evade death personified and, in one of cinemaâs most famous sequences, tries to beat the entity in a chess match.
Certainly one of the most impactful films ever made, The Seventh Seal is a potent exploration of medieval ideology and manâs commitment to country and service. Bergman reportedly took cues from Akira Kurosawaâs medieval and samurai filmography to craft this opus; the relationships to the supernatural and questions regarding the usefulness of military endeavor are reminiscent of Rashomon and the directorâs other notable postâWorld War II works.
As with any great creative worth their salt, Bergman takes those homages and winking nods and turns them into something entirely his own. The influences are visible, but how Bergman spins and twists them is specific to the Swedish auteurâs vision. Nearly 70 years after its release, The Seventh Seal remains one of the most thrilling additions to cinemaâs canon. âD.G.
Where to watch The Seventh Seal: HBO Max
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