A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Hank (Bing Crosby) suddenly finds himself transported to the times of King Arthur (Cedric Hardwick). He is captured by Sir Sagramore (William Bendix) and brought before the king who orders his execution on the advice of Merlin (Murvyn Vye). Come the day, Hank talks himself out of his predicament and into a title - "Sir Boss". He then talks his way through the rest of the film as he battles against Merlin, Morgan (Virginia Field) and Sir Logris (Joseph Vitale) until ..... all of a sudden .... he returns back from whence he came ..... and finds a surprise waiting for him.The film is good in the colour department. But that's it, I'm afraid. The songs are dreadful, the story is boring and the film goes on for too long. Bing is good enough as he breezes through the film. But that's just the trouble. There is never any danger or tension, whether Bing is being sentenced to death, arrested, chased - it's just endless lightweight tosh that he breezes through. It's one-gear (dull) all the way. William Bendix and Cedric Hardwicke do provide funny moments but they cannot halt the tedium.I also spotted something familiar in the denouement. As a boy, I remember reading the Tintin adventure "Prisoners Of The Sun" which was first published in 1946. I recall being impressed by the way in which Tintin got himself out of a predicament at the moment of his execution (he knew there was to be an eclipse of the sun at a certain time). At the appropriate moment, he cunningly ordered the sun to disappear and put the fear of God into all those present. He then made it re-appear once he had negotiated his release. Well, I think someone else had read the same book.

Although I have enjoyed Bing Crosby in other movies, I find this movie to be particularly grating. Maybe because I'm from a different era and a different country, but I found Crosby's continual references to the Good Old USA pleasant at first, trite after a while and then finally annoying. Don't get me wrong - I'm not anti-American whatsoever - but it seemed that the English could do no right and/or needed this brave, oh so smart American visitor to show them the way. It's a "fish out of water" story, but unlike most movies of this sort, this time it's the "fish" who has the upper hand. To be fair to both myself and the movie, I have watched it a few times spaced over a few years and get the same impression each time.(I watched another Crosby movie last night - The Emperor's Waltz - and that, too, produced the same reaction in me. And to my surprise even my wife - who for what's it's worth is American - found the "in your face" attitude of American Crosby to be irritating. One too many references to Teddy Roosevelt, as she put it.) As for the premise of the movie, it's unique enough for its day and the supporting cast is of course very good. The scenery and the music is also good, as are the great costumes - although I agree with a previous reviewer that the wig on William Bendix looks horrid (picture Moe of The Three Stooges).All in all for me this would be a much more enjoyable picture without the attitude of Bing Crosby but because he is in virtually every shot it's pretty hard to sit through this movie.

I watched this merry movie the other day and enjoyed itimmensely, even though it was about the hundreth time I'd seen it.It's a wonderful 'family' movie, in that it isn't offensive or overlong-it's fun. My favourite part has to be the song "busy doing nothing", sung bythe unlikely trio of Bing Crosby, Cedric Hardwicke and WilliamBendix (the first and last time they ever sang together!). There are nice touches all the way through, including the 'echoes'every time king Arthur requests something: "MORE HOT WATER! . . . more hot water. . ." Or "CLOSE THE DOOR! . . .close the door. . ."to which Murvyn Vye's Merlin replies, "the door closeth sire." While we are on the subject of Merlin, I'm surprised that with avoice like his he didn't appear in more of Hollywood's costumers.I've only ever seen him in one other film, and that was 'Green Fire'(1955). Of course, I have to mention William Bendix's portrayal of 'Saggy' orsir Sagramore. He turns up in Bing Crosby's prison cellshame-faced and apologetic for calling him (Crosby) a dragon andsays the following: Saggy: If only there were ought we could do. Crosby: Well, ain't there ought? Saggy: Nought. Whoever heard of a knight of the round table with a thick Brooklynaccent?! I usually detest musicals but this, along with 'White Christmas', isan exception. The duet between Rhonda Fleming and Bing Crosby('Once and for always') is brilliant. It's hilarious when he says she'spretty, to which she replies enthusiatically, "oh, thou art pretty toosire!" and he, looking round apprehensively says, "no, say I'm cuteor something!"

This movie is humorous, charming, and easily becomes a favorite for those who enjoy light entertainment. Hollywood is hardly the place for serious history lessons so I simply accept it as is. Bing, in his usual inimitable style, performs quite well as the blacksmith, Hank Martin, who by accident is transported back to another age, the time of King Arthur. The beautiful Rhonda Fleming is breathtaking as Alisande, or Sandy, the object of Hank's affections although she is betrothed to the brave and formidable Sir Lancelot, played by Henry Wilcoxon.I just love that episode when King Arthur (Cedric Hardwicke), Sir Sagramore (Wm. Bendix), and Hank (Bing Crosby) dress up in tattered clothing and take to the high road with their knapsacks to experience the kingdom at firsthand. King Arthur's comment, "I say, we are not alone" while giving his scruffy garments a good scratch, is one of those hilarious moments in the film. William Bendix's portrayal is superbly ridiculous, not to mention his attempts at quaint "ye Olde English." The story is not deep but it's well done in my opinion and I enjoy it more each time I see it. It's great family entertainment too.