Illuminating Joan: Visuals, Sources, and Commentary : A Change in the Stars

The movie A Knight’s Tale, directed by Brian Helgeland in 2001, a peasant takes on and accepts the persona of a knight with the help of his two peasant friends. They were all squires of Sir Ector but do to Sir Ector’s death Heath Ledger’s character, William Thatcher alias Sir Ulrich, is forced to dawn Sir Ector’s armor in order that they may win and they can eat. However, William proposes that they continue the charade, under different names of course. This mission of becoming a knight hits a few snags when they find out that patents of nobility are required at Rouen. They meet Geoffrey Chaucer where William becomes Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland, Wat becomes Fowlehurst of Crewe, and Roland becomes Delves of Dodgington. After this introduction, that Chaucer sees is an untruth, they decide to join together to get patents of nobility, for William, and clothing, for Chaucer. And with this the movie truly begins as William becomes Sir Ulrich.

In the beginning, Chaucer overdoes himself and creates more than six generations of nobility for Ulrich, which founds a friendship that will last throughout the movie. Although at first it is strictly monetary interests that hold Chaucer’s interests, Chaucer becomes indebted to Ulrich as he sustains heavy losses in gambling. Shortly after Chaucer’s acceptance of the job as Ulrich’s herald, Ulrich meets and falls for a princess.

Ulrich follows the princess seemingly haphazardly. He goes after his love interest with such earnest that he does not realize that he “. . . desecrate the house of God!” (A Knight’s Tale). The love interest does not go well at first with the princess not even giving Ulrich her name, “’Tell me your name.’ ‘And what would you do with my name, Sir Hunter? Call me a fox, for that is all I am to you’” (A Knight’s Tale). It is with this same zeal that he competes in tournaments. This shows the commitment that a real knight might exhibit in medieval ages. It is with this same commitment to values that Ulrich shows to his friends. Even ones he just met as he is forced to pay the gambling debts of his new herald Geoffrey Chaucer.

Despite his success in the sword, Ulrich is maddened by his failure to place first in the joust. The main reason for his disappointment is that prestige and rewards are higher in the joust. This same sense of honor and prestige is evident in the real knights of the Medieval ages as well. Even courting has a lot of honor involved. When confronted about his armor by Count Adhemar, Ulrich gallops off maddened by his remarks. When Ulrich receives a token of Jocelyn’s affection Ulrich is incredibly happy. Which only serves to madden Adhemar and make him joust even harder against Ulrich. Two prides were injured in the match when Adhemar admits that a poor country knight has a strong arm when jousting and Ulrich loses Jocelyn’s token of affection as Adhemar returns it to her. Ulrich ultimately wins the courting process with Chaucer referring, jokingly, to Jocelyn as Ulrich’s “prize” at the Paris tournament.

The helmet types shown in the movie are very similar to what they would have worn at that time. The armor smith Kate creates new armor that is smaller and although the other knights laugh, they quiet down when Ulrich easily mounts his horse while the other knight struggles to mount his horse. The embellishments the heralds say at the beginning of matches are similar to what could have been expected at this time. In Chaucer’s first introduction he takes his opening remarks very strong in order to win support for Ulrich saying how Ulrich “. . . When he save a fatherless beauty from the would-be ravishings of her dreadful Turkish uncle” (A Knight’s Tale). The crowd makes a lot of noise at this remark no doubt pleased that Ulrich would stand up to such an un-Christian act. As Ulrich takes the jousting field the crowd only further rallies behind him.

Count Adhemar and his squire remark that Ulrich is fearless. This fearlessness is another knightly aspect that Ulrich displays. He never loses sight of his opponent. Because of his abilities on the jousting field, Sir Colville felt he must withdraw due to personal injuries. As Colville withdraws Adhemar and Jocelyn discuss the withdraw, “’Why didn’t Ulrich finish him?’ ‘He shows mercy’” (A Knight’s Tale). This example of mercy is yet another knightly characteristic that Ulrich exhibits.

A few small historical things to point out would be “the thatcher,” William’s dad, giving William to Sir Ector to be a squire. Another small thing would be the distaff seen at the tournament in Paris; it is rather amusing to see that a medieval woman might be doing her spinning at a sporting event seems kind of amusing.

The historical accuracies, however, end with characteristics, courting, and armor. The dress is not very accurate at all. The first inaccuracy occurs at the begging with buglers sounding almost like electric guitars while the crowd stomps and claps to “We Will Rock You” more musical inaccuracies occur at the banquet where the guests dance to “Golden Years,” a song by punk rocker David Bowie. The next inaccuracy is the flags that spring out of the side of the building as Ulrich strikes blows in rapid fire. For cultural historians the dress of medieval people would be appalling.

When going to banquet, Jocelyn has dyed red and green highlights and what looks like feathers sticking out of her hair. Another Jocelyn inaccuracy is her dress at the tournament ground at Lagny-sur-Marne; where, she dresses in dress that shows more cleavage than would have been socially acceptable at the time. Nylon mesh, also, was not created at this time which points out another flaw in her apparel. In this same apparel Jocelyn makes a remark that is an innuendo about being naked; a remark that Joan of Arc, and most other medieval persons, would not have approved of.

The face paint worn by most of the younger audience at the jousts may or may not have been present in medieval times but it is rather unlikely. The last few scenes in A Knight’s Tale are meant to be more theatrical and loose a sense of historical accuracy. It is rather unlikely that the Black Prince of Wales, Edward, would step in to pardon an imposter despite the bond they had on the jousting field not once but twice. When William is released from the stocks he also appears unable to stand with Wat and Geoffrey supporting him and visibly shaking while Edward knights him. And during Chaucer’s announcement of Sir William, Chaucer stands on Prince Edward’s chair much to the shock of Edward and his wife.

Although this movie has quite a few outstanding historical inaccuracies, it is a good film to watch for what make a knight. For what Medieval life was like, not so much. The final charge against Adhemar, with no armor, barely able to grasp the lance, shouting his name with passion as a war cry perhaps is the best scene for what a knight is. And in keeping with most movie endings, William gets the girl, the prestige of being called a knight, his father is proud for him, wounds miraculously healed, and his fox, his prize, Jocelyn. The "change your stars" line can be true. Joan was just a peasant but she became the savior of Orleans and later a saint.