Excalibur

Continuity mistake: We see Morgana for the first time as she stands in the back of the wedding and turns around to look at Merlin. The order of the guests in front of her does not change but the banners above their heads are entirely different as she approaches Merlin in the next shot. (01:00:45)

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Continuity mistake: At King Arthur and Guinevere's wedding there's a banner with Jesus' face on it behind the alter. When we see Morgana for the first time the right half of the banner is in the sunlight but in the next shot as she turns around the left side is in the sunlight. (01:00:50)

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Continuity mistake: As they speak for the first time, Morgana is in the sunlight when she holds the mandrake root in front of Merlin's face. In the next shot when he says, "And if too much is taken?" she's not. (01:01:40)

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Continuity mistake: As Morgana and Merlin speak, the position of the vial that she's wearing changes between shots. In the shots where we see Merlin's face a gold spec (many are included as decorations in the veil) is next to her cheek. In the shots where we see Morgana's face the gold spec moves and is next to her right temple. (01:01:45)

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Continuity mistake: At the entrance to Camelot Lancelot says, "Kay, would you train this lad to be my squire?" and Perceval is standing near the rear of the horse. In the next shot the boy is standing with Kay at the head of the horse. (01:06:20)

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Continuity mistake: Guinevere and Morgana walk down a staircase inside Camelot and get to the 10th step. In the next shot Guinevere notices Lancelot at the entrance and says hello and now they are on the 7th step. (01:06:30)

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Continuity mistake: All the knights have a feast at the round table and Perceval brings a drink to Guinevere. Her hair is about four inches longer in the close-up, extending below the neck line of her dress. (01:08:40)

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Continuity mistake: During the knight's feast at the round table Morgana and Merlin go off to chat and he says to her, "I've shown you too much already". We see three dogs (one lying down and two standing) bathed in a green light behind his head. Two seconds later we see this spot again and there are two dogs standing in natural light. (01:09:30)

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Continuity mistake: King Arthur asks Merlin where evil is in his kingdom and he replies, "Always where you never expect it, always". In the next shot Morgana walks back to her seat at the table as Gawain blurts out, "I know where" but then two shots later we see her back at the wall where she was speaking to Merlin. (01:10:20)

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Continuity mistake: Lancelot prays, "God, save me from myself, purge me of this love so that I can defend her" as he stares straight ahead. In the next shot he's looking up. (01:13:50)

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Continuity mistake: After their fight Lancelot holds the spear right up to Gawain's face as he says, "I yield to your mercy, Lancelot". In the next shot the spear is up in the air well above his body. (01:19:55)

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Continuity mistake: After the fight Lancelot lies dying and King Arthur says to Merlin, "Bring him back, whenever the cost". Guinevere lifts Lancelot's left hand and kisses it but in the next shot both of her hands are on his wound. (01:20:20)

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Continuity mistake: As King Arthur addresses the Knights of the Round Table he says, "Only the Grail can restore leaf and flower" and Perceval and the other nights are facing him. In the next shot Perceval and the knight to the left of him are facing forward with only their heads turned towards Arthur. (01:35:30)

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Continuity mistake: Mordred brings Perceval to his mother Morgana and we see the metal pendants hanging from her crown are almost motionless. In the next close-up shot of her holding Mordred the pendants are all moving. (01:40:50)

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Continuity mistake: In a long shot, Mordred brings Perceval to Morgana and she says as she holds him, "My lovely, clever boy". The next shot is a close-up and the blankets covering her throne are entirely different. (01:40:50)

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Continuity mistake: After speaking to Arthur, Mordred catches up to and kills Uryens by the lake with his spear. The close-up of the spear in Uryens' back shows beads dangling about one foot from the tip. In the long shot of his body we see a different spear with no beads at all, just a short dangling piece of rope. (01:48:45)

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Continuity mistake: After killing Uryens, Mordred rides up on his horse and looks over in the direction of Perceval, who's hiding behind a tree. At first his right arm is bent close to his chest, then in the next shot his arm is at his side. (01:48:50)

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Continuity mistake: Morgana becomes old after she recites "The Charm of Making". They use another older actress to portray her and she's wearing the same costume and head dress but they neglected to put on the long dangling earrings that she was wearing in the previous shots when she was younger. (02:07:00)

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Continuity mistake: After the final battle Mordred thrusts a spear through his father Arthur's chest. It goes totally through him but if only the very tip has blood on it. Later on in the scene it's entirely bloody. (02:12:40)

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Visible crew/equipment: After Arthur drinks from the Grail and goes to visit Gwinevere at the convent and she gives him the sword back, he paces around her chamber- you can clearly see the film crew reflected in his armor.

More mistakes in Excalibur

Arthur: Thanks be to God you're alive.
Lancelot: I, the best Knight in the world bested! This is a great day! For my search is over, my King. Make me your champion.
Arthur: But your life and lands are far from here.
Lancelot: I gave up my castle and my lands. This is my domain. Within this metal skin. And I pledge all that I still own. Muscle, bone, blood and the heart that pumps it.
Arthur: And a great heart it is. Sir Lancelot, you will be my champion.

More quotes from Excalibur

Trivia: Producer/screenwriter/director John Boorman deliberately chose renowned stage actors Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren to play the sorcerer Merlin and the sorceress Morgana, knowing very well that Williamson and Mirren hated each other in real life (because of a disastrous stage production of Macbeth they worked on, years earlier). Boorman anticipated real friction, tension and anger between the two actors, which was the effect he wanted onscreen. On the contrary, the experience of working together in "Excalibur" completely changed Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren into the best of friends.

Charles Austin Miller

More trivia for Excalibur

Question: IMDB lists a character named Sunshine, played by an uncredited Prudence Wright Holmes. Who is she?

Answer: Sunshine is the name of one of Gueniviere's handmaidens. She is also mentioned in L'morte d'Arthur.

More questions & answers from Excalibur

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