It feels older than contemporary Disney work due to flat, creaky animation. The story still has resonance for kids, though.
Comment
11/03/09
The Sword in the Stone (1963)
73
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:22
Fresh:16
Rotten:6
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: A decent take on the legend of King Arthur, The Sword in the Stone suffers from relatively indifferent animation, but its characters are still memorable and appealing.
Runtime: 79 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: In London, during medieval times, there was a large stone with a heavy sword imbedded in it. The man who could pull the sword from the stone would become king of England, but no man, despite his... [More]
Starring: Ricky Sorenson, Karl Swenson, Norman Alden, Sebastian Cabot
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Reviews for The Sword in the Stone
Top CriticInnocuous fun for all the family -- well, those under eight anyway. Grown-ups should seek out Excalibur instead.
11/03/09
Top CriticA beautifully animated Disney feature.
06/24/06
Top CriticIt makes a good effort at being something like My First Arthur Story.
11/15/09
It is seldom mentioned in discussions of Disney's work, and no character in it evolved into a Disney favorite.
11/03/09
Top CriticThere is still some life in the characterizations, though the animation is turning stiff and flat.
11/03/09
The feature-length cartoon demonstrates anew the magic of the Disney animators and imagination in character creation.
03/26/09
Top CriticSadly, in viewing the film as an adult, I lost a bit of the magic.
08/24/08
For all of its inventiveness, the film's characters are never quite as endearing as they should be, and the central relationship between Arthur and Merlin is oddly detached.
07/02/08
He had my heart racing like a squirrel. He had my body soaring into the stratosphere like a bird. He had me slippery and firm like a fresh young perch.
06/22/08
Fans of the fairy-tale format will recognize a little Cinderella in the structure.
06/15/08
No review available.
08/19/05
No review available.
07/01/05
No review available.
04/08/05
Not one of Disney's brighter moments.
07/19/04
No review available.
07/15/03
The humor sparkles with real, knowing sophistication -- meaning for all ages -- and some of the characters on the fifth-century landscape of Old England are Disney pips.
05/21/03
Top CriticMinor Disney fare, but still enjoyable. The climactic wizard's duel is a real high point.
10/15/02
Not top-notch Disney animation, but still OK.
08/21/02
No review available.
08/16/02
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