The Sword in the Stone

Tired of living in a Medieval mess... Merlin uses all his magic powers to change a scrawny little boy into a legendary hero!

1963 • 79 min • Animation · Family · Fantasy

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Synopsis

Wart is a young boy who aspires to be a knight's squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for him beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to give him an education, believing that once one has an education, one can go anywhere. Needless to say, it doesn't quite work out that way.

Our family guide

Best from age 5

Movie Knight Score

4146 reviews

50 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
72 Audience · 4144 · 49%

Young Arthur, known as Wart, meets the eccentric wizard Merlin who attempts to educate him through magical transformations. Merlin believes that knowledge is power, but Wart’s destiny is far grander than anyone imagines. This animated classic explores themes of education, destiny, and the true meaning of leadership.

Violence & peril: 2/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 0/10
Scary moments: 3/10

Heads up

Some magical duels are a bit intense
Madame Mim can be a slightly scary villain
Brief, mild peril when animals are hunted

What it models well

Education and learning are valuable
Kindness and humility in leadership
Finding your true potential

Talk about it after

What does it mean to be a good leader?
The importance of an education
How Merlin’s magic helped Wart learn

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Sword in the Stone. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman • Crew: Bill Peet, Bill Peet

Trailers & clips

The Sword in the Stone - 1963 Theatrical Trailer (35mm 4K)

The Sword in the Stone - 2008 45th Anniversary Edition DVD Trailer

The Sword in the Stone - 1985 Reissue Trailer

The Sword in the Stone - 1983 Reissue Trailer

The Sword in the Stone

Reviewer notes

Recommended
"Arthur" - rather unkindly nick-named "Wart" is a stable boy with grand ambitions. He wants to be the squire to a bold and chivalrous knight. Those plans are soon up in the air, though, when he has a chance encounter with "Merlin" in the forest and is soon the wizard's pet project. You see, the wise if scatty old man knows the true identity of the young man, and is determined to prepare him for what's to come. Wha...
Geronimo1967, TMDB Community

Not recommended
Decent watch, probably won't watch again, and can't recommend. Now it's been a while since I've seen this one, and now I remember why. There just isn't anything in the well in which to return. Sure all the magic is amusing, and the animal adventures are cute, as well as a nice reminder of how good we have it as humans, but I really feel like we ruined that squirrel's life, and I'm sad about it. The actual ...
Kamurai, TMDB Community