Black Knight (Monty Python) - Overview

Overview

In the film, King Arthur (Graham Chapman), accompanied by his trusty serf Patsy (Terry Gilliam), is travelling through a forest when he enters a clearing and observes a fight taking place between a Black Knight (John Cleese) and a Green Knight (also played by Gilliam) by a bridge over a small stream. As he watches, the Black Knight defeats the Green, throwing his sword straight through the eye slot of the Green Knight's helm (during Arthur's battle with the Black Knight, the Green Knight's body can be seen in a ditch beside the area).

Arthur then congratulates the Black Knight and offers him a place at Arthur's court on the Round Table, but the Black Knight only stands still, holding his sword, and makes no response until Arthur moves to cross the bridge. The Black Knight then refuses to stand aside. Reluctantly, Arthur fights the Black Knight and, after a short battle, the Knight's left arm is severed.

Even at this the Knight refuses to stand aside, insisting "'Tis but a scratch", later insisting that he has "had worse", and fights on while holding his sword with his remaining arm. Next his right arm is cut off, but the knight still does not concede. As the Knight is literally disarmed, Arthur assumes the fight is over and kneels to offer a prayer to God. The Black Knight interrupts Arthur's prayer of thanks by kicking him in the side of the head and accusing him of cowardice. When Arthur points out the Black Knight's injuries, the Knight insists "It's just a flesh wound!" In response to the continued kicks and insults, Arthur chops off the Black Knight's right leg. At this point, the Knight still will not admit to defeat, instead he replies by saying, "Right, I’ll do you for that", and attempts to ram his body into Arthur's, by hopping on his left leg. Arthur is incredulous at the Black Knight's persistence, and angrily asks the Black Knight if he is going to "bleed on me" to win. The Black Knight replies by saying, "I'm invincible!" to which Arthur replies "You're a loony!" With an air of resignation, Arthur finally cuts off the left leg as well and sheathes his sword. With the Black Knight now reduced to a mere stump of a man, he says, "All right, we'll call it a draw." Arthur then summons Patsy and "rides" away, using coconuts to simulate the sound of a horse galloping, leaving the Black Knight's limbless torso screaming threats at him ("Running away, eh? You yellow bastards! Come back here and take what's coming to ya! I'll bite your legs off!").