George and the Dragon (film)

George and the Dragon (Dragonsword)
DVD cover
Directed by	Tom Reeve
Produced by	Michael Burks Frank Huebner Jeremy Saunders
Written by	Tom Reeve Michael Burks
Starring	Piper Perabo James Purefoy Patrick Swayze
Music by	Gast Waltzing
Cinematography	Joost van Starrenburg
Editing by	Misch Bervard Jonathan P. Shaw
Distributed by	American World Pictures (AWP)
Release date(s)	2004
Running time	93 min
Country	United States
Language	English

George and the Dragon, (alternative title: Dragon Sword) is a 2004 Sci-Fi Channel Historical fantasy film based in a medieval England, and loosely based on the legend of Saint George and the Dragon.

Synopsis

George (James Purefoy), a knight returned from the Crusades, wishes to retire from soldiering, find a wife, and settle on "an acre of land with two head of cattle." To conclude the transaction, he agrees to help the land's owner, King Edgaar (Simon Callow), whose daughter Princess Lunna (Piper Perabo) has disappeared. Also in search of the princess are Garth (Patrick Swayze), betrothed of the unwilling princess, and the mercenary El Cabillo, a title which passes through different men, and begins with (uncredited) Val Kilmer.

The princess has been kidnapped by a female dragon, which lays an egg and then seemingly dies a few days later. Rather than escaping, the princess decides to guard the egg, which she believes holds the last dragon on earth, whom she has named Smite. George's father Sir Robert (Paul Freeman), a previous friend of King Edgaar's and an amputee from his own previous run-in with the mother dragon, gives his son George a Dragon Horn, which "sounds a note only a dragon can hear".

When George encounters the princess, he attempts to destroy the egg but she knocks him unconscious each time he tries. They then, in company with other companions, transport the egg by wagon back to her father. Along the way they stop at a convent, where Lunna's cousin is a nun, and a friar is an old friend of George's. The princess's betrothed, Garth, catches up with them at the convent, and she says she will not marry him because she does not love him. He then kidnaps her to force her to marry him, as it is part of his plan to take over the kingdom.

Mercenaries arrive, led by the El Cabillo, who then reveals himself to the group as Tarik (Michael Clarke Duncan), a Moor who was a close friend of George's seen at the beginning of the film before the two part ways. But El Cabillo's men revolt against him, as they wish to capture the Princess and claim the reward. While they are all fighting, the baby dragon hatches, the monk Elmendorf is killed saving the Princess from a flying spear, and King Edgaar's men and Sir Robert's men arrive to join the fray. During this fight, Garth and George are fighting, but turn to find themselves facing a mutual enemy: the former second-in-command of El Cabillo, the leader of the mutiny. They fight him off together, while taking shots at each other. This conflagration is interrupted as the wall of the castle keep explodes across the screen. The mother dragon has returned.

The combatants all flee. George is last to the door of the keep but debris prevents his escape. In the castle courtyard the former combatants all listen in silence as the dragon makes much noise within the keep. The Princess Lunna fears the worst for both George and the dragon she has named herself.

Within the keep the mother dragon seems preoccupied with her child and George is largely frozen lest he attract the mother dragon's attention. George notices a lance protrudes from the mother dragons side. This is the lance of his father still lodged in the beast. George slowly approaches the lance and takes hold. He asks God's forgiveness for what he must do and promises to make this as painless as possible for the dragon.

The scene shifts to the castle courtyard a roar is heard. George emerges from the keep with a bloodied lance. Believing that George has slain the dragon the men are overjoyed. The Princess Lunna however is not and, overcome with sorrow for both the dragon's death and George's betrayal, flees on horseback. George pursues with King Edgaar's horse and his blessing to marry his daughter. There is a chase along the shore of a large body of water but George is not alone in the chase. Garth has also pursued. Garth knocks George from his steed and they fight. Garth has the advantage and as he raises his sword for the killing blow the mother dragon leaps from the water and swallows Garth whole.

The Princess Lunna realizes that George did not actually kill the dragons. They kiss and presumably live happily ever after.

Cast

Actor	Role
James Purefoy	George
Piper Perabo	Princess Lunna
Patrick Swayze	Garth
Michael Clarke Duncan	Tarik
Bill Treacher	Elmendorf
Jean-Pierre Castaldi	Bernard
Rollo Weeks	Wryn
Paul Freeman	Sir Robert
Stefan Jürgens	Bulchar
Phil McKee	McNally
Caroline Carver	Sister Angela
Joan Plowright	Mother Superior
Simon Callow	King Edgaar
Carl Chase	Arrd
Bill Oddie	Odo

References

External links

• George and the Dragon at the Internet Movie Database
• Official site