(Well, it does lack a soundtrack completely composed of ‘70s songs. Therefore, we can only conclude that The Court Jester appeared to me in a very good dream, because it’s the only other film I’ve seen that satisfies the same itch A Knight’s Tale does. I distinctly remember it being an AV Club Watch This recommendation inspired by Galavant, but I’m only turning up a Scenic Routes column about the “the pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle” scene. I just glanced back at my copious notes to figure out where I stumbled across The Court Jester. (Oh, no, what a hardship.) It’s a microniche that endlessly delights me, but emphasis must be placed on its micro nature.

(Although it’s adorable that it’s occasionally dinged for having a lady blacksmith-despite the fact that she’s a widow who took over the family business, like a lot of women in the Middle Ages.) I have often searched in vain for films that do the same (this is why I watched Virgin Territory), usually after I watch A Knight’s Tale, but I usually just put in A Knight’s Tale again after giving up. It’s a medieval(ish)-set romp that uses its setting more as an excuse to play merrily with anachronism for comedic effect than any attempts to mimic historical truth. Alone among my favorite movies, A Knight’s Tale occupies a unique niche.

The court jester streaming