British Pathe

C/Us and M/S of a chess board and two people playing a game; a third man is standing and watching by the game table in a large garden. M/S as we see a group of boys in coloured and checkered costumes standing on a large chessboard on the grass near the game table; the third man seems to be directing...

C/Us and M/S of a chess board and two people playing a game; a third man is standing and watching by the game table in a large garden. M/S as we see a group of boys in coloured and checkered costumes standing on a large chessboard on the grass near the game table; the third man seems to be directing them (he could be playwright John Wiles who produced this play).

Commentator says the game "has been ingeniously adapted as part of a fantasy production of King Arthur by the Turners Court School for underprivileged boys, at Benson in Oxfordshire". C/Us of the group of boys as they move on the board, dressed in chessmen costumes of medieval tabards and wearing eye-masks, hats, horses heads and castles made of papier-mâché. C/U of the feet of one boy as he moves to another square; he is wearing medieval-style shoes.

High angle M/S of the two men playing their game of chess as the third man stands by. Commentator says "This is the climax of the play where... the King recaptures this final battle with his enemy Mordreth in which he was mortally wounded. The two armies are the black and white pieces on the chess board, eliminating each other until only the principles are left". M/Ss as the boys move about on the board; eliminated boys sit watching.

M/S of the chess game as one of the players sweeps all the pieces off the board and walks off; panning right to show the boys running off the board leaving two (King Arthur and Mordreth) who start to fight with swords and shields; the other boys walk in a circle around the board and cheer them on. M/Ss and C/Us of the fight; C/Us of two boys watching; one wearing an ornate black cloak and hat; the other in a white priest's costume looking on (not sure who they're supposed to be).

M/S of the fighting boys as one kills the other; the circle of boys runs to them; before he 'dies', the boy kills his killer and they both fall as the crowd moves back then comes in again to stare at them.

Note: Newspaper cutting on file about the play with photo of fight scene.