The physical part of the job isn`t that bad.
lt`s putting up with my lunatic father that might get to you.
lf you guys last a month l`ll double your pay.
My father is not a lunatic.
What else do you call someone who thinks he`s King Arthur?
Brave knight, bring your dragon in or defend yourself.
Oh, get out of my way you old maniac.
Maniac... For that, the dragon shall die.
Charge...
Good morning, Mr Krock.
Carl, how long have you been in this business?
Since your dad hired me, thirty years ago.
Have you ever seen anyone like this Halstead woman?
Me and your dad have seen our share of kooks in our time.
She asked to meet with me this morning.
l`m trying to be nice to her, you know.
She can`t leave the land because of her dogs.
She`s got 200 of them out there.
What`ll happen to the dogs?` she says.
l tell her 'turn 'em loose, they`re carnivores`.
She expect me to pass on a $20 million project
for a bunch of mutts she rescued from the pound?
People can become attached to their animals.
- l swear my father`s not the only lunatic running around loose these days.
Your sister`s waiting for you in the office.
- Great.
That`s all l need.
l wish she`d get married already so she`d get off my case.
Start worrying about her nails like any normal woman her age.
Linda, l have no time now... - What`s new about that?
lf it`s about why l don`t come and visit dad...
Why don`t you come out?
lt`s depressing, that`s why. The man used to be a giant.
He built a huge company out of nothing. Now he doesn`t recognise his own son.
He recognises you.
He thinks l`m Sir Lancelot. Our father`s on Mars, Linda.
lt`s not easy taking care of him, keeping that huge house up.
The handyman quit again. That`s the third one this month.
This whole thing isn`t on your shoulders. You`ve got a housekeeper.
You know how old Marian is. She can`t do that much more.
Then fire her and get somebody who can!
You can`t just throw people away like that.
That`s what l`d do if l were you. You got to think about your life too.
Get rid of that old woman, put dad in a comfortable home somewhere
and then sell that white elephant of a house.
lt`s an eyesore anyway. That`s exactly what l`d do.
l know. Luckily you take care of dad`s business, l take care of dad.
Now what about the handyman?
l called the temporary manpower agency...
- Excuse me.
My name is Jonathan Smith. The manpower agency send us over.
Speak of the Devil...
Not the best choice of words.
- Pardon me? This is my partner, Mark Gordon.
Smith, Gordon, l don`t have a lot of time.
My sister Linda will take you over to the house.
Ride in the car with her and she will fill you in before you get up there.
Ride in the car with her
and she will fill you in before you get up there.
The physical work isn`t that bad.
Putting up with my lunatic father might get to you.
- You last a month, l`ll double your pay. Our father is not a lunitic.
What else do you call someone who thinks he`s King Arthur?
Your dad built this place?
My father started from nothing. He and my mother.
He was very much in love with her.
He said he would build her a castle, where they would live happily ever after.
Did work out that way? No.
He built the castle all right, then made his second million and third...
The construction business is hard. He had to be hard to be a success.
Finally they ended up almost strangers.
He never realised how much he loved her until after she had died.
That`s happened to a lot of people.
After her death, he sank into a kind of depression.
Just went further and further into himself.
My brother ran the business and my father stayed home and brooded.
One morning, he woke in the castle he had built for his wife...
and he didn`t know who he was.
- His name was Arthur and he lived in a castle.
- So he had to be a king.
King Arthur?
He doesn`t hurt anyone. He just thinks he`s King Arthur.
As long as you call him Your Majesty and all
things shouldn`t get too hectic.
- Shall we go in?
The house needs a lot of repairs.
The fireplace needs brickwork. - That`ll be no problem.
There`s some patchwork painting, some plumbing. lt`s an old house.
Linda!
Who are these people?
Daddy, this is Jonathan Smith and Mark Gordon.
They`ve been sent to kidnap me, to take me away.
No. They`re going to work here. Take care of the place and the horse...
l can`t do all that.
They are spies.
Merlin warned me there would be spies.
Send them away.
Daddy, l need them to help me.
l won`t be laughed at in my own home.
They will laugh at me, Linda.
Your Majesty, may l speak?
l suppose so.
Your Majesty, we only want work. We mean you no harm.
Why do you call me Your Majesty?
For the same reason you wear a crown.
Well, that`s another story then.
l`ll accept them as grooms, squires.
Play your cards right, you might even be knights.
lt won`t be easy.
lt`s not easy being a knight.
lt`s not easy being a King either.
l`m going to find Maid Marian. Have her make me some tea.
- Thank you for the way you handled that.
No reason to thank me.
lt`s his house. He deserves respect in it.
Most people don`t see it that way.
Go to the Corral. l`ve got to call the vet about the horse
and l`ll meet you there All right.
Old guy really thinks he is King Arthur.
What`s so strange about that? You think l`m an angel.
Maid Marian!
Morning. What can l do for you?
Where might we find a Dr Robert Halstead?
Oh, Bobby. Yes he`s packing up his office.
My name is Gwen.
Oh l hope your husband isn`t too busy to look at my horse?
He is my son.
lf you have a sick animal, he won`t be too busy.
And if he says he is, you come and see me.
Jonathan, you want to get Galahad out the trailer.
l`ll go see the doctor.
l can go this way? - Sure go ahead
Want a hand with those buckets? No, l can manage these.
But there`s plenty more if you feel like helping.
lt takes a lot to feed 200 dogs.
l`ll be with you as soon as l unload the horse.
Sure thing.
Dr Halstead? - Yeah.
Dr Stern said you`d be filling in for him while he`s gone?
Yeah that`s right.
lt`s my father`s horse... - l`ll be right with you.
Sorry to barge in on you like this. l see you have your hands full.
That`s okay. This is nothing.
We have to figure out what to do with these animals.
l couldn`t interest you in 20 or 30 dogs by any chance, could l?
Maybe a puppy, but that`s about my limit.
lt`s hard enough taking care of my father.
One puppy is a start.
That`ll leave us only 1 99 to go by tomorrow.
Let`s take a look at your horse.
Can you believe this guy? He gives us 24 hours to get off the place.
Well his name sure suits him. What a crock.
Art Krock? Yeah, you know him?
He`s my brother.
You people sure have your nerve, l`ll say that for you.
You give us 24 hours to get off our land,
you kick a poor woman of her property,
and then expect me to treat your horse.
Dr Halstead, l didn`t know.
Look, you can say anything about my brother and l would agree with you.
lf l`d known, l wouldn`t have come.
l`m sorry, l`ll find another vet. Believe me, l am sorry.
l didn`t say l wouldn`t treat your horse,
l just said you people have a nerve.
We don`t turn sick animals away on this land.
Not for as long as we`re on it at least.
l`ll take a look at your horse.
l wouldn`t think a man like your brother would keep a horse this old.
You have to love an animal a lot to take care of it this long.
He`s my father`s horse.
You`d treat him even if you thought it was my brother`s, wouldn`t you?
lt`s not the horse`s fault he has a jackass for a master.
My father`s not like my brother, Dr Halstead.
You don`t seem like your brother either.
There you go boy.
l appreciate your help, Jonathan. - My pleasure.
You sure got a lot of dogs here. - l guess we do...
And cats, birds and sick coyotes and goats...
and even a fawn or two.
l don`t understand people like that Krock fella.
l know what you mean.
He just runs the company, he doesn`t own it.
He owns it. Arthur Krock Construction Development Company.
That`s Arthur Krock And Son. He`s the son part.
How`d you know so much about him? l work for his father.
Maybe he`s the one you ought to be talking to.
Young man, there`s an old saying: fish stinks from the head.
That`s the way the son turned out, there`s no point talking to the father.
Come on, how do you know unless you try?
Because he`s a big shot businessman
and they all think with their wallets. They`re all alike.
Mrs Halsted, l can guarantee you
that Arthur Krock Snr isn`t like anybody you`ve ever met.
Maid Marian, there`s someone at the door.
Maid Marian!
That woman needs her hearing aid fixed.
Do you want me to get it?
No, no it`s probably her, locked herself out again.
Poor dear`s getting on in years.
l`m sorry, l didn`t know you were having a costume party.
Your handyman Jonathan said it would be all right...
Jonathan said? He has no right. He is not a knight yet.
He has no right!
You have no right to invite people to this castle.
They might be spies.
l will not have people laughing at me. Do you understand?
l`m sorry Your Highness. lt`s my fault.
l should have told you. That woman is one of your subjects.
That is no excuse.
One of my subjects?
Yes.
l believe she has come with a petition for Your Highness.
- She has? Yes Sire
This has never happened before.
One of my subjects. Are you sure of this?
Yes, she`s a lady in distress.
Really?
l told her King Arthur would never turn away a lady in distress.
Perhaps l was wrong, l`m sorry.
No, no of course not.
lt`s just there haven`t been ladies in distress coming up here lately.
You have one now.
Yes.
Wait a minute.
Show her in.
Jonathan.
Do l look all right?
You look like a King.
You never said he was having a costume party...
Gwen, there isn`t any costume party. Arthur Krock is not commonplace.
Don`t worry, come on in. l`ll stay with you.
You may approach us, dear lady.
Now we will hear your petition.
My petition?
She hasn`t curtsied, why isn`t she curtsying?
Curtsy? Look, Mr Krock...
Krock? Why does she call me Krock?
Oh my lord, the mans a fruitcake.
What did she say?
She said her name is Gwen.
That`s short for Guinevere.
Guinevere.
You are Guinevere?
l haven`t been called that in years. But that`s my name.
My lady...
Can you ever forgive me?
For so long, l have been lost.
So long...
lost in fear.
Fear of not being Arthur.
For if l am not King Arthur, then l am worse than lost.
l`m mad.
But l must be King...
For my lady Guinevere has come back to me.
l`m not who you think l am.
l`m just a woman whose name is Guinevere.
Then dear lady, l beg you...
Let me be just a man who`s named Arthur.
How`d it go?
You meant well Jonathan. There`s just nothing he can do.
He`s just a poor, lonely man
locked inside a kingdom he`s made up for himself.
You almost believe that he is a King...
in a fairy tale world.
But the bulldozers that are going to level my land tomorrow are very real.
Don`t give up hope.
l already have.
Thanks anyway Jonathan.
You must do battle tomorrow Arthur.
l can`t.
You must.
l am afraid to go out, Jonathan.
Afraid they will take away my dream...
of being King.
lf you don`t go Arthur, you are no King.
You know l speak the truth.
Grant me courage to go out into the world.
Never let the jeers of those who laugh at me
drown out the voice of truth.
You plant in all men.
Give me courage to dream dreams.
And strength to make them real.
And if this be madness...
Let it only serve your purpose.
And l`ll envy no man the world calls sane.
Brave knight, rein your dragon in or defend yourself.
Oh get out of my way you old maniac.
Maniac! For that, the dragon shall die.
Charge...
The fuel line is dead.
Wow, l killed the dragon. - Father, are you all right?
Of course l`m all right.
Arthur?
Do you know me? Have we met before?
You gave me my start 30 years ago. We were best friends.
You speak like a friend.
But if you take this lady`s lands, then you serve a wicked master.
You want us to leave Arthur?
You ask me that when we do battle?
l have no battles with you, Arthur.
What a noble heart you have.
ln the name of justice...
And for the sake of our friendship...
Go, and let us fight no more.
You`ve got it.
All right, pack up, lets get out of here. We`ll come back later for the dozer.
What are you talking about? We got a court order.
lt`s his company. lf he wants us to leave, we leave.
Come on, Carl. He`s crazy. Why listen to him?
Because l work for him and so do you.
And because he`s my friend.
Lets go.
Father. You won.
Yes, l did.
Dear friends.
Let us go back to the castle.
And let Maid Marian prepare a feast in celebration.
Not of Arthur,
but of justice.
And friendship.
l want to talk to you, Smith. - Yes, Sir.
Exactly what is this supposed to be?
Looks like a newspaper. - l`m talking about what`s inside it.
A human interest story entitled King Arthur rides again.
lt is attributed to a handy man named Jonathan Smith.
A guy asked me questions and l have no experience with reporters.
Don`t play dumb with me Smith. l could sue you for libel.
Everything in that article is true.
Let me tell you something.
l`m going to have that old man declared legally incompetent.
l`m going to take over his affairs and sell this white elephant once and for all.
Enjoy your job, while you still have a place to work.
You`d take your own father to court?
That`s all l have to say. - Come on, he`s your father.
He has a picture of you beside his bed.
That`s a picture of Sir Lancelot. Are you a reporter?
Who sent you here?
You did. - You are a spy.
Your father said exactly the same to me.
And you call him crazy.
He is your father. Go inside and talk to him.
l said l`m through with talking.
Louise, send a car to my father`s house.
Just send a car.
Lancelot, my boy. You`ve come to see me.
l am your son. Yes, you`re like a son to me.
That pleases me. l feel like a father to you.
Oh you do, do you?
Why are you angry?
Because you`ve never been like a father to me.
You paid for my schools, but did you ever show up?
You were always too busy. Too busy building an empire.
But l love you. You are... - Don`t say that.
l don`t want it.
l don`t want it from a man who had to go crazy to tell me that.
But you know something?
You were right.
- You taught me what was really important.
What was that? - The bottom line.
Not the words,
but how those numbers add up on the very bottom line.
l taught you that. - l learned from the master.
- l wanted a father...
but all l got was the promise of an empire that would one day be mine.
That one day is right now and l`m taking it.
Nobody`s going to stand in my way.
Lancelot, my son.
lt is getting cold, Sire. Thought you might need that.
Thank you.
lf you want to be alone, l`ll leave. - No.
Stay here with a while, Jonathan. - Okay.
A man...
Any man let`s say, not necessarily a King.
A man sets out to build an empire.
Why?
Ambition, l`d say.
ls it a wicked thing? l don`t think so.
God gives us certain talents. l don`t think it`s wicked if we want to use those talents.
Yes, that`s right.
l swear to you, Jonathan, it did not start out to be a wicked thing.
Camelot.
lt was meant to be a special place.
Full of joy, not hatred.
Not sorrow.
l know that, Sire.
Then how did it happen? How did it happen?
There needs to be a balance.
Ambition isn`t the only gift we`re given. We`re given strength, courage, many things.
When one of those outweighs all the others, we`re out of balance.
Like a man trying to carry a yoke with only one pale of water.
Ambition...
Causes so much pain and loneliness.
lf only Merlin were here to work some magic to cast some spells.
lt doesn`t take magic to cure loneliness.
Just takes love.
That`s too easy. - Easy for some...
But very difficult for others.
Sire, it takes a lot of courage to stand naked without any armour for protection.
To open up your arms to another human being
and say l love you.
That`s as vulnerable as you`ll be in this world.
But it`s worth it.
You are a strange man, Jonathan.
What kingdom are you from?
A heavenly one, Sire.
- Father.
Can l speak to you alone, please.
Not alone.
l want him near me.
Daddy
this is a summons for you to appear in court.
Try to understand what l`m saying... l`m listening.
Daddy, Art, the one you call Lancelot...
My son.
He`s going to have you declared incompetent.
That means...
l know what incompetent means.
He has a very good lawyer.
We need to find someone who can defend you. Do you understand?
A king`s knights defend him.
Daddy please, please, please understand this.
Don`t concern yourself, my dear.
l understand many things. Maybe more than l ever have.
Jonathan will defend me.
lt`s bad enough you think you`re King Arthur, but a handyman for a lawyer...
They will never believe you.
- You do not know the issue is here.
Oh but l do
There was a young boy who wanted a father.
But he was promised an empire instead.
lf he can`t have the father`s love,
he means to have the empire.
That`s the real issue, isn`t it?
Yes, but he may not see it that way.
The judge may not see it that way.
Then the trick is to make sure they do see it.
The wind is cool, and l`m tired.
Goodnight daughter.
Goodnight, my friend.
Look at that outfit. This is going to be a piece of cake.
All rise.
The court now in session. The honourable Grace De Witt presiding.
Be seated.
Are the attorneys for both parties present and ready to proceed in this matter?
Plaintive? We are, Your Honour.
- And the attorney for Mr Krock Snr? Yes, Your Honour.
Your Honour, l protest. This man is not an attorney.
He`s Mr Krock`s handyman.
Since the question before us is Mr Krocks competence...
Your Honour, l believe you`ll find documents in front of you that will show
l am quite capable of appearing on behalf of my employer.
l see no such documents.
l believe they are under your folder. The yellow folder.
This wasn`t here a second ago.
lt seems in order.
Thank you.
Opening statements. Mr Hacker.
We will show that Mr Krock Snr is not competent
to handle his personal or business affairs and will seek to have his son
Mr. Krock Jnr named as sole custodian
of both his personal and business matters and well-being.
l`d ask that Mr Krock`s costume be noted for the record.
Noted.
Mr Smith?
Yes, Your Honour.
The issue between these two men, is not one of competence
but of love.
That`s all you have to say, Mr Smith?
l think it says it all. Except you look very nice in your robe.
How l look in my robe is not the issue before this court.
Wouldn`t you agree? Yes, very much.
Nor would the look of my client in a robe
have anything to do with the issue in this court.
- Objection. - Sustained
Call your first witness, Mr Hacker.
Are you Mrs Charles Butram?
l am.
Are you employeed as housekeeper to Mr Krock Snr?
Yes, Sir.
Does your employer walk about the house dressed as King Arthur?
Does he respond to the name King Arthur?
Yes Sir.
What does he call you?
Maid Marian.
No further questions. Your witness, Mr Smith.
Mrs Butram, have you ever worked for anyone else, aside your employer.
Years ago, l worked for Mr Justice Hemdale and his wife.
He was a justice on the State Supreme Court, was he not?
lf l`m right, Judge De Witt was his clerk.
What did he wear around the house?
l thought you looked familiar. l`m sorry.
What did he wear around the house?
When he and his wife were home alone, he wore only a towel.
Why was that?
That`s what he wanted to wear. He said it was nobody`s business what a man does at home.
A man`s home is his castle. That`s what the law said.
How name did he respond to at home?
He had only his wife at home.
- What did she call him? Snukums.
Snukums. l`d forgotten.
You said your employer called you Maid Marian?
- What is your name, Mrs Butram? Marian.
What is your job? - l am the maid.
No further questions.
Then Mr Krock Snr appeared on a white horse, in armour
and drove you off, preventing you from your assigned task. True?
That`s true, Sir.
Your witness.
Carl, who owned the property in question?
Why Krock And Son Development Company.
Who owns Krock And Son?
Mr Krock Snr.
Who is your employer? - Krock And Son Development.
Your employer ordered you and your men to leave.
You find anything crazy about that?
lt is his land. He can do anything he wants to with it.
Thank you, Carl. No more questions.
l understand that the land in question is worth close to twenty million dollars
lf all the luxury apartments are sold. ls that not correct?
That`s correct.
Does your father agree with the plan to develop this land?
No, he wants to let Mrs Halstead live there rent free with her mutts.
No further questions.
Mr Krock, do all real estate deals make money?
- No, not all of them.
ls there any guarantee all these condos will be sold?
No, but the deal looks good.
- But there is a risk? There`s always a risk.
lf the property remained undeveloped,
it would continue to appreciate over the years?
Yes, it`s true. But to hand it over to a bunch of mutts is just plain crazy.
Only a maniac would let a dog interfere with business.
Fritzi, you naughty boy. You have to stay in mummy`s office.
- You naughty, naughty boy.
The court will recess for five minutes
while l take care of Fritzi.
Your Honour, before we recess,
can the last statement of Mr Krock Jnr be repeated?
The reporter will repeat the last answer.
Nobody but a maniac would let a dog interfere with business.
l repeat: court is recessed.
Unless you wish to call my competency into doubt as well?
All rise.
The court is now in session. The honourable Judge Grace De Witt presiding.
Be seated.
You may call your first witness, Mr Smith.
l call the defendant, who is known by those who love him by many names...
One of which is King Arthur.
Raise your right hand.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
l so do swear.
Kings are blessed with wisdom, is that not true?
A crown doesn`t make you smart.
Agood king helps other people with their problems.
Not just his own.
l ask you a question that only a good king could answer.
lf you were this Arthur Krock Snr...
what would you do with that land?
Let her keep the land for five years...
to help those animals who know the tenderness of her heart.
And then?
ln that time...
l would court her, and try to persuade her to make my home her home.
And a home for the animals as well.
And the company? The empire?
Man may build what he builds in the beginning with good intentions.
Then maybe he gets caught up in it all.
Out of balance.
And he loses something more precious...
than even gold if he is not careful.
And what is that?
He loses the one he loves.
What would you do?
l would give him that which was built for him in the first place, the empire.
l would give him something that not even an emperor can buy.
Would you tell the court what that is?
l would give him a father`s love.
What is your name, Sir?
l am...
l am a lucky man.
Who has all the love of a daughter who accepts me.
No matter what l choose to call myself.
The love of friends, old and new.
They defend me and don`t want to hurt me, Jonathan.
You have not answered my question.
Who are you?
l am that young man`s father.
l need no armour.
Neither real or of the mind.
Nor any protection. Nor any crown.
To stand before you and say.
l love you, son.
l love you.
l love you, my boy.
Objection, Your Honour.
The whitness has not answered the question.
He has not said who he is.
Yes he has Hacker. Yes he has.
Case dismissed.
- Jonathan,
you`re not leaving?
l`m afraid we have to. We`ve got another job waiting for us.
We`ll double your pay and make this one permanent.
l`m sorry, it`s a prior commitment.
Tell me who the employer is and l`ll take care of it.
l can`t do that.
Your father made me promise to serve no earthly kings.
l understand.
May the road rise up to greet you.
May the wind be always at your backs.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
The rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again...
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Goodbye, my friend.