John Boorman

John Boorman's interest in the Arthurian legend lasted a lifetime, and getting to Excalibur took him years. He first wrote a treatment for United Artists, which was not interested; another screenplay followed in 1974, a plan to make an Arthur film was announced in 1976, and in 1977 he wrote a screenplay called Merlin with Rospo Pallenberg for Warner Bros., which went unshot too. Most of the film he did finally make was shot in County Wicklow in Ireland, close to his own house, and his family took part: his daughter Katrine Boorman played Igrayne and his son Charley Boorman the young Mordred. Fourteen years before that he had directed Point Blank, a Los Angeles Times report of 2 January 1967 having him agree to direct the screenplay by Rafe and David Newhouse.