Another tragic story in the tradition of Romeo and Juliet and Launcelot and Guinevere. Sophia Myles as Isolde is no match for Julia Ormond as Guinevere, but I still prefer Tristan & Isolde over First Knight. For one, you can't really blame Isolde for having an affair with Tristan behind King Mark's back because they were an item even before King Mark came into the picture. It's just unfortunate that Isolde had to lie about her real name. So Tristan joined the tournament to win Isolde's hand as bride for his king, never knowing that Isolde is the girl who rescued him before. Now the lost love of his life is betrothed to King Mark, and there's nothing he can do about it. That's not really true because they did something about it - furtive glances and midnight trysts. They were eventually found out by the bad guys, and exposed in public. King Mark had no choice but to incarcerate his second-in-command. The Irish King Donnchadh takes this opportunity to mount an attack on the heartbroken Mark. Aided by a disgruntled nephew, the Irish used a secret tunnel to enter the fortified castle. Meanwhile, Tristan and Isolde reunites at the riverbank and were given a boat, as per the wishes of King Mark. Instead of joining Isolde on the boat, Tristan pushes the boat out into the river, declaring "Let it not be said that our love brought down a kingdom. Remember us." or something to that effect. He then goes back to help his surrounded comrades. He was mortally wounded in the battle, but at least he was able to help stave off the Irish. King Mark brings Tristan to the riverbank, where Isolde comes back for him. Tristan dies in her arms. King Mark goes on to rule a united England in peace. Isolde buries Tristan beneath a tree, and nobody saw here again.This is quite an enjoyable film - touching story, sincere performances, beautiful locations, well-designed costumes, memorable quotes:
Isolde: Love is as strong as death. Why be capable of feelings if we're not to have them? Why long for things if they're not meant to be ours?
Tristan: There are other things to live for: duty, honor.
Isolde: They are not life Tristan. They are shells of life. Love is made by God. Ignore it and you suffer as you cannot imagine.
Tristan: Then I will no longer live without it.
Isolde: Know that I love you Tristan. Wherever you go, whatever you see. I'll be there with you.
Tristan: You were right. Life is greater than death. And love is greater than either.
and John Donne's The Good Morrow as read by Isolde:
I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I
Did till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?
But sucked on country pleasures childishly?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers' den?
'Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, 'twas but a dream of thee.
And now good morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown;
et us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest,
Where can we find two better hemispheres
Without sharp north, without declining west?
Whatever dies was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or thou and I
Love so alike that none do slacken, none can die.
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