As a huge fan of knights and medieval tournaments, I thought I’d seen it all on screen. But I was completely blown away to discover the source of what we now consider the standard for these scenes! You’re familiar with those thrilling lance clashes, the thundering horses, and the impact of armor – the kind of action that takes your breath away? Well, imagine seeing that done without relying on modern special effects. A lot of older fantasy films haven’t aged well, mostly because of their effects, but this one… this one is different. It’s a production from the 1950s, and it’s unbelievably good at capturing the rhythm, drama, and sheer intensity of a tournament, and it doesn’t feel old at all!
If you enjoy fast-paced medieval adventures with compelling characters, you won’t want to miss this film. Interestingly, it later served as a key inspiration for George R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. He specifically drew from it when adapting his Tales of Dunk and Egg story, The Hedge Knight, into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Ivanhoe Is a Masterclass for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Fans
As a classic film buff, I always enjoy revisiting the 1952 version of Ivanhoe, directed by Richard Thorpe. It stars Robert Taylor as Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight returning home from the Crusades to a pretty turbulent England in the 12th century. Basically, he’s trying to bring peace between the Saxons and Normans, but gets tangled up in political intrigue and a rather complex love story. A huge part of the film centers around a tournament thrown by Prince John, and it’s there that Ivanhoe, secretly competing, has to prove himself in some incredible jousting scenes. Seriously, these tournament sequences are some of the best ever put on film – the choreography is tight, the tension is fantastic, and you actually see the horses moving! It’s a real spectacle.
If you enjoy A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, you’ll notice Ivanhoe served as a major inspiration for the show. Like the film, the series focuses heavily on tournaments, using them to showcase characters’ bravery, integrity, and abilities. What’s really impressive is that the show avoids relying on special effects. According to showrunner Ira Parker, they intentionally chose a realistic and personal style, rather than grand, sweeping visuals – and they modeled that approach after Ivanhoe, which primarily used practical effects and sets.
The film skillfully blends action with a compelling story, avoiding a simple series of fights. It explores themes like politics, personal struggles, romance, and societal issues. This approach is also evident in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, where action always supports the narrative, rather than driving it. Dunk’s journey in The Hedge Knight perfectly illustrates this point.
The story centers around Dunk, who unexpectedly gets involved in protecting a puppet girl after she’s attacked by Prince Aerion Targaryen, as shown in episode 3. This leads to him having to fight in a trial by combat. Even though the series isn’t over, we’ve already seen Dunk’s fear and excitement during the Ashford Meadow tournament. The story is told entirely from his perspective, revealing that he begins the competition seeking money and fame, but gradually understands the real dangers and the characters involved through witnessing the tournaments. This is why the jousts are so important – they’re how Dunk experiences the events and fully feels the emotional weight of the situation.
In Ivanhoe, the main character’s story creates a lot of suspense and excitement, especially because it’s closely linked to the importance of the tournament. Although the overall plot involves rescuing King Richard and fighting against Prince John, the tournament is where much of the drama unfolds. This connection is why Martin believes the film fits so well with his other works, and why his fans will likely appreciate it – a medieval story can be both visually stunning and deeply meaningful.
George R. R. Martin Challenged A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to Live Up to the Movie’s Scenes
I was reading the creator’s blog about how they brought the series to the screen, and it was fascinating! They specifically mentioned the 1950s film Ivanhoe as a big inspiration for the jousting sequences. Seriously, if you watch Ivanhoe, you can see where a lot of the show’s choices came from – the way the tournaments are structured, and even how the main character plays to the crowd and faces his opponents. One cool thing they did in episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef,” was have multiple jousts happening at the same time, which felt really different from what we’ve seen in shows like Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. Apparently, that idea came directly from Ivanhoe, and George R.R. Martin himself pushed them to make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms truly spectacular.
At New York Comic Con in 2025, the author shared that he’d challenged the show’s team to create the best jousting scenes ever filmed, and he believes they succeeded. He jokingly called it a ‘modest’ challenge for the crew led by Ira. He explained that the 1952 film Ivanhoe had been his previous benchmark – while it didn’t feature a lot of jousting, the scenes it did have were excellent. He left it to the audience to judge how his show’s jousting compared, but expressed confidence they’d done a great job. (via Winter is Coming)
This new series shakes things up for the world of Westeros, but the jousting scenes are truly exceptional. The show even does something unique – holding jousts at night! George R.R. Martin is particularly enthusiastic about the focus on these competitions and the fresh take on medieval tournaments, as he’s a lifelong fan. And viewers are consistently surprised and entertained by this choice, which adds a thrilling and engaging element to each episode.
In short, fans of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will likely enjoy Ivanhoe because both stories show how a tournament can reveal a character’s true self and their limits. For those familiar with George R.R. Martin’s work, the movie provides insight into the ideas behind the spin-off and explains its current popularity.
Are you familiar with the story of Ivanhoe? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-02-10 19:16