Paul Bettany: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

5 Awesome Performances...

5. Geoffrey Chaucer - A Knight's Tale (2001)

While William Shakespeare's works have been the subject of many adaptations, Geoffrey Chaucer (arguably the most famous English writer before him) has seen relatively little action on the big screen. Most adaptations have taken a very loose or tangential approach to his works, picking and choosing different elements to enhance or compliment their own story. Perhaps the most famous example of this is A Knight's Tale, in which Bettany appears as Chaucer himself. A Knight's Tale follows the exploits of peasant William Thatcher (Heath Ledger), who poses as a knight in a jousting competition following the death of his master. Believing that he and his friends can increase their winnings, he starts going under the name of Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein and becomes enamoured with the noble Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon). His attempts to win her hand take him all the way to the World Championship in London, and a fateful confrontation with Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell). By any standards, A Knight's Tale is pretty silly. It is history as told by MTV, complete with Ledger in pretty-boy mode and a soundtrack which features Queen and David Bowie. But it's still an enjoyable romp, and Bettany's performance as Chaucer is one of the highlights. He completely embraces the ridiculousness of the story and is clearly enjoying himself, wringing everything he can out of his numerous flowery speeches. If nothing else, it's a fun way to start our countdown.