All 56 Walt Disney Animated Classics: Ranked From Worst To Best

15. The Sword In The Stone (1963)

Like Robin Hood, The Sword In The Stone seems to be somewhat hamstrung in critical perception by the familiarity of its central story: the Arthurian legend has passed right through awareness and into legend where entertainment value doesn't really count for much any more.

That is ridiculously reductive of course, because the story is exactly the kind of magic that has always driven the best of Disney, blending fantastical elements with humanity and heart. Wart may not be the most spectacular leading Disney character ever, but there's a lot of charm to his naivety, and he's balanced by the witty cynicism of Archemides the Owl and Merlin.

In essence, The Sword In The Stone is an episodic history lesson, with three adventure vignettes (the fish, the squirrel and the bird sequences) that knit together into one coming of age story. And it's beautifully animated, which seems to be unforgivably missed these days.