In the 1981 film Excalibur, the sword representing Arthur’s kingship is Excalibur.
John Boorman’s Excalibur retells major episodes from Arthurian legend, including the sword’s connection with sovereignty, the rise of Camelot and the Grail quest. Arthur receives Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake after breaking the sword embedded in a stone. The weapon later becomes a visual symbol of the king’s authority and the unity of his realm.
The film draws heavily on Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, although it combines episodes and changes details for cinematic storytelling. Excalibur is sometimes confused with the sword in the stone itself: in many versions, Arthur first draws a sword from a stone, then later receives the named sword Excalibur from the lake.
The movie’s title refers to the famous sword rather than directly naming the Grail quest. Its 1981 release made it one of the best-known modern cinematic versions of Arthurian legend.