Lovespell (DVD)(1981)

The classic Arthurian tale of tragic and unrequited love. In medieval times, Lord of Cornwall decides to marry an Irish princess Isolde. However, his most loyal knight Tristan becomes bewitched by her beauty and they fall hopelessly in love Lovespell is based around a love triangle between King Mark of Cornwall (Richard Burton), Isolt (Kate Mulgrew), and Tristan (Nicholas Clay). Mark discovers Isolt's love for Tristan and banishes Tristan. However, while being away, Tristan is mortally wounded. Isolt persuades Mark to go and take Tristan back to Cornwall. Mark says if he returns casting white sails, Tristan is alive and if they are black, Tristan is dead. Mark returns with Tristan barely alive with white sails, but casts black sails when Tristan reveals his plans to run away with Isolt as soon as he has recovered. This causes Isolt to kill herself by throwing herself off the White Cliffs of Dover. Mark helps Tristan swim to the shore, and as Tristan and Isolt's hands touch they both die, while Mark, knee deep in the water, looks on. The narrative predates and most likely influenced the romance of Lancelot and Guinevere and has had a substantial effect on Western art, the idea of romantic love, and Western literature since it first appeared in the 12th century. In the 19th century, Richard Wagner composed the opera 'Tristan und Isolde', now considered one of the most influential pieces of music of all time. In his work, Tristan is portrayed as a doomed romantic figure, while Isolde fulfils Wagner's quintessential feminine rôle as the redeeming woman.