Fire and Sword

Fire and Sword
Directed by	Veith von Fürstenberg [de]
Screenplay by	Max Zihlmann
Story by	Veith von Fürstenberg
Based on	Tristan and Isolde
Produced by	Peter Genée Don Geraghty
Starring	Christoph Waltz Antonia Preser Leigh Lawson Peter Firth
Cinematography	Jacques Steyn
Edited by	Barbara von Weitershausen
Music by	Robert Lovas
Release date	1981 (1981)
Running time	95 minutes
Countries	West Germany[1] Ireland[1]
Languages	German, English

Fire and Sword (German: Feuer und Schwert: Die Legende von Tristan und Isolde) is a 1981 romantic drama film directed by Veith von Fürstenberg [de]. It is based on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, played by Christoph Waltz (in his first leading credited film role) and Antonia Preser. Leigh Lawson and Peter Firth also star. Set during a raging war between Cornwall and Ireland, the film explores themes on conflict between magic and religion, violence, and destruction.

Principal photography took place from July to November 1980. It was filmed in Ireland at the same location as Excalibur (1981), another Arthurian film, and reused the stuntmen and horses from that production. Critics praised its cinematography, for which it won an award at the 1983 Sitges Film Festival, but criticised the script, Waltz's and Preser's performances, and its interpretation of the source material.