Director: Terry Jones
Screenplay: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Micheal Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam
Running Time: 94 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Led by a star, Three Wise Men come to praise a child born in a stable. However, they quickly realise they want to praise the baby born in the stable next door. The first baby, Brian Cohen (Chapman), grows to manhood in Roman occupied Judea. Fiercely resenting the Romans, Brian joins the hopelessly over-organized People's Front of Judea, who spend more time bickering amongst themselves and squabbling with rival revolutionary factions than fighting the Romans.
Meanwhile a series of accidents lead to Brian being proclaimed as a Messiah, much to his distress.
This was hugely controversial in it's day, and still is in some places, with the film being accused of blasphemy, although while the film does poke fun at organised religion, as well as political groups, it actually treats Biblical figures fairly respectfully. The Pythons themselves have frequently said that the film is not blasphemous nor was it ever intended to be.
What it is, is very funny. It's often regarded today as one of the best comedies ever made. As is frequently the case with Monty Python the humour ranges from juvenile, schoolyard humour (a character called Biggus Dickus) to the quite sophisticated (the Romans criticising Brian's Latin grammar when he graffiti tags a building), and some classic lines that have become popular among comedy nerds all over the world (Brian's mother (played by Terry Jones) angrily yelling to his followers: "He's not the Messiah! He's a very naughty boy!"). There is also a bizarre sequence where, escaping from the Romans, Brian falls off an unfinished tower straight into a passing spaceship where two, one-eyed aliens take him for a ride, get involved in a brief outer-space battle, before crashing at the base of the tower. The film also contains the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", which has become quite a hit in it's own right.
The film, shot in Tunisia on a very low budget, mostly put up by ex-Beatle and Monty Python fan George Harrison, is well made. It has a stronger plot than other Python films, feeling less like a bunch of sketches strung together, and for the first time has some genuine emotion rather than non-stop gags. Graham Chapman has most of the straight acting to do as the lead, with most of the other characters being played by the Python's in multiple roles, including several of the female parts (most notably Terry Jones as Brian's angry mother). Sue Jones-Taylor (who would go on to become the Mayor of Aberystwyth) has the most prominent female role as Judith, Brian's love interest. The film also has less of Terry Gilliam's distinctive animation, which only appears here in the opening credits sequence, although Gilliam did create the spaceship sequence.
This is Monty Python's finest moment, and one of the greatest comedies ever made.
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