Few movies have had such a lasting impact on comedy as “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Even after 50 years, its jokes remain ingrained in pop culture, quoted by fans and referenced across media.
The 1975 film, an absurdist take on King Arthur’s quest, defied its low budget to become one of the most influential comedic films ever made.
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” follows King Arthur and his knights on a ridiculous, meandering search for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they encounter killer rabbits, stubborn French taunting soldiers and a “Black Knight” who insists that losing his limbs is merely a flesh wound.
The film abandons any pretense of a traditional narrative, instead delivering a series of increasingly absurd sketches tied together by medieval parody.
With a budget of just under £300,000 ($393,000), partly funded by rock stars like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and various others, the filmmakers cut corners creatively. Real horses were too expensive, leading to the now-iconic use of coconut halves for hoof sounds.
Many castle scenes were shot at Doune Castle in Scotland, redressed from different angles to save money. The abrupt ending, in which modern police abruptly halt the story, resulted from running out of funds for a proper climax.
Despite these limitations, the film’s improvisational energy and relentless absurdity made it a classic. Certain scenes have endured as cultural shorthand. The Black Knight’s refusal to yield despite losing all his limbs, saying “Tis but a scratch,” remains an all-time classic quote to reference.
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, a religious relic to be used in times of great need, is brought up by Brother Maynard during a battle with a murderous rabbit in a moment of sheer absurdity.
Throughout the movie, there is also a continuing debate over what the average airspeed of an unladen swallow is, and the confusion over whether it is African or European. This debate is first brought up by the cast’s use of coconut halves to symbolize horses and how they got the coconuts to begin with.
Near the movie’s beginning, King Arthur comes upon some farmers who turn out to be a farming commune that rejects his authority. When Arthur tries to tell them that he is the king because the Lady of the Lake bestowed a sword unto him, one of the farmers says, “Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.” When Arthur insists again, he says, “Well you can’t expect to wield supreme executive power just ’cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!”
These are just some of the many, many iconic moments from the film, but there are so many more. The film has been referenced countless times within other media, such as “The Simpsons,” “Game of Thrones,” “Shrek the Third” and “Ready Player One.” It has also been consistently ranked as one of the funniest movies of all time by numerous publications, including Rolling Stone magazine.
Even today, 50 years after the movie’s release, the comedic bits and terminology in the movie persist in the language of comedy. The indelible impact that this film has made on popular culture is undeniable, as children who are less than half the film’s age revere the movie, continue to attend film screenings and keep the film alive through the use of online communities.
The success of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” speaks volumes to the power of comedy done right. The mere fact that this article is being written half a century after its release is a testament to the longevity of the movie.
Dylan Podlinski can be reached at [email protected]
