This 1975 movie is a comical satire of the Quest of the Holy Grail. Monty Python's interpretation starts off with King Arthur of the Britons setting out to look for knights to join his Round Table. Instead of the knights riding on actual horses, they have their minstrels follow behind them banging coconut halves together to make the galloping horse sound effect. King Arthur (played by Graham Chapman) is able to recruit Sir Bedevere the wise, Sir Launcelot the brave, Sir Galahad the pure, and Sir Robin the not-quite-so-brave-as-Sir-Launcelot. When "riding" to Camelot, they receive a "vision" from God telling them to find the Holy Grail.
As referenced in books, the Holy Grail is the same as in the movie, the worthy knights split up in search of the Grail. After they have split up, its viewers are able to witness each of the knights’ journeys. It starts off with Sir Robin travelling through the Forest of Ewing where he encounters a three-headed giant. As Sir Galahad is treading through the forest, he sees a Grail-shaped light in the sky, and decides to follow it. This leads him to the castle of Anthrax. We then come across Sir Launcelot massacring wedding guests, in order to rescue an imprisoned guy who he assumed to be a damsel in distress. In the meantime, King Arthur and Bedevere encounter the Knights who say Ni; they demand a shrubbery in order to let them pass. After each knight has overcome their individual obstacles, they are reunited and led by a pyromaniac enchanter to the cave of Caerbannog. Inscribed on the rock walls is a description of the Holy Grail's final resting place. After they have killed the rabbit guarding the cave, and have escaped the legendary black beast, their final task is to cross the Bridge of Death by correctly answering questions from an old man. Sir Launcelot, King Arthur and Bedevere are the only ones who successfully pass the bridge. The whole movie is nothing but a wild goose chase. None of the knights actually end up obtaining the Holy Grail and are arrested by the police. They are taken in to be questioned, in order to discover who murdered the "famous historian" earlier in the movie.
Graham Chapman as King Arthur leads the Knights of the Round Table.
Cast[]
- Graham Chapman: King Arthur
- John Cleese: Sir Launcelot
- Terry Gilliam: Patsy
- Eric Idle: Sir Robin
- Terry Jones: Sir Bedevere
- Michael Palin: Sir Galahad
- Neil Innes: Sir Robin's minstrel
- Connie Booth: Witch
- Carol Cleveland: Zoot
- Bee Duffell: Old crone
- John Young: Historian
- Rita Davies: Historian's wife
- Avril Stewart: Piglet
- Sally Kinghorn: Winston
Trivia[]
- The film was adapted into an adventure video game in 1996 under the title Monty Python & the Quest for the Holy Grail, and into a stage musical in 2004 under the title Spamalot.
- The film was co-directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. Gilliam would go on to direct The Fisher King (1991), another humorous film involving Arthurian elements such as the quest for the Holy Grail.
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