Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
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A man born next door to Jesus is mistakenly identified as the Messiah.
The story
In the year 33 AD, Brian Cohen is born in a stable next door to Jesus. While he is a simple man who simply wants to live his life, he is frequently mistaken for the Messiah due to his proximity to the real one. As he navigates the complexities of life under Roman occupation, he becomes involved with various local revolutionary groups. The film follows his journey as he tries to navigate his identity while being thrust into the spotlight of a growing religious movement that he never asked to lead.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Brian Cohen is born in a stable next door to Jesus, causing confusion for the three wise men. Growing up as an idealistic man who resents Roman rule, Brian joins the 'People's Front of Judea' (PFJ) to fight for independence. After a series of mishaps, including a misunderstanding with a Roman officer and a brief stint in a spaceship, Brian is proclaimed the Messiah by a crowd of followers. He tries to tell them they are individuals, but they interpret his words as doctrine. The PFJ tries to exploit his fame, while Brian is eventually captured and sentenced to crucifixion. During the execution, a comedy of errors leads to the wrong man being released. The film concludes with Brian and his fellow prisoners singing 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' as they face their fate.
- First release year
- 1979
- Runtime (minutes)
- 94
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Terry Jones
- Writers
- Graham Chapman · writer; John Cleese · writer; Terry Gilliam · writer; Eric Idle · writer; Terry Jones · writer; Michael Palin · writer
- Cast and characters
- Graham Chapman · Brian Cohen (of Nazareth), Biggus Dickus, second wise man; Sue Jones-Davies · Judith Iscariot; John Cleese · Reg, High priest, Centurion of the Yard, Deadly Dirk, Arthur, first wise man; Terry Gilliam · Another person further forward (at Mount – "Do you hear that? 'Blessed are the Greek'!"), Revolutionary, Blood and Thunder prophet, Geoffrey, Gaoler, Audience Member, Frank, Crucifee; Eric Idle · Mr Cheeky, Stan/Loretta, Harry the Haggler, Culprit woman who casts first stone, Warris, Intensely dull youth, Otto, Gaoler's assistant, Mr Frisbee III; Terry Jones · Mandy Cohen (Brian's mother), Colin, Simon the Holy Man, Bob Hoskins, Saintly passer-by, Alarmed Crucifixion Assistant; Michael Palin · Mr Big-Nose, Francis, Mrs A, Culprit woman who casts second stone, Ex-leper, Announcer, Ben, Pontius Pilate, Boring Prophet, Eddie, Shoe Follower, Nisus Wettus, 3rd wise man; George Harrison · Mr Papadopoulos
- Genres
- black comedy; surrealism; satire
- Themes
- religious satire; anti-clericalism; political satire; individualism
- Tone and mood
- satirical; absurd; humorous
- Premise and plot tags
- religious satire; historical parody; political satire
- Reception
- The film was a box office success and has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest comedy films of all time. While it faced significant controversy and bans due to its religious satire, it remains a staple of the comedy genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 96% · scale: percentage · review count: 73; Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Production trivia
- The film was banned in several countries, including Ireland and Norway.; The song 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' became a popular anthem after being used in various contexts.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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