Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)

95% of critics liked it
(61 reviews)
94% of users liked it
(565,795 ratings)

From its opening multi-language titles (that sure looks like Swedish) to the closing arrest of the entire Dark Ages cast by modern-day bobbies, Monty Python and the Holy Grail helped to define "irreverence" and became an instant cult classic. This time the Pythonites savage the legend of King… More From its opening multi-language titles (that sure looks like Swedish) to the closing arrest of the entire Dark Ages cast by modern-day bobbies, Monty Python and the Holy Grail helped to define "irreverence" and became an instant cult classic. This time the Pythonites savage the legend of King Arthur, juxtaposing some excellently selected exterior locations with an unending stream of anachronistic one-liners, non sequiturs, and slapstick set pieces. The Knights of the Round Table set off in search of the Holy Grail on foot, as their lackeys make clippety-clop sounds with coconut shells. A plague-ridden community, ringing with the cry of "bring out your dead," offers its hale and hearty citizens to the body piles. A wedding of convenience is attacked by Arthur's minions while the pasty-faced groom continually attempts to burst into song. The good guys are nearly thwarted by the dreaded, tree-shaped "Knights Who Say Ni!" A feisty enemy warrior, bloodily shorn of his arms and legs in the thick of battle, threatens to bite off his opponent's kneecap. A French military officer shouts such taunts as "I fart in your general direction" and "I wave my private parts at your aunties." Rabbits are a particular obsession of the writers this time around, ranging from the huge Trojan Rabbit to the "killer bunny" that decapitates one of the knights. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin collaborated on the script and assumed most of the onscreen roles, while Gilliam and Jones served as co-directors. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Terry Gilliam, Ian MacNaughton
Written By: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1975 Wide
On DVD: Sep 7, 1999
Studio: Almi Cinema 5

Critic Reviews

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
Grail is as funny as a movie can get, but it is also a tough-minded picture -- as outraged about the human propensity for violence as it is outrageous in its attack on that propensity.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Silly, sophomoric, and slapped together -- but would you want it any other way?
Variety Staff, Variety
Monty Python's Flying Circus, the British comedy group which gained fame via BBC-TV, send-up Arthurian legend, performed in whimsical fashion with Graham Chapman an effective straight man as King Arthur.
, New York Times
A marvelously particular kind of lunatic endeavor.
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News
Holy Grail suffers from the same syndrome that afflicts many of these restored classics: It is better remembered than actually seen.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
For all its shenanigans, Monty Python and the Holy Grail has a sense of humor that is intellectual, even academic, at heart.
, Film4
A comedy classic that only misses out on the Python canon's top spot because the talented swines also made Life Of Brian.
Rob Fraser, Empire Magazine
There's something about feature films that brings out the best in the Pythons. The occasional indulgence of the TV series is replaced by a more focused approach which wrings every conceivable joke out of a given subject.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A zany, hysterically funny, and sometimes brilliant if sometimes sophomoric send-up of every medieval movie ever made.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
This has to be one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.
Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media
Nonstop hilarity for families; some bawdy humor.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
... contains just about everything from the previous releases and a little bit more ....
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
Troupe members Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones helmed this feature, bringing to it a visual style that is both cinematic and outrageously surreal.
Arthur Ryel-Lindsey, Slant Magazine
Thirty-one years, plus well over a decade since I was abruptly introduced to the film. It is, as it was then, extraordinary.
Arthur Ryel-Lindsey, Slant Magazine
A wonderful charm filters through these almost collegiate efforts, as if these underfunded Brits, in doing their best, did it better.
Jason Zingale, Bullz-Eye.com
It's still one of the funniest, silliest and all-out strangest films you'll ever see. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Did we really need another version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail? No. But visual upgrades are always appreciated, and we got one here.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
I laughed so hard I thought I would stop breathing.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
Thirty-one years after its release, this remains my favorite Python feature, and you probably already know if it's yours as well.
Derek Adams, Time Out
Python's delightful and, on the whole, consistent reductio ad absurdum of the Grail legend.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

familiar s

Slept a bit through it. However, boredom wasn't the cause for my falling asleep. In fact, I'd say that I found the movie recommendable. Well, more or less. Weighs more on the latter. Check it out specifically for its historical accuracy!!! Check yourself out to have no… More
Slept a bit through it. However, boredom wasn't the cause for my falling asleep. In fact, I'd say that I found the movie recommendable. Well, more or less. Weighs more on the latter. Check it out specifically for its historical accuracy!!! Check yourself out to have no doubt. Have fun.
Alexander D

A Pythoneering comedy that just never stops!
Christopher H

One of the greatest comedies ever made. Every scene is hilarious and memorable. The dialogue is also quotable as hell.
xGary X

The Monty Python team prick the bubble of pomposity that surrounds Arthurian legend and exposes the inherent absurdities of religious myth, as well as parodying swashbucklers and po-faced historical stories with their usual mix of satire and silliness. Of course, comedy is one of the… More
The Monty Python team prick the bubble of pomposity that surrounds Arthurian legend and exposes the inherent absurdities of religious myth, as well as parodying swashbucklers and po-faced historical stories with their usual mix of satire and silliness. Of course, comedy is one of the most subjective of genres so if you're not a fan of Python this won't really be your cup of tea, but I have seen this film at least a dozen times and it still makes me howl with alarming regularity. So many classic scenes and quotable lines, Grail may not have Life Of Brian's narrative momentum (it's really just a series of skits and one liners) but it more than matches it for laugh out loud moments. A British comedy classic and alongside their own Life Of Brian, Blazing Saddles and Airplane!, one of the best cinematic spoofs ever made.
Eric A

Probably one of the bigger cult classic films i've seen and it was exactly what I thought it would be. It was very funny, clever, and witty.....as only this type of film could do. Would I watch it again? Maybe. Not really my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend… More
Probably one of the bigger cult classic films i've seen and it was exactly what I thought it would be. It was very funny, clever, and witty.....as only this type of film could do. Would I watch it again? Maybe. Not really my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone.
Tim S

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a film that I NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER tire of. Not only is it one of the funniest movies ever made, it's also one of the most enjoyable and well-made comedy films of all time. You can really get into a quoting war with your friends with lines… More
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a film that I NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER tire of. Not only is it one of the funniest movies ever made, it's also one of the most enjoyable and well-made comedy films of all time. You can really get into a quoting war with your friends with lines from this movie. While I firmly believe that Life of Brian is Monty Python's finest film technically, I believe Holy Grail is their finest film comedically. A lot of people would disagree with me on that, but oh well. This film is still pretty much a sketch film with an overlying storyline, but it all works just perfectly. Amazing work from one of the great comedy troupes of all time.
Brad W

Hilarious, a all time classic, I loved it.
moon r

The best of Python in one film by my estimation, bring out your dead sense of humor and just say "Nee!" with a Holy Hand Grenade of silliness lobbed ("... on three, not four or two.") at Arthurian legend. Then join your friends to see who can use the most quotes… More
The best of Python in one film by my estimation, bring out your dead sense of humor and just say "Nee!" with a Holy Hand Grenade of silliness lobbed ("... on three, not four or two.") at Arthurian legend. Then join your friends to see who can use the most quotes from this film in any given situation. As always, I fart in your general direction!
Manu G

Makes Ben Hur look like an Epic... To me it was boring except a few scenes that were mildly funny but this is just not my style, English comedy=boring! Sorry to disappoint all the fans from this movie but this is just an awful old movie from the start to end. The movie starts out… More
Makes Ben Hur look like an Epic... To me it was boring except a few scenes that were mildly funny but this is just not my style, English comedy=boring! Sorry to disappoint all the fans from this movie but this is just an awful old movie from the start to end. The movie starts out with Arthur, King of the Britons, looking for knights to sit with him at Camelot. He finds many knights including Sir Galahad the pure, Sir Lancelot the brave, the quiet Sir Bedevere, and Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Lancelot. They do not travel on horses, but pretend they do and have their servants bang coconuts to make the sound of horse's hooves. Through satire of certain events in history (witch trials, the black plague) they find Camelot, but after literally a quick song and dance they decide that they do not want to go there. While walking away, God (who seems to be grumpy) come to them from a cloud and tells them to find the Holy Grail. They agree and begin their search. While they search for the Grail, scenes of the knight's tales appear and why they have the name they have. Throughout their search they meet interesting people and knights along the way...
Jameson W

Um...i'm not really quite sure what the big deal was with this movie. It's not funny at all. I laughed maybe 4 times. I like the idea behind of the film, but overall it was dumb. I did not like it at all!
Jacob E

It's a shame I can't give a film 7 stars out of 5, because this film is almost worthy of that. One of my favorite reviewers online (Movie Bob for www.escapistmagazine.com) once pointed out that its extremely difficult to review a good comedy because it's impossible to… More
It's a shame I can't give a film 7 stars out of 5, because this film is almost worthy of that. One of my favorite reviewers online (Movie Bob for www.escapistmagazine.com) once pointed out that its extremely difficult to review a good comedy because it's impossible to accurately review it without giving away the good parts. And I'm now faced with this problem times a million. This is one of the funniest (if not the funniest) films of all time. Just take my word for it, this is a great film.
Michael E

This is probably one of THE most quotable movies in history, literally, every line in this movie is memorable, so much so, that they have made T-shirts over these lines. And its by far one of the funniest movies of all time. the only thing keeping me from giving it a 100% is the… More
This is probably one of THE most quotable movies in history, literally, every line in this movie is memorable, so much so, that they have made T-shirts over these lines. And its by far one of the funniest movies of all time. the only thing keeping me from giving it a 100% is the random ending, because it just stops, no credits, nothing. It says in the bonus features on the DVD with the pop up trivia feature, the director said that they ran out of money in the production. I dont know if that's true, or if it was a joke, but it just disappoints me because of how it just stops.
Bently L

This movie is beyond hilarious. The scrpting, acting, plot, and overrall siliness is superb! This leaves me in stitches after every viewing! This is what true comedy is! "Ni!" BEST SCENE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno
Phil H

The first half of this film is great, looks amazing, funny and slightly dark n macarbe. As it goes on though it gets way too silly and just too of the wall, the ending is terrible and really lets the whole thing down. The knight battle near the start, Cleese killing hundreds as he… More
The first half of this film is great, looks amazing, funny and slightly dark n macarbe. As it goes on though it gets way too silly and just too of the wall, the ending is terrible and really lets the whole thing down. The knight battle near the start, Cleese killing hundreds as he fights to save Jones in the tower, the knights who say 'ni' are all good scenes but its let down by too much animation (cheating really when you wanna see the monster, abit of a cop out) and just plain childish silly stuff. The French knights just aren't funny, wanna love it but I can't.
Cassandra M

This is perhaps one of the greatest, funniest parodies in the history of film. I think the greatest definition of irony is that to be believably stupid on screen, you have to be very intelligent. This is a rare occasion where something can be so stupid that it's funny, with the… More
This is perhaps one of the greatest, funniest parodies in the history of film. I think the greatest definition of irony is that to be believably stupid on screen, you have to be very intelligent. This is a rare occasion where something can be so stupid that it's funny, with the addition of feeling you got your money's worth at the end. Examples of failures would be anchorman, austin powers, scary movie etc. The gore and clichés of three headed, and goofy "NI!" yelling knights are what give this movie discreet beauty. Did I mention that the acting is also very good for a movie of this sort. All of the main characters, as they do in the series, take on numerous characters, all of whom are well established and each have their quirks about them. This was a well written, well thought out, and perfectly directed, low budget comedy. The funniest of any monty python film, and amongst the top comedies of all time. I laughed from beginning to end and bruised one of my lungs. I highly recommend this film to anyone. This is living proof that all you need is a good script and good actors.
Unknown H

The perfect movie for when there really is nothing else to do than reach for the Monty Python boxset.
AJ V

The best Monty Python movie of them all! This hilarious comedy spoofs the story of King Arthur and his quest for the Holy Grail. I love this movie, it's one of my favourites.
Jeff "

I remember the first time I was exposed to this film, I laughed so hard at the awkward comedic being executed on screen. These guys created something totally groundbreaking with Monty Python. Monty Python and The Holy Grail is a very funny film with great comedians involved. Unlike… More
I remember the first time I was exposed to this film, I laughed so hard at the awkward comedic being executed on screen. These guys created something totally groundbreaking with Monty Python. Monty Python and The Holy Grail is a very funny film with great comedians involved. Unlike many comedy films of today, Holy Grail has stood the test of time because the comedians involved are an incredible bunch of comedians who deliver some of the best comedic performances in a comedy film ever. There is no particular scene that I like the most, but the Killer Rabbit scene is always a favorite. This film ranks up there with Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove as a definite Comedy classic. The cast do an incredible job and they have created one of the best films of the genre. Everyone involved in the film is excellent and Monty Python And The Holy Grail ends up being a terrific film. The jokes never get stale and every time you watch it you will always laugh. One of the reasons this films succeeds on so many levels is because of the terrific number of comedians who deliver memorable performances. The gags are seem still fresh even today 35 years after the release of this film. The comedians involved are not like most of the comedians of today, these guys know how to deliver something totally funny and it has stood the test of time. If you're looking for a comedy that will definitely make you laugh and stay with long after you've seen it, I highly recommend this film. The status of this film is enough to make anyone want to see it. However the film has a special blend of humour and may not appeal to everyone because it's too "British". But to those who like this type of humour and haven't seen it, then go give it a viewing. Monty Python is a well written and acted film with terrific comedy bits. For me, the reason that it has stood the test of time is because of the many silly comedy bits within the film. The comedic elements in this film cannot be topped and with this phenomenal cast of comedians, this remains one of the greatest comedy films ever made. A definite classic.
Richard C

this is hilarious. B+
Lorenzo v

"Makes Ben Hur look like an Epic" King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Grail, encountering many very silly obstacles. <center>"Makes Ben Hur look like an Epic" King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Grail, encountering many very silly obstacles. <center>REVIEW</center> If their cult hit BBC series made the Monty Python's Flying Circus troupe famous on TV, it was "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" that established them in movies. This movie sticks out in our minds on quotable quotes alone, like "Bring out your dead!" and "We are the Knights Who Say 'NI'!" And while this comedy classic entertains, it explodes a few myths put forth by the garden variety King Arthur stories. True, there may never have been bickering three-headed giants or multiple-eyed, cave-dwelling, man-eating cartoon monsters in 10th Century England, but it wasn't as pristine as other Arthurian legend movies would have you believe! This truly is a classic for anyone, whether you're a Python fan or not!