History Film / MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian

* GodivaHair: Judith has her long hair covering her breasts when Brian's mother discovers them after they have sex.

A made-for-TV comedy film, ''Film/HolyFlyingCircus'', about the controversy surrounding the film was released on BBC 4 in 2011. Creator/EricIdle later joined with ''Film/MontyPythonsTheMeaningOfLife'' composer John Du Prez to write an {{oratorio}} based on the film, ''Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)''.

The film follows the misadventures of Brian (Creator/GrahamChapman), who was born just down the street from UsefulNotes/JesusChrist. Dissatisfied with his life as a Jew in Roman territory, Brian attempts to join LaResistance (though mostly because there's a very pretty girl there) and ends up fleeing from the Romans. The film is notable for being the only Python film that makes a solid attempt at a single, cohesive plotline rather than a RandomEventsPlot or collection of sketches.

The film follows the misadventures of Brian (Creator/GrahamChapman), who was born just down the street from UsefulNotes/JesusChrist. Dissatisfied with his life as a Jew in Roman territory, Brian attempts to join LaResistance (though mostly because there's a very pretty girl there) and ends up fleeing from the Romans. The film is notable for being the only Python film that makes a solid attempt at a single, cohesive plotline rather than a RandomEventsPlot or sketches.

''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' is the third film by Creator/MontyPython, directed by Creator/TerryJones and released in 1979.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/life_of_brian_2794.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:♪ ''Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (whistle)'' ♫]]

It follows the misadventures of Brian (played by Creator/GrahamChapman), who was born just down the street from UsefulNotes/JesusChrist. Dissatisfied with his life as a Jew in Roman territory, Brian attempts to join LaResistance (though mostly because there's a very pretty girl there) and ends up fleeing from the Romans. The film is notable for being the only Python film that makes a solid attempt at a single, cohesive plotline rather than a RandomEventsPlot or sketches.

''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' is the third film by Creator/MontyPython, made in 1979. It follows the misadventures of Brian (played by Creator/GrahamChapman), who was born just down the street from UsefulNotes/JesusChrist. Dissatisfied with his life as a Jew in Roman territory, Brian attempts to join LaResistance (though mostly because there's a very pretty girl there) and ends up fleeing from the Romans. The film is notable for being the only Python film that makes a solid attempt at a single, cohesive plotline rather than a RandomEventsPlot or sketches.

** In addition, while the film does bring up the fact that it would be unfair to dismiss the Romans as little more than [[EvilOverlord Evil Overlords]], they were perfectly capable of being so on their worst days, and sometimes even on their best. Some of the largest rebellions against them, including the UsefulNotes/JewishRevolts, were directly caused by a high-ranking Roman (or a group of them) grabbing the VillainBall with both hands[[note]]The Jewish Revolts were kicked off by a centurion ordering the slaughter of a bunch of Jews ''for no reason whatsoever!''[[/note]] - a common cause for revolt would be the installation of an asshole tax collector who would make demands he ''knew'' could not be met until the locals got tired of him and retaliated; or [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder they would betray a loyal ally]] [[KickTheDog for no good reason]], then [[WrittenByTheWinners make up a story]] [[NeverMyFault about how the rebels started it]]. But what more often than not broke their necks was the total disregard for local customs - this was particularly evident in their treatment of Judaism, which they never quite fully understood until ''after'' they fought three devastating wars against Jewish rebels, ending with the destruction of Jerusalem and the diaspora. So, overall, while the Romans certainly did a lot, many people, including the Jews, had every reason to despise them.
** The argument that they "brought peace" is also laughable: Rome, despite claiming to be in an age of ''[[IronicName Pax Romana]]'' ("Roman Peace"), was almost always at war, be it an aggressive campaign of expansion or suppressing a needlessly provoked revolt. Typically, "Roman peace" meant "butcher the enemy to the last child and then roast them in the tabloids". Also, Rome was beset with internal problems that could--and did--lead to civil wars (admittedly, not an uncommon occurrence for that time period): the PraetorianGuard were notorious for [[BodyguardBetrayal killing emperors they didn't like]] and were disgustingly easy to bribe into doing so by ambitious usurpers; various legions could be just as fickle with their loyalty; the aforementioned asshole tax collector problem was ''never'' properly solved, or at least regulated; they constantly flip-flopped between tolerating foreign religions or persecuting their practitioners, which inevitably led to conflict in the latter's case; and the [[TheCaligula more looney emperors]] went out of their way to make bad situations worse, if they didn't create them to begin with.

* ArtisticLicenceReligion: An unintentional example - Brian is supposed to be Jewish, but during his [[MaleFrontalNudity nude scene]] it becomes quite clear that Graham Chapman is not circumcised.

* BirthdaySuitSurpriseParty: Brian's lover Judith Iscariot - an {{Expy}} of Mary Magdalene - tries to convince the Virgin Mandy (Brian's mum) that he is special (whilst naked, as Mandy had barged in on the two of them). It doesn't work. And earlier when after awaking, Brian opens his blinds...

** The scene where a centurion catches Brian writing "Romanes eunt domus" on a wall and upbraids him for his poor grasp of Latin and forces him to correct his mistakes. [[spoiler: If you're wondering, "Romanes eunt domus" is very bad Latin for "Romans go home", or as the guard puts it, "People that are called Romanes, they go, the house?"... it gives the adjective for "Roman" an incorrect declension and uses an incorrect mood (indicative, when it should be imperative) for "go" and case (nominative, when it should be accusative locative) for "home". The corrected version, "Romani ite domum", is much more accurate.]]

* ChekhovsArmy: Subverted with [[spoiler: the Judean People's Front]] in the final scene. After [[TheDreaded many hushed references]] to them by the other Judean resistance groups, they [[TheCavalry charge into the crucifixion site at the end]], leaving the Roman soldiers fleeing in terror...[[spoiler: then promptly kill themselves ''en masse'', revealing that they're actually the JPF's "crack suicide squad"]].

--> "No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle! Even- and I want to make this ''absolutely clear''!!- even if they DO say 'Jehovah'!" (cue crowd stoning him for blasphemy)

* HopeSpot: The ending takes sadistic delight in twisting the screw further and further for Brian. [[spoiler: Once Brian's being crucified, one of the other victims notes that lots of people end up getting rescued, which is followed by everyone who might have a reason to rescue Brian showing up... and spectacularly failing to even try rescuing him.]] Still, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life...

'''Haggler:''' Done - nice to do business with you.

* SpeechImpediment: Pilate, as stated above in ElmerFuddSyndrome. His subjects like to make fun of it by asking that he release prisoners named in such a way that would make them laugh (Roger, for instance). Biggus Dickus as well. He has Sylvester The Cat Syndrome, which causes problems when he lists the names of some of the actual prisoners (Samson the Saducee Strangler, Silas the Syrian Assassin, several seditious scribes from Caesarea...), which only makes the commoners laugh harder.

** Definitely a very stealthy one with the now-healed former leper asking for alms from Brian and his mother. The whole time the ex-leper is talking, he's skipping and hopping the entire time-a reference to a man healed in Literature/TheBible (although a cripple, not a leper) who after his healing "Went about walking and leaping".

* ThreatBackfire: The centurion tries to intimidate the old man who covers for the resistance movement by bringing up crucifixion--and gets very put out when the old man doesn't seem particularly fazed at all.

* VerbalTic: "Oh, don't worry about him sir, he's deeeaahhhh... he's deeeaahhhh..." [[spoiler: It turns out he can speak perfectly normally, he just likes to fuck with the Romans.]]

* YouMakeMeSic: The graffiti correction scene.
-->'''Centurion:''' "Romanes eunt domus? 'People called Romanes, they go the 'ouse?!'"

* {{Corpsing}}: In one of the most memorable scenes of the film, Pilate speaks of his friend [[BiggerIsBetterInBed Biggus Dickus]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8_jgiNqUc as the guards desperately (and ultimately vainly)]] attempt to keep a straight face. In reality, the extras cast as the guards were [[BlatantLies told that it was a serious scene,]] and if they so much as giggled, they would be fired on the spot.[[labelnote:*]]According to some accounts, at least. Others claim that the guards ''were'' made aware of what would happen, but were simply told not to laugh until cued. What ''is'' real, however, is the guards' reactions as Palin did his damndest to make them crack up[[/labelnote]] {{Hilarity ensues}}.

** One of the guards' face ''screams'' of this when Pilate tells that Biggus Dickus "has a wife, you know". The extras playing the guards were told it was a serious scene and that [[EnforcedMethodActing if they laughed they'd be fired]], so the reaction is most likely [[EnforcedMethodActing a real one.]]

** The Judean People's Front, for reasons unknown. [[UnreliableNarrator At least, that's how they're perceived by others]]. [[AllThereInTheManual Deleted scenes]] provide more explanation.

** The Judean People's Front, for reasons unknown. [[UnreliableNarrator At least, that's how they're perceived by others]].

'''BRIAN''': NOW.... '''FUCK OFF!'''\\

* BeYourself: {{Deconstructed|Trope}}. While the film is clearly in favour of not blindly following dogma, the Pythons were savvy enough to both recognize this could be a LostAesop in all the silliness, and that the trope itself is a built-in BrokenAesop. Therefore, it takes a more bitter interpretation of "Don't blindly following dogma ''you made up yourself'' because a guy ''really really'' seems like the messiah to you": Brian explicitly states the message, and people still screw it up because they've convinced themselves ''that much'' that he's a messiah.

* DoWrongRight: The scene with the centurion making Brian change his (treasonous) graffiti to be grammatically correct Latin.

* GladiatorGames: Played for laughs: the weaker gladiator doesn't even attempt to fight, just drops his weapons and runs for it. The stronger gladiator chases him, until he abruptly drops dead from cardiac arrest.

* YouKnowImBlackRight: PFJ member Loretta (played by Palin) is established to be a trans woman early on. Late in the film, Judith loses her temper at Reg and the other PFJ members for wanting to decide by committee what to do about Brian's impending crucifixion and storms out. Reg goes, "Whoo! Women, eh?" Then he sees Loretta looking a bit hurt by that and goes, "Oh, sorry, Loretta."

* ImStandingRightHere: PFJ member Loretta (played by Palin) is established to be a trans woman early on. Late in the film, Judith loses her temper at Reg and the other PFJ members for wanting to decide by committee what to do about Brian's impending crucifixion and storms out. Reg goes, "Whoo! Women, eh?" Then he sees Loretta looking a bit hurt by that and goes, "Oh, sorry, Loretta."

* SadisticChoice: When Brian asks why Pilate wants to see him, the Centurion's reply is "I expect he wants to know which way up you want to be crucified".

** When it comes to the controversy about the film, it rapidly becomes clear that the Pythons know what they're talking about a lot more than the MoralGuardians do.

** [[spoiler:The "crack suicide squad" attempts to save Brian from crucifixion.]]

* ThreatBackfire: The centurion tries to intimidate the old man who covers for the resistance movement by bringing up crucifixion-and gets very put out when the old man doesn't seem particularly fazed at all.

* AcousticLicence: Averted. Jesus giving a sermon is perfectly audible to the people in the first few rows, but on the next hill over, which isn't even faraway, they're having a little trouble hearing him over that distance and the rest of the countryside noise.

* DeusExMachina: Parodied. A low flying UFO passed by ''just when'' Brian is about to fall to his death.

-->"Did he say 'Blessed are the cheesemakers'?"

%%* {{Transgender}}: PlayedForLaughs with Stan/Loretta.

* AnimatedCreditsOpening: Animated hijinks involving Roman architecture, mainly, setting the stage for teh irreverent comedy we're about to watch.

** The argument that they "brought peace" is also laughable: Rome, despite claiming to be in an age of ''[[IronicName Pax Romana]]'' ("Roman Peace"), was almost always at war, be it an aggressive campaign of expansion or suppressing a needlessly provoked revolt. Typically, "Roman peace" meant "butcher the enemy to the last child and then roast them in the tabloids". That said, once a province was "pacified" it was usually a pretty good place to live for speakers of Latin or Greek of some wealth.