History Film / MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian

* [[SorryBillyButYouJustDontHaveLegs Sorry Stan, But You Just Don't Have a Womb]]: "Where's the foetus going to gestate? In a cardboard box?"

"Shut up!"

-->'''Centurion:''' People called Romanes, they go the 'ouse?!

-->'''Brian:''' My God, Mother, you were raped?!\\
'''Brian's mother:''' Well, at first.

'''Worshipers:''' Yes! He is the Messiah!\\

** Also an example of DidNotDoTheResearch as they credit the Romans with stuff they did not introduce to Judaea -- wine, for instance had been around for ages (it is mentioned in the very first book of the Bible), religious purity laws covered at least some aspects of sanitation, fresh water systems and public health, and other of the mentioned items had been introduced by previous occupiers such as the Persians (famous roadbuilders) and the Greeks. Either a FunnyAneurysmMoment or HilariousInHindsight, the whole routine was a sillier sort of satire directed at far-left groups in the UK during TheSeventies who simply didn't know what they were doing, and were spending more time arguing with each other and pointlessly discussing trivial things rather than trying to help people, see WithUsOrAgainstUs below. This is pretty much exactly what all the Pythons (who were some flavour of Labour to a man back then) were going for. They were more or less screaming, "What ''are'' you idiots doing! You keep at it and [[MargaretThatcher that woman]] is going to win the next election!" Funny thing that: between the completion of the film in January and its release in August, she did. Oops. (Creator/JohnCleese would later leave Labour for the SDP/Liberal Alliance, doing a [[PartyPoliticalBroadcasts Party Political]] for them in 1987).

Upon it's release, this film drew a lot of criticism from various religious groups and orders due to what was perceived as a disrespectful mockery of JesusChrist (which in turn was, frequently, based on the erroneous viewpoint that Brian was intended to be / actually was Jesus, rather than just someone who's life paralleled him in several ways). Rather than mocking Jesus, however, the film actually treats the source material with a lot of respect. It just points out that [[UsefulNotesOnChristianity Christianity]] may have missed the point on some of what Jesus taught. It is not unheard of for the movie to be regarded as an AffectionateParody by actual ministers.

Rather than mocking Jesus, the film actually treats the source material with a lot of respect. It just points out that [[UsefulNotesOnChristianity Christianity]] may have missed the point on some of what Jesus taught. It is not unheard of for the movie to be regarded as an AffectionateParody by actual ministers.

* [[SorryBillyButYouJustDontHaveLegs Sorry Stan, But You Just Don't Have a Womb]]: "Where's the fetus going to gestate? You going to keep it in a box?"

* AllJewsAreCheapskates: Failure to haggle in the market (which actually causes the buyer to pay less for whatever s/he’s buying) will cause an uproar. How dare a Jew pay full price for something? Also overlaps with enforcing JewsLoveToArgue.
-->'''Merchant one:''' 'Ere, this guy won't haggle!\\
'''Merchant two:''' ''(shocked)'' Won't haggle?
** It must be said that Judaism never explicitly enters into the joke. It's just a play on the idea that merchants of all nationalities and cultures ''want'' to haggle, and not be paid the full price they first ask for. You can infer this as a reference to Jewish stereotypes, but that's entirely based on interpretation, and likely not what the Pythons had in mind.

* JewsLoveToArgue: Incidental, with the liberation fronts arguing with each other.

* BeYourself: Not blindly following dogma is a theme of this film, but 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. So they got around both by having a scene where Brian explicitly states the message, and people still screwing the message up. At least, not blindly following dogma ''you made up yourself'' because a guy ''really really'' seems like the messiah to you.

** It must be said that Judaism never explicitly enters into the joke. It's just a play on the idea that merchants ''want'' to haggle, and not be paid the full price they first ask for. You can infer this as a reference to Jewish stereotypes, but that's entirely based on interpretation, and likely not what the Pythons had in mind.

* ItsNotRapeIfYouEnjoyedIt
-->'''Brian:''' My God, Mother, you were raped?!\\
'''Brian's mother:''' Well, at first.

* OhCrap: One of the guards' face ''screams'' of this when Pilate tells that Biggus Dickus "has a wife, you know". The actors playing the guards were [[EnforcedMethodActing specifically told not to laugh]], so the reaction is most likely a real one.

* BirthdaySuitSurpriseParty: Brian's girlfriend, an {{Expy}} of Mary Magdalene, tries to convince Brian's mom that he is special (while naked, as she had barged in on the two of them). It doesn't work. And earlier when after awaking, Brian opens his blinds...
-->'''Brian's mom:''' He's not TheMessiah! He's a very naughty boy!

* {{Fanservice}}: The film features a naked Graham Chapman as well as a naked chick-who-plays-Judith. Amusingly, although Judith is seen for a second or two in front view, there is no risk whatsoever of the viewer actually catching a glimpse of her private parts, as she is blessed with pubic hair of heroic proportions.

* BigDamnHeroes: ''Repeatedly'' subverted in the final scene, as [[spoiler:Brian's allies show up, group by group, and do nothing whatsoever to save him.]]

* CampGay: Pontius Pilate, and his "vewwy good fwiend" BiggusDickus.

* CannotSpitItOut: The handicapped prison guard and his {{CloudcuckooLander}} assistant, when the Centurion tries to free Brian. PoorCommunicationKills, unfortunately.... Although this later turns out to be ObfuscatingDisability.

'''Worshippers:''' Yes! He is the Messiah!\\

'''Worshipper:''' ''[{{Beat}}]'' How shall we fuck off, O Lord?

Rather than mocking Jesus, the film actually treats the source material with a lot of respect. It just points out that [[UsefulNotesOnChristianity Christianity]] may have missed the point on some of what Jesus taught. It is not unheard of for the movie to be regarded as an AffectionateParody by actual ministers, but as always, YourMileageMayVary on how offended you'll get.

* CanisLatinicus: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8_jgiNqUc Naughtius Maximus, Biggus Dickus, Incontinentia Buttocks]]. (The combination "ck" cannot occur in Latin. It should be Biggus Diccus.)

** In one specific example, the beginning of the movie features a ceremony where a man who used the Lord's name in vain is about to be stoned to death ("All I said was 'that bit of halibut is good enough for Jehovah'!"). However, except for Brian all of the people attending the stoning are women... who, in that women are not permitted to participate in the stoning, are breaking church law just as much as the poor sod they're about to stone to death.

** [[CrowningMomentOfFunny What's so funny about "Biggus Dickus?" I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called "Biggus Dickus."]]

-->'''Brian:''' Fuck off!\\
'''Worshipper:''' How shall we fuck off, O Lord?

* {{Corpsing}}: In one of the most memorable scenes of the film, Pilate speaks of his friend [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Biggus Dickus]], 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. {{Hilarity ensues}}.

* {{Corpsing}}: In one of the most memorable scenes of the film, Pilate speaks of his friend Biggus Dickus, 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. {{Hilarity ensues}}.

''Other man:''' And a "wapist"!!\\