Monty Python and the Holy Grail

What’s the Story?

In MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, God -- animated and annoyed -- wants Arthur and his men to find the holy grail, so off they go, facing killer rabbits, randy vestal virgins, taunting Frenchmen, a bloodthirsty torso, and other silly characters on their not-so-epic quest.

Is It Any Good?

Most comedies don't age well -- the jokes, gags, and even the actors all get dated. That can't be said of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which three decades later is every bit as hilarious. The legendary British comedy troupe Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) performs its own loony version of the King Arthur legend. But don't expect swashbuckling heroes on horses. Instead, Arthur (Chapman) and his knights trot along sans horses while a subject makes galloping noises with two coconuts. It would spoil the fun to give away more of the memorable gags; they're nearly nonstop and need to be experienced, not explained. But look out for the side-splitting scenes with the Black Knight, the shrubbery bit, and the father of a rather hesitant groom.

Holy Grail is one of the all-time best comedies that families with older kids should enjoy together (for Sir Galahad's bawdy run-in with the vestal virgins, you can always aim for that "next chapter" button). And with all the quotable bits, it's just a matter of time before they're saying "Ni!" and "It's just a flesh wound."