The movie
Life of Brian is a 1979 British black comedy film. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, known as the Monty Pythons, star and wrote it. Graham Chapman directed it.
The film’s themes of religious satire were – and to some extent still are – controversial at the time of its release. There were accusations of blasphemy and in some countries it was banned for some time.
However, the film was a box office success. It still remains very popular. For some magazines, television networks and other media it is considered as the greatest comedy of all time.
It tells the story of Brian Cohen (played by Chapman), a young Judaean, who is born at the time of Jesus. He is mistaken for the Messiah. Brian grows up into an idealistic young man who resents the Roman occupation of Judea. Consequently he joins the “People’s Front of Judea”, an independence movement to fight the Romans.
After a series of satiric scenes, Brian is taken to be crucified. These scenes are inspired by many religious and historical films of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The final scene with the crucified people singing the cheerful song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” is one of the most iconic scenes in the cinema history.
The scene
The leader of the “People’s Front of Judea” tasks Brian to paint slogans overnight on Roman governor Pilate’s palace. While doing so, he is caught by a Roman officer.
The officer, instead of arresting Brian for vandalism, is concerned with the grammar mistakes Brian has made when painting the slogan “Romani ite domum” (Romans go home). This is one of the most hilarious scenes of the film.
Life of Brian deserves by all means a leading place in any cinephile library.
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