The Missionary

R

Released Nov 2, 1982

1 hr. 30 min.

Comedy

List

100%

5 Reviews

Tomatometer

42%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Reverend Charles Fortescue (Michael Palin), a missionary, is called back to England after spending 10 years in an African village teaching to the natives. He learns his new assignment is to minister in a slum to prostitutes and the funding to coming from Lady Ames (Maggie Smith), a wealthy woman he met while sailing from Africa to England. Reverend Fortescue soon learns that the lady's money comes with a catch, she will only fund the mission is he agrees to spice up her dormant sex life.

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kevin w

Michael Palin wrote and starred in this whimsical and veddy British tale of an earnest Anglican priest set to the task of bringing young London prostitutes to salvation. Maggie Smith singlehandedly saves this peculiar fantasy as a lonely baroness interested in the cause, bringing connection in a work where there was little before. It's interesting for fans of British culture.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I really enjoyed this movie. Dame Maggie Smith is sooo sexy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Missionary is a fairly risqué, quirky, VERY English comedy featuring Monty Python's Michael Palin as a Church of England missionary returned from Africa to marry his proper English bride when the bishop asks him to start a mission for prostitutes. He also is tempted by the wife of his benefactor, Maggie Smith. I loved the overall message of the film - don't be uptight about sex, forget about the class system, and stop being so "proper". Also, if you haven't seen Dame Smith in anything other than Downton (which has another nod with Highclere being featured as well) or Harry Potter, this might be a shock - she's an absolute dish, sexy as hell, and working it. The film generally is quite amusing, but some plot points don't really end up going anywhere and the main storyline ends up kind of thrown together at the end. The viewer is left deciphering a photo montage during the credits. A few more drafts of the script would have certainly helped. There are also obviously many racist jokes and references (especially in regards to Africans) and the general attitude towards women is pretty poor. These things add nothing and severely diminish what could have been a really clever, forward-thinking film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Palin's script is not funny. Avoid.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

Okay Python solo outing is more humourous than actually funny. In 1906, Michael Palin is recalled from Africa by the Bishop Of London to open a rescue mission for prostitutes. Along the way he becomes tangled in the affairs of a semi-senile aristocrat and his gold-digging wife as he attempts to find funding for his mission.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Delightfully funny period romp written by Michael Palin with great performances from Both Palin and Dame Maggie Smith.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Richard Loncraine

Director

Michael Palin

The Reverend Charles Fortescue

Maggie Smith

Lady Isabel Ames

Trevor Howard

Lord Henry Ames

Denholm Elliott

The Bishop

Michael Hordern

Slatterthwaite

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

The Missionary is a slice of English whimsy, often hilarious, sometimes merely outrageous.

Nov 12, 2018

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Aug 22, 2005

Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

The Missionary probes the world, the flesh and the devil in fresh and funny ways.

Feb 4, 2004

Full Review

Brian J. Arthurs

Beach Reporter (Southern California)

Rated: 3/5

Oct 9, 2003

Full Review

Jeffrey Westhoff

Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

Rated: 3/5

Jun 10, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

Reverend Charles Fortescue (Michael Palin), a missionary, is called back to England after spending 10 years in an African village teaching to the natives. He learns his new assignment is to minister in a slum to prostitutes and the funding to coming from Lady Ames (Maggie Smith), a wealthy woman he met while sailing from Africa to England. Reverend Fortescue soon learns that the lady's money comes with a catch, she will only fund the mission is he agrees to spice up her dormant sex life.

Director: Richard Loncraine
Executive Producer: George Harrison, Denis O'Brien
Screenwriter: Michael Palin
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 2, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017