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The Missionary

Play trailer Poster for The Missionary R 1982 1h 30m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 44% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
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.

Critics Reviews

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Bob Thomas Associated Press 11/12/2018
The Missionary is a slice of English whimsy, often hilarious, sometimes merely outrageous. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 08/22/2005
3/5
Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice 02/04/2004
The Missionary probes the world, the flesh and the devil in fresh and funny ways. Go to Full Review Brian J. Arthurs Beach Reporter (Southern California) 10/09/2003
3/5
Jeffrey Westhoff Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) 06/10/2003
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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10/17/2020 I really enjoyed this movie. Dame Maggie Smith is sooo sexy. See more 07/11/2019 Palin's script is not funny. Avoid. See more 11/15/2016 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. See more 09/23/2013 Delightfully funny period romp written by Michael Palin with great performances from Both Palin and Dame Maggie Smith. See more 09/20/2013 I had forgotten about this absolute Gem of a film - the cast list alone tells you it is good See more 06/08/2012 Gentle, soft, and amiable...just like Michael Palin. It might have been funnier though. See more Read all reviews
The Missionary

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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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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The Missionary

The Missionary (1982) The Missionary (1982) The Missionary (1982) View more photos

Movie Info

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
Producer
Michael Palin, Neville C. Thompson
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
Runtime
1h 30m