Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

R

Released Apr 1, 1983

1h 43m

Comedy

List

86%

36 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The stages of life are told through multiple sketches and songs by the British comedy troupe. The seven parts of life cover birth, growing up, war, middle age, organ transplants, old age and death. Not all stages are singular: "Part I: The Miracle of Birth" is from the perspective of an ignored woman in labor, and of a Roman Catholic couple with too many children, and "Part VII: Death" encompasses a funeral and heaven. Added are three unrelated skits placed in the beginning, middle and end.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Sep 01

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Rent Monty Python's The Meaning of Life on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Critics Consensus

Monty Python's the Meaning of Life is rude, ribald, and unafraid to take comedic risks -- which is to say it should more than satisfy fans of the titular troupe.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Member

So what is the meaning of life? According to Monty Python it's a myriad of things A series of sketches by the British comedy master himself along with directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones This delves into the cycles of birth, life, sex, death and so on This is also the last collaboration with Eric Idle, John Cleese, and Graham Chapman They start off as talking fish heads questioning life's meaning and overall existence This could definitely be one of those movies you don't know what to quite think about It's both weird and gross breaking away from traditional storytelling from what 'Life of Brian' and 'Holy Grail' were used to Sex, marriage, a house, family, a job all collide together making up most of us on this planet given the opening titles The sketches go from start to finish bouncing from childbirth to birth control to superiority of faith to being God-fearing followers to not being interested in what adults have to say even when talking about sexual intercourse to war to being an organ donor while also satirizing song sequences like 'Oliver' emphasizing how insignificant we are Still you can't blame the filmmakers for taking some comedic risks now and then As a whole it makes very little sense but in spades it's fine So it just depends on what you're looking for here if the movie will work or not

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

Full Review

fred f

Loved every bit of it. However, pne needs to be a fan of gross out humor for parts of it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Alec B

Each time I watch it, I think I like it a little more. There seems to be a consensus of some disappointment with the film (from Python and fans), but I just can't go along with that . . . I'd even go so far as to declare it a standard for sketch comedy films.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/23

Full Review

Kit V

Being from the UK I have always had a very hard time finding anything funny about Monty Python or John Cleese. This film, like the TV series, is stocked full of useless twaddle that passes for some as high humor. A three-year-old could write most of this but then again a three-year-old is probably already studying the next level of comedy. Pass.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/13/23

Full Review

StephenPaul C

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 43 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/01/23

Full Review

Homer S

Classic Monty Python humor! One of my favorite scenes, is where the Sargent asks the Soldiers if they are willing to "March up and down the Square?!" Cleese, Palin, Jones and Idle deliver the laughs as always.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Terry Gilliam

Director

Terry Jones

Director

Graham Chapman

Fish #1

John Cleese

Fish #2

Terry Gilliam

Fish #4

Eric Idle

Fish #3

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - A Bucket for Monsieur

2:27

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Find the Fish

1:59

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Goodbye Gifts on the Battlefield

2:50

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Would Rather Be Elsewhere

2:23

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Penis Song

0:46

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - It's Christmas In Heaven

2:31

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - The Miracle of Birth

3:00

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Protestants and French Ticklers

2:29

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Every Sperm Is Sacred

2:46

The Meaning of Life: Official Clip - Mr. Creosote Blows

2:59

View more videos

18%

53%

D.C. Cab

50%

47%

The Lonely Guy

78%

80%

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

TRAILER

for Fast Times at Ridgemont High

91%

89%

National Lampoon's Animal House

96%

93%

Life of Brian

TRAILER

for Life of Brian

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

While it’s the least cohesive of the Python feature films, it’s also possibly the film that is most true to the Python ethos.

Mar 26, 2024

Full Review

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Some of the sketches are inspired... Some of the sketches are merely loud and boring the Pythons are at their unfunniest in drag. Even devout Pythonians might question some of the items.

Oct 22, 2018

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Does the attack work? Only occasionally.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 19, 2018

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...probably best enjoyed as separate clips on YouTube, or with liberal use of the fast-forward button...

Rated: 3/5

Oct 16, 2021

Full Review

Diego Galán

El Pais (Spain)

The Meaning of Life is one of the Monty Python's better films. But its innocence remains intact. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 30, 2019

Full Review

Calum Marsh

Esquire Magazine

As youthful and contemporary as ever.

Dec 13, 2013

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

The stages of life are told through multiple sketches and songs by the British comedy troupe. The seven parts of life cover birth, growing up, war, middle age, organ transplants, old age and death. Not all stages are singular: "Part I: The Miracle of Birth" is from the perspective of an ignored woman in labor, and of a Roman Catholic couple with too many children, and "Part VII: Death" encompasses a funeral and heaven. Added are three unrelated skits placed in the beginning, middle and end.

Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Screenwriter: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 1, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now