It is 50 years since Monty Python and the Holy Grail was released – but it’s still revered as comedy gold.
Most scenes were filmed in Scotland, particularly around Doune Castle in Stirlingshire, with locals and students playing peasants, knights and soldiers.
To mark the 50th anniversary, BBC’s The One Show has made a short film celebrating the iconic role the castle played in the film’s legacy.
Presented by Monty Python fan Des Clarke, the film sees the comedian head to Doune for a ‘behind-the-scenes’ insight into how the film was made.
A highlight is meeting retired civil engineer Harry Doy, 65, whose father ran the post office in Doune when Holy Grail was being filmed.
Python enthusiast Harry was just 14 at the time of filming.
‘I hit John Cleese on head with cabbage’
He told The Courier how he managed to persuade the film crew to let him be part of the action.
This included dressing up as a peasant for some scenes – and hurling food down from the castle battlements for the ‘Bring Out Your Dead’ scene.
He said: “It was then that I clocked John Cleese on the back of the head with a cabbage! Sadly, that bit wasn’t in the film!
“I’m surprised I didn’t knock him out! It was a fairly heavy cabbage.”
Harry also recalls being involved in a food fight with the cast and crew.
Another strange experience was gifting an 11 pound salmon he had caught in the River Teith to John Cleese.
“Cleese came out in full knight’s gear and asked what I was doing with a fish,” he said.
“He glowered at it and then punched it before selling it off to a producer.”
While Harry was dressed as a peasant, the cast often took him to the Woodside Hotel – where they were staying – for the odd bottle of cider.
He recalled chatting to Cleese and Graham Chapman about their favourite Python sketches and Chapman saying he loved Biggles.
What about the killer rabbit?
He was also lucky enough to accompany the cast up to a cave near Killin where the killer rabbit scenes were being filmed.
Harry stood in for Eric Idle, wearing his knight costume for a rabbit fight sequence.
“You see the fake, stuffed rabbit being pulled along a wire and going for my throat,” he said.
“It had turned into a vicious, big-toothed beast that was attacking me and flying for my neck.
“You then see three dead bodies. One of them is mine, and the rabbit is sitting on my chest at the mouth of the cave.”
New film features Sir Michael Palin
The One Show film also features a Zoom conversation between Des and former Python Sir Michael Palin.
Michael shares memories of his time filming in Doune, explains how the castle was chosen, and reflects on the warm welcome the crew received from the local community.
During the chat, Michael also receives a special surprise from one of the village’s residents.
The One Show film is billed as a nostalgic and heartfelt tribute to a landmark comedy and the unique part Doune and its residents played in its story.
Kirsty Fraser, the assistant producer of the film, said: “What better way to mark such a milestone anniversary for this iconic comedy than by celebrating Doune itself.
“The castle and the community warmly embraced the film and for 50 years have made it part of their story.”
Check out our Doune interviews
In 2020, The Courier headed to Doune to interview Harry and other villagers who were involved in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail in 1975.
See below for the wee film we made – and check out our fun story here.
- The short film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail at 50, airs as part of BBC’s The One Show on April 24 at 7pm.
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