Great Scene: “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”

In a comedy, there’s nothing better than coming up with a great set piece, something the writers and actors can milk for all it’s worth — and then some. A classic example is the Black Knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). I suspect that countless males around the world know this scene by heart, including both of my sons who have been known to act it out line for line.

Here King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his loyal sidekick Patsy (Terry Gilliam) happen upon a bridge guarded by the cruel Black Knight (John Cleese):

As he moves, the BLACK KNIGHT bars the way.

BLACK KNIGHT
None shall pass.

ARTHUR
What?

BLACK KNIGHT
None shall pass.

ARTHUR
I have no quarrel with you, brave Sir knight, but I must
cross this bridge.

BLACK KNIGHT
Then you shall die.

ARTHUR
I command you, as King of the Britons to stand aside.

BLACK KNIGHT
I move for no man.

ARTHUR
So be it!

ARTHUR draws his sword and approaches the BLACK KNIGHT. A furious fight now starts
lasting about fifteen seconds at which point ARTHUR delivers a mighty blow which
completely severs the BLACK KNIGHT’s left arm at the shoulder. ARTHUR steps back
triumphantly.

ARTHUR
Now stand aside worthy adversary.

BLACK KNIGHT
(Glancing at his shoulder)
’Tis but a scratch.

ARTHUR
A scratch? Your arm’s off.

BLACK KNIGHT
No, it isn’t.

ARTHUR
(Pointing to the arm on ground)
Well, what’s that then?

BLACK KNIGHT
I’ve had worse.

ARTHUR
You’re a liar.

BLACK KNIGHT
Come on you pansy!

Another ten seconds furious fighting till ARTHUR chops the BLACK KNIGHTS’s other
arm off, also at the shoulder. The arm plus sword, lies on the ground.

ARTHUR
Victory is mine.
(sinking to his knees)
I thank thee O Lord that in thy …

BLACK KNIGHT
Come on then.

ARTHUR
What?

He kicks ARTHUR hard on the side of the helmet. ARTHUR gets up still holding
his sword. The BLACK KNIGHT comes after him kicking.

ARTHUR
You are indeed brave Sir knight, but the fight is mine.

BLACK KNIGHT
Had enough?

ARTHUR
You stupid bastard. You haven’t got any arms left.

BLACK KNIGHT
Course I have.

ARTHUR
Look!

BLACK KNIGHT
What! Just a flesh wound.
(kicks ARTHUR)

ARTHUR
Stop that.

BLACK KNIGHT
(kicking him)
Had enough … ?

ARTHUR
I’ll have your leg.

He is kicked.

Right!

The BLACK KNIGHT kicks him again and ARTHUR chops his leg off.

The BLACK KNIGHT keeps his balance with difficulty.

BLACK KNIGHT
I’ll do you for that.

ARTHUR
You’ll what … ?

BLACK KNIGHT
Come Here.

ARTHUR
What are you going to do? Bleed on me?

BLACK KNIGHT
I’m invincible!

ARTHUR
You’re a looney.

BLACK KNIGHT
The Black Knight always triumphs. Have at you!

ARTHUR takes his last leg off. The BLACK KNIGHT’s body lands upright.

BLACK KNIGHT
All right, we’ll call it a draw.

ARTHUR
Come, Patsy.

ARTHUR and PATSY start to cross the bridge.

BLACK KNIGHT
Running away eh? You yellow bastard, Come back here and take
what’s coming to you. I’ll bite your legs off!

Here is the scene in all its absurd glory:

Personal note: When my son Will was ten years old, he got pneumonia. Laid him out. At the very end of his recovery, I saw that Monty Python and the Holy Grail was playing for one night only at the Nuart Theater in Santa Monica. It was — and is — one of Will’s very favorite movies, and since he’d never seen it in on the big screen before, I asked if he’d like to go. He jumped at the chance.

Unfortunately as we were driving across town, his stomach became upset, so he kept asking me to slow down. Eventually I was crawling along at about 10 miles per hour with furious Angelino drivers honking at me and cursing me as they zipped by. I almost literally had to carry Will into the theater, walking the block and a half from where I found parking.

But you know what? It was worth it. Will loved seeing the movie in a theater. I probably spent more time looking at him than I did the screen, watching his lips recite line after line of dialogue he had memorized from his many viewings of the film on video tape.

To this day, he remembers that experience, a first moment of his recovery from pneumonia and a chance to see his revered Python troupe on a big screen.

This anecdote is a reminder of how important movies can be in our personal history, even ones as silly as Monty Python and the Holy Grail.