Monty Python - Court Scene

from Monty Python's Flying Circus
Season 1 - Episode 03
How To Recognize Different Types Of Tree From Quite A Long Way Away
Recorded 14-08-69, Aired 19-10-69
I'm slowly uploading the entire Flying Circus series... Got any requests?

[@duffyjohnson77]

"...I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so anyway..."

[@isaackim7675]

Duffy Johnson I do not like the sound of his liver.

[@JoRatcliff]

+Duffy Johnson what with her womb and all

[@JaneXemylixa]

+Duffy Johnson Well, she swore to tell the *whole* truth, so...

[@PrimetimeD]

They're not even married, they're not even divorced!

[@raymondcragg7282]

Duffy Johnson brilliant

[@han5234]

MP's delivery of, "Curse you, Inspector Dim. You are too clever for us naughty people" always kills me.

[@aquamarine99911]

Oh-we!

[@RidgeMahoney]

"I sure did that thing."

[@jaakkooksa5374]

Curse you Inspector Dim, you are too clever for us naughty people.

[@Setebos]

Almost makes me want to get arrested just so I can use that line in court.

[@Znwarp]

I'm going to get pulled up for a parking offense just to give that speech on freedom.

[@gingerhead09]

"I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth, so anyway"

[@Soilwar]

That's my favorite part! Kills me every time!

[@connfyoozed]

Cardinal Richelieu: a man so cool that he not only has his own fanfare entrance music, but he even brings his own handheld microphone to court.

[@paulamiles9559]

Like judy garland

[@Shilven]

'Till the end of my days I'll remember that Cardinal Richelieu died in december 1642

[@Shakes-Off-Fear]

"He's not completely dead, m'Lord, but he's not at all well." Cracks me up every time XD

[@iisthedude07]

"I sure did that thing" has become a staple part of my everday vocabulary

[@williamscottwork]

What frees the prisoner in his lonely cell, chained within the bondage of rude walls, far from the owl of Thebes? What fires and stirs the woodcock in his springe or wakes the drowsy apricot betides? What goddess doth the storm toss'd mariner offer her most tempestuous prayers to? Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!

[@luisreyes1963]

Can you imagine a valedictorian giving a speech like that? 😁

[@dinahkyle3196]

It's only a bloody parking offense

[@NotSteveCook]

"Mr. Larch, I find you incredibly guilty of overacting!"

[@ThingsWeSaidToday]

John Cleese's 'engine driver' song may be one of the funniest things ever committed to film.

[@mylesjordan9970]

The Gilbert and Sullivan references are unfortunately becoming ancient history in America. Terrific performance!

[@vardellsfolly5200]

Eric Idle was perfect as a man who just wouldn't shut up..

[@Anderschristoph125]

And you're surrounded by red skinned English tourists drinking bleedin Watney's red barrell and idiots singing "torremillinos, torremillinos", and there's always some bloke who drones ON and ON and ON about how Mr. Smith should be running this country.........

[@eliasmg9144]

Graham was perfect playing a woman who wouldn't shut up

[@MichaelShingo]

Ya that was graham

[@willy_b_coyote]

0:35 I’m gonna get pulled up for a parking offense purely to give this speech

[@darkprose]

"Mr Alridge, I put it to you that you are dead." LOL.

[@Setebos]

"Professional Cardinal Richelieu Impersonator". I'd love to put that down on a resume or income tax form.

[@Tareltonlives]

"If I were not in the CID...."-Graham's song is wonderful as is John's little followup-"If I were not before the bar..."

[@paulamiles9559]

The song sounds so Lerner and Loewish

[@mretwaikhine2468]

No comment on how cute Cleese's lil engine driver dance is??

[@elsa_draws_stuff]

Mret Wai Khine It is absolutely heartwarming!

[@ClaudiaGonzalezKinkyFloyd]

Oui ❤

[@mollywollydoodah]

The bit when Michael turns to john and just goes 'oui' is my favourite part xD

[@connfyoozed]

Ooooooui.

[@paulamiles9559]

Me too

[@enriquesanchez2001]

NO WONDER I came out as a total blithering idiot! These hours were how I spent my teenage years! And I am thankful for it!🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣😂🤣

[@murielsartre]

He's mimicking the actor Sir Laurence Olivier. In the 30s, Olivier did a lot of Shakespearean films and he recites his lines in that nasal, clipped way.

[@BlahBlahYouWho]

My parents once hired a professional Cardinal Richelieu impersonator for my 10th birthday.

[@aquamarine99911]

This may be the most underrated comment in the history of youtube.

[@dixonpinfold2582]

Was it Lord Black of Crossharbour? He always attends costume parties as Richelieu.

[@MrCheesyPants]

This entire skit is glorious

[@JonnyCooper]

I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so anyway... Laughed out loud the instant Chapman delivered that

[@aquamarine99911]

Yup. Amidst all the silliness and history lessons, there are moments of creative genius in this skit. And that's one of them.

[@jennibale1831]

Me too!

[@gillestremblay3465]

It's only a bloody parking offense...

[@nickporter9264]

Gilles Tremblay It's only thirty shillings.

[@NotSteveCook]

Such an underrated sketch!

[@withalittlehelpfrom3]

WITH A RUB-DUB-DUB & A SCRUB-A-DUB-DUB I'D SING THIS VERY SONG!!!

[@thehumungus9066]

Has anyone else noticed that John Cleese always plays a barrister in court room scenes?

[@mfjdv2020]

Apparently he studied law at university :-)

[@connfyoozed]

He also played one in A Fish Called Wanda. He just has that tall, authoritative look and manner about him, which makes it even funnier when he starts talking about complete goofiness with a straight face.

[@hamersimpso]

just a normal day in the courts of london

[@YamisQueenJess]

Mr. Lawyer, you need a spirit medium trained in the Kurain school of Channeling before the deceased can testify.

[@altamont498]

And the prosecutor should be wearing a red suit and a white frilly cravat. The detective needs to have a green trench coat and be underpaid to the point of near bankruptcy. And the judge needs to be older, balder and beardier.

[@freeindeed7]

I love Eric's little speech! and the attitude of Terry as the judge. and Michael as an impersonator. I'm partial to the little song at the end, too. thanks for uploading this!

[@80swoodpanel]

Michael Palin absolutely kills me everytime! OUI!

[@IntheeyesofMorbo]

one of my favorite sketches with the mostly dead guy in the coffin for extra silliness

[@TheClaudHamilton]

"Mr Aldridge, not to put too fine a point on it, would you be prepared to say that you are, as it were, what is generally known as, in a manner of speaking - dead?" Way to take your time getting to the point, John Cleese!

[@ClaudiaGonzalezKinkyFloyd]

He studied to be a lawyer ❤

[@isaackim7675]

You've got to be cruel to be kind.

[@Apemopo]

"oui...!"

[@cha5]

I always loved Gilliam as the knight with a chicken in these bits.

[@Thundermonk99]

john cleese's expecting glances at the camera are hilarious.

[@dayglograham62]

This is probably my favourite Python sketch

[@stewux]

" ...well they do don't they, I mean you can't can you.... " Oh Graham , I'm almost in love with you haha, that monologue was pure genius!

[@jennibale1831]

I cry with laughter every time I watch Graham Chapman delivering that monologue.

[@sketchygetchey8299]

Mr. Larch is the British version of what we Americans call a sovereign citizen 😆 “It was only a bloody parking offense”🤣

[@cbaile]

It's just a bloody parking offense.

[@isaackim7675]

Parking offense? Schmarking offense, my lord. We must leave no stone unturned.

[@Tareltonlives]

John's dance is simply too awesome for words.

[@ClaudiaGonzalezKinkyFloyd]

Indeed ❤

[@nathanielvashaw2328]

"I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...so anyway" 😅😅😅

[@lupodelupis3672]

After almost years 50 Monty Python remains the unbeaten "King of Comedy". P.S Micheal Palin impersonating "So-called Cardinal Richelieu" makes me crack up everytime!! XD

[@ilokivi]

Rupert Pupkin will be most upset.

[@lewars1912]

Dead witnesses are the best ones. Clever people were the Monty Python people. Clever indeed. Beautiful song.

[@comanchio1976]

For me, the Graham Chapman/woman character wasnt so much comedy as a trip down memory lane, that was almost exactly what my mum was like...only my mum made even less sense.

[@paulamiles9559]

Wish I could meet yr mum. Graham is more like both my grandmums- they were funny without trying

[@tomharrison1849]

Wow what respect.

[@Tareltonlives]

Michael also did Richelieu doing his Petula Clark impression. I think he just loves the outfit

[@aquamarine99911]

No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition!

[@DanHarrisonKing]

We need more kosher car parks in this country

[@tylerleemyles9592]

This is the 10th time I've seen and I'm drooling with laughter.

[@Lazuotut]

One of the best Flying Circus bits. Absolutely fantastic.

[@B.K.Entertainment]

"Dim of the yard" lol, comedy genious

[@FireEyedMaidOfWar]

The Pythons have outdone themselves once more: Alone the pathetic plea for freedom is beyond their usual comical mastery but the appearance of Cardinal Richelieu is amazing! When the Pythons were around it was obviously quite proper to show one’s knowledge on topics like art or history instead of making boast of one’s ignorance in these matters as many people tend to do today. While being a professional Cardinal Richelieu impersonator must be a good trade for sure.

[@greyforge27]

"character witness" I get it.

[@wastemind]

Love Cleese's dance at the end. He's just so silly.

[@-danR]

So light on his feet.

[@murielsartre]

Eric's mimicking Sir Laurence Olivier by the end of his speech.

[@elcaji]

Iddle's speech is wonderful. Palin=Richelieu ("a caracter witness") is simply genious. Chapman's DIM ("fair cop") is incredible. And Cleese dance... simply the best performance in comedy ever.

[@NobleNemesis]

"So, anyway..!"

[@phantomphan77]

John Cleese's graceful dance at the end is my favorite part

[@narsil27]

so happy that these videos are back on youtube. freedom, freedom, freedom!

[@signorellil]

Actually, it occurred to me that "strange, damnable, almost diabolic threads of this extraordinary tangled web of intrigue" is a precise description of my parking tickets!

[@TheStapleGunKid]

Inspector Dim should have gotten his own spin-off series.

[@Tareltonlives]

Michael just looks good in Cardinal's robes

[@paulinfrance5]

still brilliant some 50 years on.

[@dmreeoogdaq]

Oui.

[@docdaneeka3424]

I sure did that thing!

[@jackfitzpatrick8173]

One of their greatest skits!

[@philhawley1219]

And the larch is my second favourite tree, but I am never too sure about Laricus Japponica

[@kengisamasempisankun]

I'm taking history notes on this...seriously. thank you for uploading this

[@dpf2122]

"one of the architects of the modern world, already"

[@darkprose]

Me, too. It's all brilliant. The song, too, is really charming.

[@christophermacintyre5890]

No matter how many times the Late Arthur Aldridge had knocked to the question "Are you in fact dead"?" he would have opened himself up to a perjury trap. If he had knocked twice for "no" he couldn't very well be "the Late Arthur Aldridge" (i.e. dead), but rather " the Not At All Well Mr. Aldridge". On the other hand, if "the Not At All Well Mr. Aldridge" had knocked once for "yes" he couldn't be dead, because, well, a dead man answering a question in court would just be too silly. So the "Not At All Well Mr. Aldridge" wisely remained silent on the advice of his lawyer. Aldridge is/was(?) one smart stiff, too smart, I think, even for Inspector Dim of the Yard. There is a lesson to be learned here...somewhere.

[@user-ce7es2sv3e]

I want to hear Cleese version with chorus "with a chiff-chiff"

[@mindbodylightsound10]

this is simply amazing. 8 1/2 minutes. one shot. pure comedy.

[@peacesellsstevebuyin]

O-o-o-o-u-i. Oui. I sure did that thing.

[@SuperDuus]

The of the best court scenes:-) Theres a lot more! Luckyly :-)

[@holydiver73]

This is the single best sketch that MP EVER did. Palin is fantastically funny.

[@sdgakatbk]

It's a VERY funny sketch, but that's a BIG statement. They were just great.

[@NBarker1993]

The Monty Python are a smart lot. I'd bet that they created such a speech just for this sketch

[@MaryE171]

OMG, Graham is just hysterical as that witness and Michael as Cardinal Richelieu!!! Ah!

[@samopostam]

Chapman is brilliant in this one. So funny. "Not so fast". The way he says it is just hilarious. Just like everything else that comes out of his mouth.

[@maximesaindon3552]

Michael as the cardinal XD and it's just a parking offense

[@RandallFlaggNY]

I was waiting for the Spanish Inquisition.

[@mfjdv2020]

no, that's yet another court sketch and by far the funniest.

[@roeiirani7505]

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition

[@sizzla123]

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS

[@markosskace514]

Absolutely the best and for ever.

[@Cvisscher]

watch this with subtitles. you wont be disappointed

[@DavidOfWhitehills]

Parking Finch. Tick. Thx.

[@adrianrrestrepo2237]

PRIAM! FIELD! FREEDOM!

[@TheRadical42]

150 Snazzes on the 100 Point Snazz-o-Scale. Off the charts! -This is one of my favorite MP sketches. It's so goofy! I especially love the Cardinal Richileau bit. "Ah ha! He fell for my little trap!" -I think more criminals in this world today should say "Curse you! You are too clever for us nawty people" when they get arrested. It would make law and order so much more entertaining.

[@lonedrone]

One of the best from Graham.

[@kaewonf8]

Consternation! Uproar!

[@casualagent7250]

Monty Python at its finest, so anyway.

[@gondolacrescent5]

Part of Cleese's genius is something he was not aware of. His body and limb movements are ridiculously exaggerated/rigid. His goose stepping on Fwatty Towels or (sorry) Fawlty Towers is a case in point. In his early career it was about two years before he actually saw what he looked like on video and he had no idea how ridiculous he looked. I think he described himself as something like "a giant hovercraft" moving about the stage. As in "My hovercraft is full of eels". A favoured M.P. object.

[@signorellil]

Parking offence? Schmarking offence! Call Cardinal Richelieu! God, I would love to have Cardinal Richelieu coming to testify about my parking tickets!

[@anne40hillpiggott30]

Love Count Binface's appearance at the end 😂😂😂

[@SquirrelGamez]

Why didn't they let the barrister sing his part? Favouritism in the court, I say!

[@shadowpig13]

cleese's dance is great XD

[@kathHenderson]

"Curse you Inspector Dim, you are too clever for us naughty people" It alarms me how awesome Michael saying that in a pink outfit is... its... just... so... awesome...

[@dixonpinfold2582]

This reminds me of the Goons (scene: a court trial): Man [from the gallery]: "I object!" Judge: "Who are you?" Man: "I'm the window cleaner." Judge: "What you have to say has no bearing on these proceedings." Man: "My bread and butter." Judge [exasperated]: "What about your bread and butter?" Man: "I cleans the windows with it."

[@shumlina]

I like that one too. It's "The Toad Elevating Moment" from the Royal Episode. :) He's a man who says things in a very roundabout way

[@TheFunkywhiteboy63]

For what it's worth, the real Richelieu died on this date (4 Dec.) in 1642, at age 57. Inspector Dim's little trap.

[@bsjif]

They're all great as women, but Graham is my favorite. 'So, she said she said she said!"

[@cbaile]

I love how Cleese points at the audience when a witness says something "important". I can't even explain why I find it so funny but it's brilliant.

[@Samalamalamdam]

I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so anyway...