Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
“It took God six days to create the heavens and the earth...and Monty Python ninety minutes to screw it up.”
Life's questions are 'answered' in a series of outrageous vignettes, beginning with a staid London insurance company which transforms before our eyes into a pirate ship. Then there's the National Health doctors who try to claim a healthy liver from a still-living donor. The world's most voracious glutton brings the art of vomiting to new heights before his spectacular demise.
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Cast
23 people
Terry Gilliam
Various Roles
Known for
Life of Brian
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Graham Chapman
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
John Cleese
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Eric Idle
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Terry Jones
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Michael Palin
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Carol Cleveland
Various Roles
Known for
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Life of Brian
Simon Jones
Cedric
Known for
The Gilded Age
Brideshead Revisited
Patricia Quinn
Mrs. Williams
Known for
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Lords of Salem
Judy Loe
Nurse #1
Known for
Fool Me Once
Andrew Bicknell
(Segment "The Crimson Permanent Assurance")
Known for
House of the Dragon
World Without End
Andrew MacLachlan
Groom
Known for
Life of Brian
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Terry Jones Director · Terry Gilliam Screenplay Michael Palin Screenplay
Worldwide gross $43M · Budget $9M · United States release March 31, 1983
Box office
Budget
$9,000,000
Worldwide gross
$42,749,697
Gross vs. budget
4.7×
Production
Celandine Films
Production
The Monty Python Partnership
Production
Universal Pictures
Studio · Production
United Kingdom · United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United States · March 31, 1983
Theatrical
United Kingdom · June 23, 1983
Theatrical · Originally 18; downgraded 2000
United States · January 1, 1996
Physical · MCA/Universal Home Video #71016 [VHS] 108 minutes
Argentina
January 9, 1986 · Theatrical
Australia
August 12, 1983 · Theatrical
Brazil
May 12, 1983 · Theatrical
July 6, 2000 · TV · Universal
October 22, 2004 · Physical · DVD/VHS Universal
Czechia
November 1, 2000 · Physical · DVD
January 16, 2002 · Limited theatrical · Projekt 100
Denmark
July 1, 1983 · Theatrical
Finland
August 5, 1983 · Theatrical
France
May 9, 1983 · Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
June 22, 1983 · Theatrical
June 19, 2002 · Theatrical · Reprise
Germany
August 26, 1983 · Theatrical
Greece
June 22, 1983 · Theatrical
Ireland
April 22, 1983 · Theatrical
Italy
September 28, 1983 · Theatrical
Japan
March 27, 1987 · Physical · (video premiere)
Netherlands
August 18, 1983 · Theatrical
May 24, 2007 · Physical · DVD
September 11, 2013 · Physical · Blu ray
Norway
August 29, 1983 · Theatrical
Portugal
May 24, 1984 · Theatrical
Spain
October 1, 1983 · Theatrical · V.O.S.E.
August 6, 1989 · TV · TVE1
August 23, 2000 · Theatrical · ICAA: 747351
January 21, 2004 · Physical · Special Edition DVD
September 11, 2013 · Physical · Blu-Ray
November 24, 2025 · TV · La 1
Sweden
August 5, 1983 · Theatrical
January 1, 1991 · Physical · VHS
December 28, 1991 · TV · Kanal 1 (SVT)
August 14, 2002 · Physical · DVD
September 25, 2013 · Physical · Blu-ray
More from Terry Jones
Other films they directed, best known first.
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