MovieChat Forums > Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Discussion > The ending (spoilers)

The ending (spoilers)

posted 9 years ago by snelling
13 replies | jump to latest

This only got a 9/10 from me because I felt the ending was lazy. I guess endings are the toughest part to write in a story. But arresting the main cast and covering the camera lens with your hand, knocking it over? I agree it was their first major film script and the Flying Circus show often had sketches that ended abruptly with no real punchline, but they could have come up with something better.

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[–] louiseculmer 9 years ago

the ending is very weak. but endings never were their strong point.

[–] hurricanehorton 9 years ago

I thought the fact that the film ended with no real conclusion was funny. No big dramatic ended, just random nothingness.

[–] mrstupidface 8 years ago

I agree. I think it just adds to the comedy

[–] davidparr-12867 9 years ago

It ended in typical Python style for the simple reason, they did not have the funds to film a battle. Which in my opinion would have been a bore anyway...

[–] taran-rod 8 years ago

"they did not have the funds to film a battle."

Exactly! Plus, it was an original ending, I don't see any problem here.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ZombieSquad1986 8 years ago

I took it as them saying that they didn't have the budget/resources/inclination to film an epic battle scene. Admittedly, it is a completely odd way to end a movie, and the first time I saw it, I was like, "Wait, what?" However, now it makes me smile at the absurdity. Opinions being what they are, though, I can see where somebody could think it was a lazy way to end a movie.

[–] drbgoodblues-11682 8 years ago

I love the ending! I remember the first time I watched the film when I was kid, and I was so psyched for the battle scene, and then... You just don't see it coming, but they set it up the whole way.

[–] snelling 8 years ago

I am used to it now, and after forty years I still cannot come up with anything better.

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[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 5 years ago

That was actually the joke, after all that had been built up about the quest for the Holy Grail they just end it abruptly without any kind of closure or finality. I actually heard that they didn't have the budget for a large scale battle so they chose both the literal and the figurative "cop out"

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14393) 5 years ago

I thought that was very stupid, getting arrested by the cops before they could take on the French asshole knights and get their prize. That, and it just ends abruptly with some cheesy music. I wanted to see Arthur get revenge on the French kah-nigits!

[–] hyperjet (723) 5 years ago

I agree. And I don't buy this 'we didn't have the budget to have a battle scene' talk. All they had to do was have a bunch of silly close ups and camera blurs like they did with the bunny scene. They could still continue the comedy and have a more proper punch line to end with.

[–] Ace_Spade (9544) 5 years ago

That anticlimax, tone-shift, and fourth-wall break ending is perfect Python. It's the perfect ending for this movie.