The Life of Brian. Haven't seen it for probably seven or eight years.
It's the story of Brian Cohen, born ‘in the stable next door' to Jesus Christ’s, who gets mistaken for the Messiah and also suffers crucifixion. On the strength of its mildly sacrilegious, hugely profitable predecessor, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, EMI Films were putting up the Hollywood-size budget of $4 million.
Then, with shooting about to start in Tunisia, EMI’s chairman, Lord Bernard Delfont, happened belatedly to read the script – ending with a mass crucifixion and Eric Idle hanging from a cross singing ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ – and pulled the plug forthwith.
Enter George Harrison who was a massive fan of Monty Python and close friend of Eric Idle and Michael Palin.
George very much wanted to see the film made and so borrowed 400,000 quid from a personal friend and the rest he re mortgaged his big house at Henley on Thames.
Quite an enormous risk at that time and the Monty Python team were extremely grateful as no other studio would touch it due to it being wall to wall blasphemy!!
Anyway it's a fabulous film extremely funny and I give it 10 out of 10.
(And thank you George Harrison)