Very probably the hardest man in the history of cinema, and even more so the most brilliantly deluded. And as a mark of his legacy, any survival of and persistence through serious injury brings up memories of this character more than any.
1. "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" - The Life Of Brian
It wasn't just overt silliness that powered the Pythons - they weren't afraid of pathos, adding tragic notes to their comedy that would later go on to inform a good deal of John Cleese's later roles in particular (Basil Fawlty is the archetypal tragic comedy hero, after all) and the finale of The Life Of Brian is the greatest example of that. Missing out on a reprieve at the final moment, Brian is forced to come to terms with his impending death, but instead of a gruesome Passion Of The Christ style gore, we got a typically British, irresistibly funny musical refrain with an odd, almost perverse end of life message. Which is your favourite Monty Python movie moment? Share your picks in the comments below.
