The Great McGonagall (1974)

Director:

Joseph McGrath

Writers:

Joseph McGrath (writer)
Spike Milligan (writer)

Release Date:

1974 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy

Plot:

William Topaz McGonagall, the world's greateset poet. Unfortunately the whole of the rest of the world disagreed. His talent made him a sort of Victorian Chris Evans but without the cash.

Plot Keywords:

Poet | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Cast

Spike Milligan	...	William McGonagall
Peter Sellers	...	Queen Victoria
Julia Foster	...	Mrs. McGonagall
John Bluthal	...	Mr. Giles, MacDuff, Herclues Paint, British Soldier, Policeman, McLain, Sherrif, Judge
Victor Spinetti	...	Mr. Stewart, Second-Lieutenant Rotlo, supposed John Brown, Gentleman, Revolutionary, Cardinal, Policeman
Valentine Dyall	...	Army Sergeant, Lord Tennyson, Doctor, Native messenger, Policeman, Fop
Julian Chagrin	...	Prince Albert, Rev. Gilfillan, Publican, Balmoral Policeman, Stagehand, Ruffian, Mr Stewart's assistant, British Soldier, Fop
Clifton Jones	...	King Theebaw, Policeman, Clerk of the Court, Mr Stewart's assistant, Zulu Chief, Ruffian, Fop
Charlie Young Atom	...	Postman, Policeman, Sleeper in the Snow, Theatre Announcer, Drinker (as Charlie Atom)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luie Caballero	...	Man with parrot

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG | UK:AA (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Wilton's Music Hall, Grace's Alley, Ensign Street, Whitechapel, London, England, UK

Company:

Darlton

Trivia:

The title is a reference to the character played by W.C. Fields in The Old Fashioned Way (1934).

Quotes:

Queen Victoria: I am Queen Victoria, and I am very big in England!

Soundtrack:

This Goodbye

A Scottish "Jerk"

McGonagall is presented as a believably bad poet - someone you could expect to outsell all other Scottish poets combined, simply because his work is so mind-bogglingly banal.

This is an extremely charming, outrageously funny and also tragic film. There is no doubt that some will not be able to tolerate the amount of pathos generated by a good and simple man (like Nathan in Steve Martin's "The Jerk") who just wanted to follow his heart and do his best in life.

McGonagall puts all his heart and soul into his renditions (each one beginning with blood-curdling moan) and yet he is mercilessly scoffed at by the cognoscenti.

McGonagall's fictional poems will haunt you for life, and you'll never be able to see a simple object like a cow or a bridge without being tempted to burst into a long "Ooooooooooooooh!". Peter Sellers also makes a charming brief appearance as Queen Victoria.