In 1905, after 10 years of missionary work in Africa, the Rev. Charles Fortesque is recalled to England, where his bishop gives him his new assignment - to minister to London's prostitutes....
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Title: The Missionary (1982)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Michael Palin | ... | ||
| Maggie Smith | ... | ||
| Trevor Howard | ... | ||
| Denholm Elliott | ... | ||
| Michael Hordern | ... |
Slatterthwaite /
Narrator
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| Graham Crowden | ... |
The Reverend Fitzbanks
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| David Suchet | ... | ||
| Phoebe Nicholls | ... | ||
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Tricia George | ... |
Ada
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Valerie Whittington | ... |
Emmeline
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Roland Culver | ... |
Lord Fermleigh
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Rosamund Greenwood | ... | |
| Timothy Spall | ... |
Parswell
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Neil Innes | ... |
Singer in Gin Palace
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John Barrett | ... |
Old Man outside Hotel
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Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
In 1905, after 10 years of missionary work in Africa, the Rev. Charles Fortesque is recalled to England, where his bishop gives him his new assignment - to minister to London's prostitutes. Charles hopes Deborah, his fiancee, will object and give him an excuse to say no to the bishop. But she is so imperturbably innocent that she totally fails to understand what he is being asked to do, and urges him to do his best. Wealthy Lady Ames is expected to fund the work, but once she makes it clear to Charles that there will be no contribution unless he shares her bed... Written by James Barrett <jbarrett@sbastk.ess.sunysb.edu>
Taglines:
He gave his body to save their souls. See more »Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
5 November 1982 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
A misszionárius See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Deborah Fitzbanks: But I thought...
Reverend Fortescue: A missionary IN ENGLAND!
Deborah Fitzbanks: But everyone's ENGLISH in England.
See more »
Written and Composed by Fred W. Leigh
Sung by Neil Innes
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film was released in the same 1982 year as the concert comedy Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982) which Michael Palin also starred in. See more »Quotes
Reverend Fortescue: I'm going to remain a missionary.Deborah Fitzbanks: But I thought...
Reverend Fortescue: A missionary IN ENGLAND!
Deborah Fitzbanks: But everyone's ENGLISH in England.
See more »
Crazy Credits
Pay close attention to the photo album during the end credits, the photos reveal details about the characters after the events of the film. See more »Soundtracks
Put On Your Ta-Ta Little GirlieWritten and Composed by Fred W. Leigh
Sung by Neil Innes
See more »
I won't detail the plot as that's been covered rather extensively in the other comments. If you refrain from expecting a Monty Python movie, you'll find it much easier to enjoy The Missionary. It's not a Python movie. It's not outrageously funny though it does have some very funny moments, some hilarious. Most of the humor however is much more subtle, possibly too much so for many viewers. A great cast.