The Crimson Permanent Assurance (1983)

A group of down-and-out accountants mutiny against their bosses and sail their office building onto the high seas in search of a pirate's life.

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writer:

Terry Gilliam

Stars:

Sydney Arnold, Guy Bertrand, Andrew Bicknell

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sydney Arnold
Guy Bertrand
Andrew Bicknell
Ross Davidson
Myrtle Devenish
Tim Douglas
Eric Francis
Matt Frewer
Billy John
Russell Kilmister
Peter Mantle
Len Marten
Peter Merrill
Cameron Miller
Gareth Milne

Storyline

In the bleak days of 1983, the Crimson Permanent Assurance, an accountancy staffed by elderly workers much like a slave ship, has been taken over by efficiency-minded corporate types. When they sack an employee, there's an uprising, and the building is unleashed from its moorings to sail across the (dry) ocean and take on the financial centers of the world, starting with an all-out attack on the large skyscraper housing The Very Big Corporation of America, complete with filing-cabinet cannons, ceiling-fan broadswords, and paper-spindle short-swords.

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Plot Keywords:

corporation | skyscraper | thrown through a window | sword fight | accountant | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Short | Comedy | Fantasy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1983 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Seguradora Permanente Crimson

Filming Locations:

EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Celandine Films, The Monty Python Partnership, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

16 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Released as a secondary feature to support Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

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Connections

Featured in Atop the Fourth Wall: Transformers: Generation 2 #1 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Accountancy Shanty"
Music & Lyrics by Eric Idle & John Du Prez

User Reviews

Surreal

The short film that directly precedes The Meaning of Life by Monty Python(meaning, it runs directly before the rest of the film starts), this was put together by Terry Gilliam, the masterful director among the team, and the man behind both Twelve Monkeys and the animations that the team include in the Flying Circus television series. I have to admit that this is my least favorite of all of the full production, but it can't be claimed that this is not well-done. Direction is top-notch, and the whole thing runs very smoothly. Acting fits well. Production values are all of very high quality. The music and score is great, and this even gets a Monty Python song, and a good one at that. Cinematography and editing(save for just a few obvious cuts for effects) are rather good. This hardly features the Monty Python people(on-screen) at all, save for a few cameos. It's got a run-time of 16 minutes or so, if you count the credits. The pacing is marvelous. It doesn't overstay its welcome, nor does it end before it should. It has the utter madness and bizarre humor that most things Python do, coupled with that of Gilliam himself. The ending itself is typically Monty Python, and a fitting end. I recommend this to any fan of Gilliam and Monty Python, but do give the rest of The Meaning of Life your time and attention, too... I personally think it's worth it. 7/10