The Cycling Tour (7 Dec. 1972)

Mr Pither; Clodagh Rogers; Trotsky; Smolensk; Bingo-crazed Chinese (British Ambassador); 'Jack in a Box'.

Director:

Ian MacNaughton

Writers:

Graham Chapman, John Cleese,

Stars:

Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Graham Chapman	...	Nurse / Genevieve / Chinaman / Secret Policeman Wallet / Senior General / Messenger / Various
John Cleese	...	Driver / Doctor / M. Brun / Mr. Livingstone / Secret Policeman Bag / General / Various
Eric Idle	...	Proprietor / Old Lady / Doctor / Mme. Brun / Military Man / Secret Policeman Grip / Mr. Pither's Mother / Compère / Various
Terry Jones	...	Mr. Gulliver
Michael Palin	...	Mr. Pither
Terry Gilliam	...	Desk Clerk
Carol Cleveland	...	Girl / Cabbie / Various

Storyline

Mr Pither; Clodagh Rogers; Trotsky; Smolensk; Bingo-crazed Chinese (British Ambassador); 'Jack in a Box'.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Details

Release Date:

7 December 1972 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Jersey, Channel Islands

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Trivia

The poster in Pither's cell advertising variety acts in a Moscow theatre include a double act Burgess and McLean. Burgess and McLean were British spies passing on information to the Russians during and after World War 2 although they acted individually, not as a team.

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Goofs

(at around 40 mins) When the Russian soldiers throw Pither into his cell, the back wall is bare. But when the shot changes to a close-up of Pither, a poster is hanging on the wall.

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Quotes

James: [growing angry] Would you like me to show you door?
Mr. Pither: Oh that's really kind of you, but I saw it on the way in...

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits, the two animated monsters (which appeared briefly in the episode earlier) jump out and dance to Clodagh Rogers' "Jack In The Box".

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Soundtracks

"Faust: Overture"
(uncredited)
Written by Charles Gounod

User Reviews

Brilliant, silly, long, silly... ...and brilliant!

(Extremely mild spoiler included - and who haven't seen this sketch?) Simply the silliest, and at the same time best, Monty Python sketch ever! (well, maybe that sketch with old ladies and letter boxes attacking innocent people is sillier, but The Cycle Tour is "Simply The Best"). Both Trotskij, Clodagh Rodgers and the British/Chinese Embassy in the same sketch... :-)

While most Monty Python sketches are short and without any punch line, this makes up a whole program - and is without a punch line. But it has gag after gag, and they must have had a lot of fun making this sketch.

While everything is held together as one story, part of why it is so funny is the constant shifting of ideas, jumps between countries, changes in tempo. And of course, as usual, the characters look funny. And it's not a sketch you watch once and then it's not funny anymore, part of the fun is remembering the lines from seeing it last year.