The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982)

The film of an on-stage charity benefit for Amnesty International. The show includes comedy skits by the members of Monty Python, as well as noted comedians Peter Cook, Rowan Atkinson, and ... See full summary »

Directors:

Roger Graef, Julien Temple

Writer:

Terence Dackombe (contributing writer)

Stars:

Rowan Atkinson, Jeff Beck, Alan Bennett

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rowan Atkinson	...	Self / Various Roles
Jeff Beck	...	Self
Alan Bennett	...	Self / Various Roles
John Bird	...	Self / Various Roles
Tim Brooke-Taylor	...	Self / Various Characters
Graham Chapman	...	Self / Various Roles
Eric Clapton	...	Self
John Cleese	...	Self / Various Roles
Phil Collins	...	Self
Billy Connolly	...	Self
Donovan	...	Self
Johnnie Fingers	...	Self (as Johnny Fingers)
John Fortune	...	Self / Various Roles
Bob Geldof	...	Self
Chris Langham	...	Self / Various Roles

Storyline

The film of an on-stage charity benefit for Amnesty International. The show includes comedy skits by the members of Monty Python, as well as noted comedians Peter Cook, Rowan Atkinson, and others. The show also includes musical numbers by Eric Clapton, Sting, Donovan and Bob Geldof.

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Plot Keywords:

absurd comedy | charity benefit | musical number | comedian | amnesty international | 

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Taglines:

At Last the Truth Can Be Told - The Other Ball is Bigger

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Genres:

Comedy | Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The soundtrack album went to the Top Thirty on the Billboard charts.

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Quotes

The Crazy Interviewer: Good evening. Tonight, we're taking a look at Beekeeping, and here to tell us all about it, we have in the studio a man who's been keeping bees for over forty years. Mr. Reginald Prawnbaum. Good evening, Mr. Prawnbaum.
Reginald Prawnbaum: Good evening.
The Crazy Interviewer: Tell me. What first interested you in the bee world, Mr. Prawnbaum?
Reginald Prawnbaum: Well, um, even as a child, I used to...
The Crazy Interviewer: Ssshh.
Reginald Prawnbaum: I'm sorry, shouldn't I have said that?
The Crazy Interviewer: No, of course you should have. Pay no attention, please. When I say "Ssshh", it's just a nervous mannerism I've picked...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the version that has segments from the first and second shows, Michael Palin interrupts the credits to sell various "Secret Policeman's" products to the viewer (profits going to Amnesty International).

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Alternate Versions

The Australian DVD release version does not feature the John Cleese and Pamela Stephenson skit sketch segment.

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Connections

Referenced in Amnesty International's Big 30 (1991)

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Soundtracks

Farther Up The Road
Written by Don D. Robey (uncredited) and Joe 'Ducky' Medwick (uncredited)
Performed by Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck

User Reviews

You won't have a ball

I expected pretty much what I got from this sub par film, and as far as laughs go, I was horribly disappointed. It's as if all the gags were above me, one unfunny comic after the other. I thought the gags were stupid, the songs by great British artists were a relief, even the cynical sounding Sting, the third act in. This is a movie, a director's name attached, I wasn't surprised to discover. Nothing beats Temple's Bullet (1996) where Running Out Of Luck (1985), was a colorfully exciting mess. You could easily call this film, Running Out Of Laughs, if there were any to begin with. This filmed concert was to raise money for Amnesty International, the only true and worthy attribute of this show. The other was Dame Edna, "thank God, for you girl". If you wanna see British comedians/actors you love, make idiots of themselves with some of the unfunniest stuff imaginable, go for it. Michael Palin, a great actor, in the finale, shouldn't of wasted his time. The late Tim Brooke Taylor, was a surprise to show up in this, and Rowan Atkinson, was frequently annoying as with mostl the others. God if there's another Secret Policeman's Ball out there, that's a horrifying reality I couldn't comprehend.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1982 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amnesty International

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1