Friday, 2 May 2014

Not Everything Should Have A Title

This is crazily the most underrated sketch in all of Monty Python. It's not been redone even once in their albums or shows which is sad because it's SO>DAMN>FUNNY (This is what happens when you are using the shift button to write in capitals but are too lazy to remove your finger to put a fullstop)

Bishop'Oh Mr Belpit your legs are so swollen' ... swollen .. 'Oh Mr Belpit - oh Mr Belpit your legs are so swollen'. (tries a different voice) 'Oh Mr Belpit., .'
Mr ChiggerExcuse me, excuse me. I saw your advertisement for flying lessons and I'd like to make an application.
BishopNothing to do with me. I'm not in this show.
Mr ChiggerOh I see. D'you ... d'you., . do you know about the flying lessons?
BishopNothing to do with me. I'm not in this show. This is show five - I'm not in until show eight.
Mr ChiggerOh I see.
BishopI'm just learning my lines, you know. 'Oh Mr Belpit, your legs...'
Mr ChiggerBit awkward, I'm a bit stuck.
BishopYes, well. Try over there.
Bishop points to a secretary some yards away sitting at a desk typing. She wears glasses and is very typically a secretary.
Mr ChiggerOh yes, thanks. Thanks a lot.
Bishop'Oh Mr Belpit' - not at all - 'your legs are so swollen'. (He continues rehearsing as Mr Chigger moves over to the secretary)
Mr ChiggerExcuse me, I saw your advertisement for flying lessons and I'd like to make an application.
SecretaryAppointment?
Mr ChiggerYes, yes.
SecretaryCertainly. Would you come this way, please.
She gets up, clutching a file and trips off in a typical efficient secretary's walk. Mr Chigger follows. Cut to a river. She goes straight in without looking to right or left, as if she does this routine as a matter of course. Mr Chigger follows. Halfway across the river they pass a couple of business executives hurrying in the opposite direction.
SecretaryMorning, Mr Jones, Mr Barnes.
Cut to a forest. They come past towards camera, passing a tea trolley on the way with a tea lady and a couple of men around it.
SecretaryMorning Mrs Wills.
Mrs WillsMorning, luv.
Arty shot. Skyline of a short sharp hill, as in Bergman's 'Seventh Seal'. They come in frame right and up and over, passing two men and exchanging 'Good mornings'. Cut to seashore. Tripping along, they pass another executive.
ExecutiveTake this to Marketing, would you.
They disappear into a cave. We hear footsteps and a heavy door opening.
Secretary's VoiceJust follow me.
Mr Chigger's VoiceOh thank you.
Cut to a shopping street. Camera pans in close-up across road surface.
Secretary's VoiceOh, be careful.
Mr Chigger's VoiceYes, nearly tripped.
Secretary's VoiceBe there soon.
Mr Chigger's VoiceGood. It's a long way, isn't it?
Secretary's VoiceOh, get hold of that - watch it.
VoiceMorning.
Secretary's VoiceMorning. Upstairs. Be careful, it's very steep. Almost there.
Camera reaches a GPO tent in middle of road.
VoiceMorning.
SecretaryMorning. (they emerge from the tent) Will you come this way, please. (cut to interior office, another identical secretary at the desk) In here, please.
Mr ChiggerThank you. (he enters and first secretary trips off he approaches the second secretary) Hello, I saw your advertisement for flying lessons and I'd like to make an appointment.
Second SecretaryWell, Mr Anemone's on the phone at the moment, but I'm sure he won't mind if you go on in. Through here.
Mr ChiggerThank you.
He goes through door. Mr Anemone is suspended by a wire about nine feet off the ground. He is on the telephone.
Mr AnemoneAh, won't be a moment. Make yourself at home. (into phone) No, no, well look, you can ask Mr Maudling but I'm sure he'll never agree. Not for fifty shillings ... no... no. Bye-bye Gordon. Bye-bye. Oh dear. Bye-bye. (he throws receiver at telephone but misses) Missed. Now Mr er...
Mr Chigger

     
Chigger.
Mr AnemoneMr Chigger. So, you want to learn to fly?
Mr ChiggerYes.
Mr AnemoneRight, well, up on the table, arms out, fingers together, knees bent...
Mr ChiggerNo, no, no.
Mr Anemone(very loudly) Up on the table! (Mr Chigger gets on the table) Arms out, fingers together, knees bent, now, head well forward. Now, flap your arms. Go on, flap, faster... faster... faster... faster, faster, faster, faster - now jump! (Mr Chigger jumps and lands on the floor) Rotten. Rotten. You're no bloody use at all. You're an utter bloody wash-out. You make me sick, you weed!
Mr ChiggerNow look here...
Mr AnemoneAll right, all right. I'll give you one more chance, get on the table...
Mr ChiggerLook, I came here to learn how to fly an aeroplane.
Mr AnemoneA what?
Mr ChiggerI came here to learn how to fly an aeroplane.
Mr Anemone(sarcasticaly) Oh, 'an aeroplane'. Oh, I say, we are grand, aren't we? (imitation posh accent) 'Oh, oh, no more buttered scones for me, mater. I'm off to play the grand piano'. 'Pardon me while I fly my aeroplane.' Now get on the table!
Mr ChiggerLook. No one in the history of the world has ever been able to fly like that.
Mr AnemoneOh, I suppose mater told you that while you were out riding. Well, if people can't fly what am I doing up here?
Mr ChiggerYou're on a wire.
Mr AnemoneOh, a wire. I'm on a wire, am I?
Mr ChiggerOf course you're on a bloody wire.
Mr AnemoneI am not on a wire. I am flying.
Mr ChiggerYou're on a wire.
Mr AnemoneI am flying.
Mr ChiggerYou're on a wire.
Mr AnemoneI'll show you whether I'm on a wire or not. Give me the 'oop.
Mr ChiggerWhat?
Mr AnemoneOh, I don't suppose we know what an 'oop is. I suppose pater thought they were a bit common, except on the bleedin' croquet lawn.
Mr ChiggerOh, a hoop.
Mr Anemone'Oh an hoop.' (taking hoop) Thank you, your bleeding Highness. Now. Look. (he waves hoop over head and feet)
Mr ChiggerGo on, right the way along.
Mr AnemoneAll right, all right, all right. (he moves hoop all the way along himself allowing the wire to pass through obvious gap in hoop's circumference). Now, where's the bleeding wire, then?
Mr ChiggerThat hoop's got a hole in.
Mr AnemoneOh Eton and Madgalene. The hoop has an hole in. Of course it's got a hole in, it wouldn't be a hoop otherwise, would it, mush!
Mr ChiggerNo, there's a gap in the middle, there.
Mr AnemoneOh, a gahp. A gahp in one's hhhhhoop. Pardon me, but I'm off to play the grand piano.
Mr ChiggerLook, I can see you're on a wire - look, there it is.
Mr AnemoneLook, I told you, you bastard, I'm not on a wire.
Mr ChiggerYou are. There is.
Mr AnemoneThere isn't.
Mr ChiggerIs.
Mr AnemoneIsn't!
Mr ChiggerIs!
Mr AnemoneIsn't!
Mr ChiggerIs!
Mr AnemoneIsn't!
Mr ChiggerIs!
Mr AnemoneIsn't!!
Mr ChiggerIs!!!
Voice OverAnyway, this rather pointless bickering went on for some time until...


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