Please Read This Bit Before Reading The Screenplay:
This is the official ‘Unofficial’ Monty Python And The Holy Grail screenplay. This file contains the script as it was on March 20 1974, before filming took place. There are many minor differences from what appears here and what ended up on the screen. I.E. A paraphrased word or two or another character used a line… But generally in minor lines like ‘LOOK!’ This file also contains cut scenes and lines from the film.
I tried to preserve as much of the screenplay as possible but it isn’t easy to cross out a section and pencil in new dialogue, in ASCII. Any Scene or dialogue that was crossed out begins with a “|” before it. Anything Penciled in has a “+”, I also put cut information before penciled in.
What is interesting about a screenplay is to see what they threw out and what “Catch Phrases” were literally penciled in. The reason I keyed in this file was caused by me downloading current transcript going around internet. It was an amazing job… I wouldn’t want to have attempted what he did… But it wasn’t in a good script format and I didn’t like how direction was written in. Since I HAD the real screenplay I thought… What the hell!
Oh yes… I will STRESS this fact once more… THIS IS A SCREENPLAY… So don’t yell at me if a line is paraphrased in the film… This is what was written before filming took place and it is still quite accurate.
-Grue (09-Aug-92)
As a side note, to the note above about “Any Scene or dialogue that was crossed out begins with a “|” before it. Anything Penciled in has a “+”, I also put cut information before penciled in.” I’ve removed the text notations (pipe and plus) and added markdown formatting for these changes by highlighting removed or added text, where cut text additionally struck out.
This formatting is not applied for scenes that were cut in their entirety, as this is noted in the scene titles.
Leveraging the power of Github, folks are welcome to edit the source file and submit a pull request for consideration. Minor corrections such as spelling or typographic errors (not additive or subtractive of content) will almost certainly be approved. Folks can also submit an issue/suggestion for consideration. Screenshots of the film in addition to (or replacing the old ones) are also welcome for submission via pull request.
-Matt (12/2021)
MONTY PYTHON
AND THE HOLY GRAIL
Screenplay by
JOHN CLEESE
GRAHAM CHAPMAN
TERRY GILLIAM
ERIC IDLE
TERRY JONES
MICHAEL PALIN
FINAL DRAFT 20.3.74.
“MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL” Reel 1 (1A) Page 1
00.01 is the first action frame
which is 391.00 before the first
Clear Cut, which is Scene 4
Sc Spot
No. Complete DIALOGUE No. Start End Ftge.