While George Harrison curated a legacy that extends far beyond his role as the guitarist in history’s most triumphant band, he also held the mantle of an accomplished film producer, which poses the question: was there any feat beyond the reach of the late Beatle’s talents?
Harrison’s foray into film production transcended mere financial diversion or ego-driven undertakings. He exhibited a genuine prowess, embarking on cinematic ventures that weren’t merely an avenue for him to dissipate surplus wealth; rather, it was a testament to his adeptness in yet another domain.
His affinity for cinema went so far as to find resonance with the comedic brilliance of Monty Python, a troupe that flourished at the same time as The Beatles’ influence waned by the late 1970s. In this era, the Python ensemble unveiled a series of cinematic gems that would etch their names into cultural lore.
In 1971, And Now for Something Completely Different marked an avant-garde foray, while the whimsical saga of Monty Python and the Holy Grail took centre stage in 1975. At the close of the decade in 1979, Life of Brian arrived, an offering that would reverberate as an icon of the era.
These films were not easy to fund, however, particularly as the religious themes of Life of Brian were seen as controversial in mainstream circles. Therefore, in an effort to help some of his favourite filmmakers, Harrison offered up the majority of the budget for the project.
This came as a surprise to Life of Brian star Michael Palin, who spoke about Harrison’s act of generosity at Film Feast Suffolk in 2018: Explaining the situation, Palin reveals how Eric Idle was in Los Angeles and happened to meet up with George Harrison, stating, “George was a great fan of [Monty] Python as it turned out. George said that he would find five million dollars to get the movie made.”
Calling the funding “the most extraordinary lavish gift of generosity,” Palin explained that George was asked why he put so much money behind the film, to which he memorably replied, “Well, you know, I just wanted to see it.”
The Monty Python star added, “If you’re a Beatle, you can pay $5million for a ticket,” calling Harrison “a man of many parts lots of things, not just his music, he was also interested in the environment, he was also interested in films”.
Harrison put out around $4million of his own money into the film, which could have been a major disaster, but he was adamant it would be a success. Later, as Terry Jones put it, it became dubbed “the world’s most expensive cinema ticket”. Thankfully, the film became a bonafide box office hit overnight, earning a place as the fourth-highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom in 1979.
Harrison’s involvement didn’t stop there, however. He also makes an appearance in it as Mr Papadopoulis. Ultimately, if you believe in something as wholeheartedly as Harrison did about Life of Brian – then go for it.
