Movie Night at the Museum brings Monty Python to the screen

The quest for the holy grail continues at Movie Night at the Museum. 

After three years on the small screen, the British comedy team behind the BBC’s “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” brought the legends of King Arthur to the big screen in the 1975 comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The movie will be shown at the Northwest Montana History Museum at 7 p.m. Sept. 24. 

Written and performed by the members of the Monty Python comedy group, including Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, the film was the feature directorial debut for Gilliam and Jones. It was filmed during the break between the third and fourth series of the troupe’s popular television show. 

The group’s first film, “And Now for Something Completely Different,” was compiled from sketches from the first two television series, but “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is an original parody of the King Arthur legends. In 1975, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was the highest grossing British film screened in the U.S. Thirty years later, Idle used the film as the basis for his 2005 Tony Award-winning musical “Spamalot.” 

Former museum director Gil Jordan will introduce and host this month's Movie Night at the Museum. 

Doors open 6:30 p.m. Admission and popcorn are free, but donations are accepted to help defray costs. Soda, water, beer, and wine are available for purchase. Seating is provided, but viewers are welcome to bring their own cushions or seating. 

Marking its 25-year anniversary, the Northwest Montana History Museum brings the past alive through exhibits, artifacts, educational programs, and events. The museum is located at 124 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. For more information, call 756-8381.