Michael Palin

But, of course...

the master is Michael Palin.

Yes.

And he's still going strong.

I spoke to him very briefly for the new travelogue and he's clearly as unassuming as ever.

But for my piece, I went back into the past to see just how this came about.

And of course, what was so lovely about Palin's entry into the travelogers hall of fame is the complete chance did you know that miles kington alan wicker but also tantalizingly edmunds yes turned it down so without any of them saying no we wouldn't have had michael palin setting off in the footsteps of phileas fogg from the reform club yeah and going around the world in 80 days, back in 89, with his chinos, with his kind of, oh, I packed a tie, you never know.

And of course, cut to him travelling the world.

without anyone have without me constantly being distracted with that issue because that would have been an issue some people probably would have been able to pull it off but every single one of them speaking in a russian accent that would have been a little much i don't think it would have been the

same cast i think they would have had to like i don't think it would have been i think you're right that's the point it i there is way too much that would have wouldn't have played i I think there is something to it, and appropriate that Michael Palin is in the movie, because there is something about the sort of legacy of British comedy and the legacy of the dryness of British wit that makes this operate at a different level than just a lampoon.

That is one of the things that plays for me.

It's a warm blanket of funny comedy.

Yeah, I think that works.

And it's interesting that you bring up bring this up as a point because i do think the more the more i stew on it i do think there is an element to it helping the comedy i mean when you have jason isaacs coming in as the general of the red army and he he flings off his cloak and the the the speed ramping happens with the with the camera and you just suddenly are in slow motion as his name and title appear on screen he's just like this grand lion that is just it's just incredible the way he's portrayed And so you kind of keep having these moments, and something about their Britishness does actually feel really right for so much of this.

And actually, I'm glad you mentioned Michael Palin, because as somebody who has given some fantastic monologues to crowds, I was thinking of, you know, have we a Brian in Life of Brian when he's up on the dais up there calling out for people? Like, there are moments that he has here that felt like he's right in the same Monty Python shoes.

Like when he's sitting at the table and he's doing that, it's kind of waffling, but he's just kind of, he's painting one direction of a thing as everybody's getting ready to vote.

It's got Eric Idle in it.

It's got John Cleese in it, Michael Palin.

And then, weirdly, Victoria Wood, Stephen Fry, and Steve Coogan as well.

Now, it's directed by Terry Jones.