Speaking in 2009, John Cleese said of this very memo, "It just shows you people have no idea what they are doing."
Transcript follows. Enormous thanks to Sam Ward for providing the image.
Transcript
From: Comedy Script Editor, Light Entertainment, Television
Room No. & Building: 4009 TC
Tel. Ext.: 2900
date: 29.5.1974.
Subject: "FAWLTY TOWERS" BY JOHN CLEESE & CONNIE BOOTH
To: H.C.L.E.
I'm afraid I thought this one as dire as its title.
It's a kind of "Prince of Denmark" of the hotel world. A collection of cliches and stock characters which I can't see being anything but a disaster.
(Signed, 'I.M.')
(Ian Main)
CF
13 comments:
I LOVE FAWLTY TOWERS!!
Don't mention the war!
How many great comedies, series, films, etc. never got past people like this?
We all know how many dull ones did get the green light.
Anyone know what happened to Ian Main? What a twit.
Not just a twit, but a great twit!
Don't mind Ian, he's probably from Barcelona...
(apologies in advance to the great city of Barcelona)
Que? ;-)
Is this a piece of your brain?
I'm going to stick up for Ian Main here.
We remember that 'Fawlty Towers' is a classic now but we forget that it's a classic because of the great comic acting of Cleese. The script really is just a collection of stock characters - but Cleese's genius makes it work.
If you were passed the script without having seen a single episode you would probably have the same reaction. If you don't believe me - check out the American remake. The same script but different actors. It was a disaster and (thankfully) instantly forgotten.
Hindsight is 20:20
Reminds me of the infamous "guitar music will never last" rejection the Beatles got from a record company.
The thing is, Mr. Main was exactly correct. It WAS a collection of cliches and stock characters; however, they were brilliant and funny. History is pocked with this kind of irony.
In a way, he was right: they were all more or less stock characters. It's what they did with those characters that made it so hilarious.
Somebody mentioned "Don't mention the war!" and it CRACKED ME UP all over again... HAAHAAHAAHAHA!
Cleese also co-wrote a psychology book called "how to survive your family" which has long been on my to-read list. It's supposed to be hilarious, too.
I think Ian Main ended up in Australia as a secondary school teacher. At least, I suspect that's the same humorless and pedantic Mr Main I had for English all those years.
Post a Comment
Should this post be older than 10 days, your comment will be moderated.
Thanks!