Original artwork, not a still
He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
— Life of Brian · 1979
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It punctures hero worship in one breath: the only person who knows exactly who her son is, and is embarrassed by him. The Pythons' Eric Idle and John Du Prez later named a stage oratorio after it, Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy). Fans use it to deflate anyone who has been over-praised.
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In context
Spoilers for Life of BrianShow the scene
In Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), Brian Cohen is a young man from Nazareth who is mistaken for the Messiah and followed by an ever-growing crowd. When the crowd gathers outside his home, his mother Mandy Cohen, played by Terry Jones, tells them he is not the Messiah, he is a very naughty boy. Mandy is the scolding mother who earlier tells Brian his father was a Roman. Polls have repeatedly voted the line one of the funniest in film history.
Sources (1)
- Wikipedia: Monty Python's Life of BrianPlot, Cast and Reception sectionsReference checked
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