New lease of Life for Brian as Glasgow ends film ban after 29 years

Published on Tuesday 30 June 2009 22:03

FOR a city famed worldwide for the sense of humour of its citizens, it was always a glaring contradiction.

For almost 30 years, one of the classic comedy films has been unofficially "banned" in Glasgow, after it was branded blasphemous by councillors on its release.

Monty Python's Life of Brian will finally get a screening after it was granted a licence by the city council yesterday – the last of 39 across the UK that imposed the initial ban.

The stars of the film, including Michael Palin, John Cleese and Terry Jones, will be invited to a special screening at the Glasgow Film Theatre in September.

In sharp contrast to the furore of 29 years ago, the city council's licensing committee did not receive a single objection to the application heard yesterday.

The move was welcomed by film experts for bringing an end to a cinematic "anachronism".

But Christian groups said the decision to grant the film a 15 certificate was a reflection of declining standards in society, and called it a "sad day". The Biblical satire, about a Jewish man accidentally mistaken for the Messiah and crucified, was turned down for an AA certificate – the equivalent of the current 15 rating – in February 1980.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside a Sauchiehall Street cinema, where councillors were attending a private screening.

The late Pastor Jack Glass, who spearheaded the protest, famously said the film "crucified Christ afresh" and thrust three nails at the committee chairman, John Chatham. However, the pastor admitted he had not seen the film and was basing his views on a script.

Last night, a former lord provost, Michael Kelly, one of those who sat on the committee, but who voted in favour of it being given a licence, said councillors were "scandalised" after viewing the film.

"I distinctly remember a lot of outrage, mainly because most councillors on the committee were Catholic in those days," he said.

"They were genuinely shocked, but I was completely against any form of censorship and voted for it to be shown.

"I remember seeing it a few years later when I was on a skiing holiday in France. It was shown in English with French subtitles. It was hilarious."

Both the city council and officials at the GFT, which is planning a gala screening in its 400-capacity main auditorium, insisted they had no record of any previous attempt to secure a licence for the film.

Councillor Willie O'Rourke, the vice-convener of the licensing committee, said: "This is the first application we've received to show Monty Python's Life of Brian since the first request in 1980. The world, and people's attitudes, have moved on in the past 30 years, so I believe the committee made the right decision."

Allison Gardner, head of cinemas at the GFT, said: "The film has been widely available to the general public on video and DVD and has been screened on terrestrial television. None of these events has caused widespread offence, or in any way destroyed the sanctity of the Church or undermined its place in our wider society.

"I believe the film is seen as an affectionate and inspired depiction of the life of Jesus from a perspective that is humorous, rather than blasphemous."

But Stephen Green, director of the radical campaign group Christian Voice, which has organised protests against shows such as Jerry Springer: The Opera, said: "We know Glasgow was the last place in the country to keep the ban in place, as the only other area, Aberystwyth, had a screening a couple of months ago. It is a bit of a shame it's now been granted a licence in Glasgow, but it shows how much we have let standards slip."

But Richard Mowe, a film critic and festival organiser, said:

"It certainly does not even compare with some of the extreme films that are granted cinema licences these days."