The Great McGonagall (1975)

"I am Queen Victoria, and I am very Big in England."

The Great McGonagall (1975) poster

In this high-camp farce, Goons legend Spike Milligan stars as William Topaz McGonagall, an unemployed Scottish weaver and aspiring poet laureate who falls in love with Queen Victoria - a brilliant cameo by Peter Sellers - and thereafter devotes his banal poetry to her. Though McGonagall's solicitations are rejected by the Queen, it doesn't stop the turgid prose, and pathos, from overflowing as McGonagall hilariously attempts to become the greatest poet in the land. The image of the bad poet, trapped by his romanticism and inspired by a muse with a tin ear, appealed mightily to Spike Milligan, and this cult British spoof features the Goons show maestro at his ridiculous, genre-defying best.

Director: Joseph McGrath
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 85 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: John Shakespeare, Derek Warne
Editing: Rusty Coppleman
Country: United Kingdom
Original Language: en

Trailer

The Great McGonagall Trailer
More Films by Director: Joseph McGrath
More Films in Genre: Comedy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Great McGonagall about?
In this high-camp farce, Goons legend Spike Milligan stars as William Topaz McGonagall, an unemployed Scottish weaver and aspiring poet laureate who falls in love with Queen Victoria - a brilliant cameo by Peter Sellers - and thereafter devotes his banal poetry to her. Though McGonagall's solicitations are rejected by the Queen, it doesn't stop the turgid prose, and pathos, from overflowing as McGonagall hilariously attempts to become the greatest poet in the land. The image of the bad poet, trapped by his romanticism and inspired by a muse with a tin ear, appealed mightily to Spike Milligan, and this cult British spoof features the Goons show maestro at his ridiculous, genre-defying best.
Who directed The Great McGonagall?
The Great McGonagall was directed by Joseph McGrath.
Who stars in The Great McGonagall?
The Great McGonagall stars Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Julia Foster, John Bluthal, Victor Spinetti, Valentine Dyall.
How long is The Great McGonagall?
The Great McGonagall has a runtime of 1h 25m (85 minutes).
What genre is The Great McGonagall?
The Great McGonagall is a Comedy film.
Where was The Great McGonagall produced?
The Great McGonagall was produced in United Kingdom.