A Fawlty Review
Author Theodore Sturgeon once said, "Ninety percent of everything is crap."
That’s a huge chunk of crap. Dig deep down and you might find a gem in that muck. I like to think of British sitcom, much-beloved "Fawlty Towers" as part of the ten percent.
Ex-Monty Python John Cleese is a funny guy. I think he’s one of the funniest blokes around in show biz business. He knows how to tell a good joke. Strange to think this guy started learning law practice during his college days. Where did he get his humor from?
Life.
From the inane, craziness of life. It can be stupid and funny. Cleese got his inspiration from a real-life, rude hotel owner somewhere in England. In fact, Torquay on the English Riviera.
Cleese plays Basil Fawlty. Six-foot-two. Straighter than an arrow. He’s a typical stiff upper-lip, middle class Englishman looking to find a better life. He wants a spot in the Rich and Famous.
He doesn’t. Everything backfires on him. The situation goes from calm to manic in every episode. It’s a farce with a lit fuse ready to explode. It starts with a sparkle. Then ends with a wallop. There’s no way to get away from the insanity. It catches up with you.
His writing shows a clear understanding of the heart of drama. Shows like "Wardoff Salad" or "Gourmet Night" have conflict. You need drama. You’ll have nothing without it. Then there’s also great word play. He has fun with his writing.
Cleese throws in something ridiculously funny into the mix. You end up feeling sorry or laughing at Basil Fawlty. He's such a sad sod. Cleese wrote the series with his then wife Connie Booth who played the waitress. There's a Chaplinesque physical humor to it. With a bit of Marx Brothers thrown in it.
My favorite character is the Spanish waiter Manuel played by Andrew Sachs. He’s a bit too kind. Maybe not the brightest ball in the box. One short of a six pack. But he’s a lovable guy. He’s a great foil for Cleese. The little guy who annoys the authoritative figure.
I haven’t run into too many bad experiences in hotels. But I did run into a bad rap when spending an awful week in Panana City Beach years ago. Bugs ran foul in the bathtub. A $300 phone bill. Staff about as friendly as Al Capone on a good day. I escaped that place on a 4 a.m. plane Friday morning just to get away from that living hell.
“Fawlty Towers” might not be in the classic mould of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” But I like to think of it as a kind of spin off from Monty Python. With an extra bit of Cleese in it. It’s undeniably funny stuff. I’m not joking.
That’s a huge chunk of crap. Dig deep down and you might find a gem in that muck. I like to think of British sitcom, much-beloved "Fawlty Towers" as part of the ten percent.
Ex-Monty Python John Cleese is a funny guy. I think he’s one of the funniest blokes around in show biz business. He knows how to tell a good joke. Strange to think this guy started learning law practice during his college days. Where did he get his humor from?
Life.
From the inane, craziness of life. It can be stupid and funny. Cleese got his inspiration from a real-life, rude hotel owner somewhere in England. In fact, Torquay on the English Riviera.
Cleese plays Basil Fawlty. Six-foot-two. Straighter than an arrow. He’s a typical stiff upper-lip, middle class Englishman looking to find a better life. He wants a spot in the Rich and Famous.
He doesn’t. Everything backfires on him. The situation goes from calm to manic in every episode. It’s a farce with a lit fuse ready to explode. It starts with a sparkle. Then ends with a wallop. There’s no way to get away from the insanity. It catches up with you.
His writing shows a clear understanding of the heart of drama. Shows like "Wardoff Salad" or "Gourmet Night" have conflict. You need drama. You’ll have nothing without it. Then there’s also great word play. He has fun with his writing.
Cleese throws in something ridiculously funny into the mix. You end up feeling sorry or laughing at Basil Fawlty. He's such a sad sod. Cleese wrote the series with his then wife Connie Booth who played the waitress. There's a Chaplinesque physical humor to it. With a bit of Marx Brothers thrown in it.
My favorite character is the Spanish waiter Manuel played by Andrew Sachs. He’s a bit too kind. Maybe not the brightest ball in the box. One short of a six pack. But he’s a lovable guy. He’s a great foil for Cleese. The little guy who annoys the authoritative figure.
I haven’t run into too many bad experiences in hotels. But I did run into a bad rap when spending an awful week in Panana City Beach years ago. Bugs ran foul in the bathtub. A $300 phone bill. Staff about as friendly as Al Capone on a good day. I escaped that place on a 4 a.m. plane Friday morning just to get away from that living hell.
“Fawlty Towers” might not be in the classic mould of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” But I like to think of it as a kind of spin off from Monty Python. With an extra bit of Cleese in it. It’s undeniably funny stuff. I’m not joking.
posted by K.M. Paters at 9:08 PM
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