Yellowbeard (1983)
Yellowbeard was the realisation of Graham Chapman's
long-standing desire to film a comic pirate romp in the style of
Robert Newton’s celebrated Long John Silver.
The inspiration
behind the film was The Who drummer Keith Moon, who suggested they
produce a swashbuckling adventure comedy yarn. Chapman envisaged
Moon himself as the wide-eyed Captain Yellowbeard but these plans
were curtailed by his early death in 1978 – the Moon connection
made it to the film via Peter Boyle's character name.
Legendary Python saviours Handmade Films declined to back the
project so Orion financed the production on condition a couple of
other Monty Python stars were written into the film.
 Consequently,
a reluctant John Cleese appears as an unforgettable blind beggar
and a more enthusiastic Eric Idle revels in his role of
pontificating naval clap-trap.
The completed film is a badly-written, rambling mess of a
treasure quest despite an array of stellar British comedy actors,
a distinguished cast of thespians, a reasonably sized budget and
even cinematic heritage in the shape of the ship from Mutiny on
the Bounty.
There is a general feel of desperation to the humour,
bad taste for bad taste's sake and reams of unconvincing gung-ho
action
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