The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash

TV Movie
1978
Not Rated
1h 16m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Charts the adventures of the prefab four, possibly the most famous band of all time.Charts the adventures of the prefab four, possibly the most famous band of all time.Charts the adventures of the prefab four, possibly the most famous band of all time.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

7.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
In his "memoir" available on the DVD, Eric Idle mentions what The Beatles thought of the movie. According to Idle, George Harrison was very supportive and encouraged him. Paul McCartney disapproved at first, but relented when he learned that Idle grew up near Liverpool; his wife Linda always loved it. Ringo Starr liked the happier scenes, but felt the scenes that mimicked sadder times hit too close. John Lennon (along with Yoko Ono) adored it and refused to return the videotape and soundtrack he was given for approval. Lennon also told Neil Innes that "Get Up and Go" was too similar to "Get Back", and to be careful not to be sued by ATV Music, owners of the Beatles catalogue's copyright at the time. The song was consequently omitted from the 1978 vinyl LP soundtrack.

Goofs
When the narrator tries to describe the actual sound of singing "SERGEANT RUTTERS ONLY DARTS CLUB BAND" backwards, the on-screen title displays "DNAB BULC STRAD YLNO SRETTUR TNAEGRES" which are all the letters in reverse order, but he says "DNAB BULC YLNO SRETTUR TNAEGRES" failing to pronounce STRAD, or DARTS backwards.

Quotes
Narrator: Stig, meanwhile, had hidden in the background so much that in 1969, a rumor went around that he was dead. He was supposed to have been killed in a flash fire at a waterbed shop and replaced by a plastic and wax replica from Madame Tussaud's. Several so-called "facts" helped the emergence of this rumor. One: he never said anything publicly. Even as the "quiet one," he'd not said a word since 1966. Two: on the cover of their latest album, "Shabby Road," he is wearing no trousers, an Italian way of indicating death. Three: Nasty supposedly sings "I buried Stig" on "I Am The Waitress." In fact, he sings, "E burres stigano," which is very bad Spanish for "Have you a water buffalo?" Four: On the cover of the "Sergeant Rutter" album, Stig is leaning in the exact position of a dying Yeti, from the Rutland Book of the Dead. Five: If you sing the title of "Sergeant Rutter's Only Darts Club Band" backwards, it's supposed to sound very like "Stig has been dead for ages, honestly." In fact, it sounds uncannily like "Dnab Bulc Ylno S'rettur Tnaegres." Palpable nonsense.

Crazy credits
Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, and Roger McGough are interviewed in this movie, and they got a credit on-screen, but they didn't appeared in the end credits.

Alternate versions
The region 1 DVD contains an alternate edit from all previously released video releases.

Connections
Edited from The Ed Sullivan Show: Meet The Beatles (1964)

Soundtracks
Hold My Hand
(uncredited)
Written and Produced by Neil Innes
Performed by Neil Innes, Ollie Halsall, Ricky Fataar and John Halsey

User reviews57

Review

Featured review

9/10

Four Lads Who Shook Their Heads

Rags to riches story of Dirk (Eric Idle), Barry (John Halsey), Stig (Rikki Fataar) and Nasty (Neil Innes): The Rutles. We follow their journey from humble Merseyside beginnings in Liverpool's Cavern Club to global superstardom under the secure (if somewhat shaky) hand of their manager, 'Leggy' Mountbatten. This intriguing and revelatory voyage to the highest echelons of the pop world and subsequent (and almost obligatory) mass litigation features several contributions from celebrity fans of the pre-fab four; ready to reveal to the waiting world exactly 'how it was'!!!

Brilliant mock-umentary stands as a glowing beacon to the Beatles (including a self-deprecating cameo from producer Harrison) with an astute collection of marvellous mickey-takes of the fab's more pivotal moments performed by four actors clearly having the time of their lives. (Idle and Innes are inspired). All this interweaved with Innes' uncannilly excellent soundtrack (inc. the sublime 'Let's Be Natural') makes for a must see film for true devotees of Beatles and comedy alike.