Is This a Record

Date: 1973
Director: Digby Turpin
Production Company: Guinness, Peter Fensom Productions

Stars: Frank Muir, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Connie Booth, Willie Rushton, Liza Goddard
Location(s): London

Region(s):

Storyline:

A little seen short featuring appearances by some of the Monty Python team in a comedy celebration of the Guinness Book of Records.

Additional Information:

Page compiled by Phil Wilkinson

This film is viewable on BFI Player for free at Is This a Record

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Runners round a curve at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Ledrington Road SE19 which opened in 1964 as the National Recreation Centre.

This looks north to the west stand of the running track. SJ

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Watching the Runners, Frank Muir opens the short by explaining "If you want to get into the Guinness Book of Records, there are roughly two ways of going about it. To be the first at doing something or to be the fastest at it." In the background stands the Sports Hall at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace Park.

Still recognisable despite a few obstacles in the view. SJ

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After introducing archive footage of past records, sitting in the garden of a public house with a product placement pint, Frank Muir advises that Guinness hold a record for the export of ales, stout and beer. "In the year 1970 they exported 1,135,000 imperial barrels. The equivalent of 1,795,886 half pints every day of the year."

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"For those of you interested in that sort of thing, there is a "face slapping" record. It was set in Kiev in the USSR in 1931." Snow falls on Manager (Michael Palin) as he gives last minute tips to champion Wasyl Bartowski (John Cleese). The roof of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, now the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden, at the Southbank Centre in SE1.

The roof garden is so well hedged on the perimeter that it's tricky to find a gap for this view south to capture the Hayward Gallery on the left and a side of the Royal Festival Hall on the right. SJ

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Referee Arthur Stalin (Terry Jones) from Wales gives instructions to Emily Gorinof (Connie Booth) and Bartowski before the contest begins. In the background stand the Hayward Gallery to the left and part of the the Shell Centre, now the Whitehouse Apartments, on Belvedere Road.

I took this from the staircase leading up to the gardens for a clearer view of the Whitehouse Apartments. SJ