The Mouse Problem

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For the mathematical problem, see Mice problem.

"The Mouse Problem"
Monty Python's Flying Circus episode
Screenshot from episode
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 2
Written by
Original air dateOctober 12, 1969 (1969-10-12)
List of episodes

"The Mouse Problem" is a Monty Python sketch, first aired on 12 October 1969 as part of "Sex and Violence", the second episode of the first series of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Overview

In the sketch, an interviewer (

Panorama;[1] even its theme tune, the fourth movement of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1, was the theme tune of Panorama at the time. The sketch was originally written for The Magic Christian but was not used.[2]

A "confessor" (

vox pops illustrates societal attitudes towards mice men, and several historical figures who were mice, such as Julius Caesar and Napoleon, are shown, "and, of course Hilaire Belloc
," is included. The programme also includes footage of men in mouse costumes being led into police stations, newspaper headlines about mouse scandals and mouse rights demonstrations, and photos of "mouse clubs".

In the original version of the sketch broadcast in 1969, Cleese gave out the telephone number of the mouse man as "01-584 5313". The number was that of David Frost's production company, which led to a large number of annoying telephone calls to Frost.[4] The sketch was re-edited for the repeat showing in August 1970 to remove this section.[5]

The way of life explored in "The Mouse Problem" is an obvious parody of the secretive lives and social condemnation of

CBS Reports: The Homosexuals.[9] Chapman, who wrote the sketch, was himself gay.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780786481095
    .
  2. ^ Larsen, Darl (2015). A Book about the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 70.
  3. ISBN 0-679-72647-0
  4. ^ David Frost, An Autobiography, HarperCollins, 1993, p. 505
  5. ^ Andrew Pixley, TV Zone issue 146, 2001, cited in "Monty Python edit news". 11 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  6. ^
    ISBN 9781573442091
    .
  7. ISBN 9780062012838
    .
  8. ISBN 978-1-4616-6970-8
    .
  9. ^ Zorn, Eric (14 February 2010). "'The Homosexuals' — a CBS report". Change of Subject. Chicago Tribune.
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