The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978) (TV)

Directors:

Eric Idle
Gary Weis

Writer:

Eric Idle (conceived and written by)

Release Date:

22 March 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

The Rutles, a living legend that will live long after other living legends have died.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Beatles | Spoof | Rock Music | Imaginary Band | Fake Documentary

Cast

Eric Idle	...	Dirk McQuickly / Narrator / Stanley J. Krammerhead III,Jr.,Occasional visiting professor of applied narcotics at the University of Please Yourself Ca.
John Halsey	...	Barry Womble
Ricky Fataar	...	Stig O'Hara (as Rikki Fataar)
Neil Innes	...	Ron Nasty
Michael Palin	...	Eric Manchester, Rutle Corp. Press Agent / Lawyer
George Harrison	...	The Interviewer
Bianca Jagger	...	Martini McQuickly
John Belushi	...	Ron Decline, The most feared promoter in the world
Dan Aykroyd	...	Brian Thigh, Ex-Record producer who turned down the Rutles
Gilda Radner	...	Mrs. Emily Pules
Bill Murray	...	Bill Murray the K.
Gwen Taylor	...	Mrs. Iris Mountbatten / Chastity
Ron Wood	...	Hells Angel
Terence Bayler	...	Leggy Mountbatten
Henry Woolf	...	Arthur Sultan, The Surrey Mystic
Jeannette Charles	...	Queen of England
Carinthia West	...	The Bigamy Sisters
Al Franken	...	Decline's Henchman
Lorne Michaels	...	Sleazy merchandiser
Tom Davis	...	Decline's henchman
Frank Williams	...	Archie Macaw, Record Producer
Eunice
Barry Cryer	...	Dick Jaws, Music Publisher
Penelope Tree	...	Penelope, Stig's Wife
Robert Putt	...	Roadie
Tania Kosevich	...	German Streetwalker
Jerome Greene	...	Blind Lemon Pye (as Jerome Green)
Vivienne Cohen
Bob Gibson	...	Ruttling Orange Peel
Ollie Halsall	...	Leppo, The 5th Rutle
Pat Perkins	...	Mrs. Peel
Ray Tranter	...	Sir Brain Morrison, Oxford Music Professor
Bunny May	...	Journalist / Bobby
Debbie Waterson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Frost	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ron Gwynne	...	Groupy #2 (uncredited)
Mick Jagger	...	Himself (uncredited)
Roger McGough	...	Himself - Liverpool Poet (uncredited)
Paul Simon	...	Interviewee (uncredited)
Gary Weis	...	Photographer getting off train (uncredited)

Directed by
Eric Idle
Gary Weis

Writing credits
Eric Idle		(conceived and written by)

Produced by
Craig Kellem	....	producer
Lorne Michaels	....	executive producer
Gary Weis	....	producer

Original Music by
Neil Innes

Cinematography by
Gary Weis

Film Editing by
Aviva Slesin

Art Direction by
Peta Button

Costume Design by
Polly Hamilton

Makeup Department
Linda Brine	....	assistant hair stylist
Linda Brine	....	assistant makeup artist
Catherine Elwes	....	assistant hair stylist
Catherine Elwes	....	assistant makeup artist
Trisha Kelly	....	assistant hair stylist
Trisha Kelly	....	assistant makeup artist
Elaine Smith	....	hair stylist
Elaine Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Roger Simons	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clive Hedges	....	first assistant director
Kenneth Hunter	....	assistant director: U.S.
Susanne Rostock	....	assistant director: USA (as Suzanne Rostock)

Art Department
Tommy Bacon	....	property master
Tony Cohen	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan	....	sound assistant (as Jo Brennan)
John Chandler	....	sound assistant
Tony Jackson	....	sound
Jane Landis	....	sound
John Relph	....	sound assistant
Bruce White	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Julian Doyle	....	additional photographer
John Etherington	....	grip
Chris Sargent	....	camera operator: second unit
Davis Strickland	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norma Moriceau	....	assistant costumes

Editorial Department
Colin Berwick	....	editor: UK
Iris Cahn	....	assistant editor: USA
Joe Illing	....	assistant editor: UK

Music Department
John Altman	....	music arranger: brass and string arrangements

Other crew
Sallianne Branson	....	production secretary
Derek Parr	....	location manager
Pat Rambaut	....	continuity
Bill Rudgard	....	production assistant (as Bill Rudguard)
Ray Tranter	....	accountant

Thanks
John Day	....	thanks
Paul Hecht	....	thanks
Paul Schonfield	....	thanks
Ann Stein	....	thanks
Susan Stone	....	thanks
Tim Stone	....	thanks
Pam Turner	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Above Average Productions Inc.
• Broadway Video
• Rutle Corp

Distributors

• Rhino Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Music Video Distributors (MVD) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Palace Video (1983) (UK) (VHS)
• Palace Video (1983) (UK) (video) (Betamax)
• VCI Distribution (????) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  electric equipment
• Little Big Films of London  animation
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• Rank Film Laboratories  thanks

Also Known As:

All You Need Is Cash (USA)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | UK:12 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Abbey Road Studios, Abbey Road, St. John's Wood, London, England, UK

Company:

Above Average Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The Rutles originally began as a sketch on Eric Idle's UK show "Rutland Weekend Television" (1975), showing the band (with Idle as Harrison) playing a slower version of "I Must Be in Love" in their movie "A Hard Day's Rut." Lorne Michaels aired the clip on "Saturday Night Live" (1975) when Idle hosted, which led to a deal for the TV special.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Late in the "documentary," the Rutles' tea-drinking is treated as a scandal (parodying the Beatles' marijuana use). But in an earlier scene, there doesn't seem to be anything unremarkable about it, as the band members play with a teapot in their hotel room while on camera.

Quotes:

Narrator: In 1966 the Rutles faced the biggest threat to their careers. Nasty in a widely quoted interview had apparently claimed that the Rutles were bigger than God, and was reported to have gone on to say that God had never had a hit record. The story spread like wildfire in America...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Humanoid Woman (#1.11)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Baby Let Me Be

not quite the Beatles ...

This affectionate spoof of The Beatles rise to fame and fortunes after their split was a collaboration between a couple of Pythons, some of the SNL cast, and Neil Innes of the Bonzo Dog Band. It's an interesting combination, which grew from bits in the Rutland Weekend Television show.

With a soundtrack featuring the likes of 'Ouch!' (instead of Help!); 'Get Up And Go' (instead of Get Back), and an animated 'Cheese and Onions', you just know this is going to be silly. The thing is that the songs by Innes are just brilliant, as memorable as anything the Fab Four did.

But The Rutles are The Prefab Four, so let's concentrate on their story. Eric Idle has the most roles to play as well as being the Rutles' version of Macca, and narrates the thing throughout. Neil Innes is the Lennon equivalent, complete with cute Scouse accent, while John Halsey (as Barrington Womble, forever known as Barry Wom) is the Rutles' Ringo, and Rikki Fataar is the George equivalent, Stig. Their story basically equates to the Beatles' - except that their manager Leggy Mountbatten goes to Australia, where they have to resort to contacting him through the Ouija board (and by letters); they form a company to produce other acts - which fails - and end up playing their last gig on a London rooftop. There's even a spoof of the broadcast which featured 'All You Need Is Love'.

The SNL guys - Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and John Belushi - fit in just fine. Alongside them are Mick Jagger and Paul Simon playing themselves talking about the Rutles ... as well as a sneaky appearance from Python friend and financier George Harrison as a reporter.

If you're a Beatles fan or a fan of anyone connected with this, you'll love it.