ComedyHistory

A Cock and Bull Story

- Because everyone loves an accurate period piece.

Steve Coogan, an arrogant actor with low self-esteem and a complicated love life, is playing the eponymous role in an adaptation of "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" being filmed at a stately home. He constantly spars with actor Rob Brydon, who is playing Uncle Toby and believes his role to be of equal importance to Coogan's.

Release Date : 2005-07-17

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Scion FilmsBBC FilmBaby Cow ProductionsEM MediaEast Midlands Media InitiativeRevolution FilmsThe Works

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

Cast

Character Name : Tristram Shandy / Walter Shandy / Steve Coogan

Original Name : Steve Coogan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon

Original Name : Rob Brydon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elizabeth Shandy / Keeley Hawes

Original Name : Keeley Hawes

Gender : Female

Character Name : Susannah / Shirley Henderson

Original Name : Shirley Henderson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Trim

Original Name : Raymond Waring

Gender : Male

Character Name : Six-Year-Old Tristam

Original Name : Conal Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nine-Year-Old Tristam

Original Name : Joe Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Obadiah

Original Name : Paul Kynman

Gender : Male

Character Name : London Doctor

Original Name : Mark Tandy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Slop

Original Name : Dylan Moran

Gender : Male

Character Name : Surgeon

Original Name : Jack Shepherd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Parson

Original Name : David Walliams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mark

Original Name : Jeremy Northam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ed

Original Name : Benedict Wong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jennie

Original Name : Naomie Harris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Make-Up Assistant

Original Name : Claire Keelan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jenny

Original Name : Kelly Macdonald

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leo

Original Name : Mark Hadfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Debbie

Original Name : Elizabeth Berrington

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ingoldsby

Original Name : Mark Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandy

Original Name : Jenny Ogilvie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tony Wilson

Original Name : Tony Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tony's Director

Original Name : Justine Mitchell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gary

Original Name : Kieran O'Brien

Gender : Male

Character Name : Adrian

Original Name : Roger Allam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lindsey

Original Name : Ashley Jensen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Simon

Original Name : James Fleet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe

Original Name : Ian Hart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anita

Original Name : Ronni Ancona

Gender : Female

Character Name : Greg

Original Name : Greg Wise

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prop Guy

Original Name : Paul Rider

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrick Curator / Parson Yorick

Original Name : Stephen Fry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joanna

Original Name : Sara Stewart

Gender : Female

Character Name : Widow Wadman / Gillian Anderson

Original Name : Gillian Anderson

Gender : Female

Character Name : New York Times Reporter

Original Name : Stephen Rodrick

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rachel

Original Name : Rosie Cavaliero

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fire Dancer

Original Name : Damon Caliendo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Playing Film Crew

Original Name : Andy Callaghan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Redcoat Officer

Original Name : Richard Tree

Gender : Male

Character Name : Midwife

Original Name : Mary Healey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sound Mixer

Original Name : Stuart Wilson

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-06-02

This isn't really a film about a story with a beginning, middle or, even, an end. It's more a film about a book being turned into a film, and about how that all pans out with the actors in and out of character throughout. It's Steve Coogan who takes on the title role in a film about a landed character from Georgian England who is determined to make his mark by writing a novel about himself. Thing is, his life is just too rich and varied. He is just so interesting that he can't fit everything it... Meantime, the production crew are facing all of the issues in trying to make the film, reconcile the ambitions and peccadilloes of the cast, the writers, visiting family, bits on the side and a particularly Darwinian sort of special effect. Jeremy Northam features sparingly as real-life director Peter Winterbottom (who always looked so completely fed up when doing publicity for this) and the story flows at it's most naturally when it's just him, Coogan, Ian Hart and the man vying for (alphabetically) top billing - Rob Brydon. It's when they decide that one of the characters - the "Widow Wadman" needs to be written back in, and they discover madam "X-files" herself (Gillian Anderson) is going to come and play the part, that Brydon gets all excitable and the film starts to become a little bit too much like a farce. Still, it's an enjoyable introspective on actors, writers, directors - throughout the ages, offering us ninety minutes of characterful fun, babies screeching and copious vodka and tonics.