All You Need Is Cash (aka The Rutles) is a 1979 television film that united two popular comedy/variety troupes, Saturday Night Live and Monty Python (as well as Python spinoff Rutland Weekend Television), and spoofed the musical group The Beatles.

The film (co-produced by Lorne Michaels' production company) was a fictional mockumentary on The Rutles, Beatles-like characters that had been introduced to UK audiences on the BBC's RWT, and in the US on SNL.

Their "story", such as it was, followed the real Beatles' career almost to the letter, spoofing many of The Beatles' career landmarks. For instance, the animated Yellow Submarine is spoofed as Yellow Submarine Sandwich, and the song Get Back became Get Up And Go. See the Rutles article for a full rundown of their real and fictional careers.

The Rutles were played by Eric Idle, John Halsey, Rikki Fataar, and Neil Innes. Ironically, former Beatle George Harrison appeared in the film as a reporter.

Among the other cast were SNL members Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi and such British performers as John Junkin. Playing themselves were Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Ron Wood, and singer Paul Simon.

The programme is notable for featuring a cross-section of both British and American comic talent, something that has rarely been seen on television before or since.

The show has been released on DVD, originally in a 66-minute version incorporating cuts for syndication, later in a "special edition" restored to its full length of 72 minutes and with extras including a commentary by Idle. The full-length version replaces a spoof newsreel voiceover by Idle with an American-sounding announcer.

An accompanying soundtrack album (also by The Rutles) was released on LP and has been reissued on CD with additional tracks remixed in stereo by Neil Innes from the original TV sessions. Innes, Fataar and Halsey returned in 1996 to record The Rutles Archaeology, but without the involvement of Eric Idle.

External links

• All You Need Is Cash on IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077147)