This film is part of Rentals

The Missionary
In his first substantial feature-film role away from the involvement of his Monty Python cohorts, Michael Palin stars as a 19th-century missionary tasked with setting up a mission for fallen prostitutes.
Director: Richard Loncraine
Overview
In his first substantial feature-film role away from the involvement of his Monty Python cohorts, Michael Palin stars as a 19th-century missionary tasked with setting up a mission for fallen prostitutes. He soon discovers that although the wealthy Lady Ames (Maggie Smith) is lined up as a financial backer, her patronage comes with strings attached...
While making Time Bandits, Handmade Films executive producers Denis O'Brien and George Harrison asked Michael Palin to conceive of a movie idea of his own choosing. The Missionary was the result. The film features actual locations including Longleat House in Wiltshire; Dorney Court; Highclere Castle in Hampshire; and Ardverikie House in Scotland. Reportedly, actor Michael Hordern lost his way in the labyrinthine passages of Wiltshire's Longleat, an action fitting of his absent-minded character Slatterthwaite. Director Richard Loncraine has said of this film that it was "one of the happiest films I've ever made".
Related

The Summer with Carmen The Summer with Carmen
Comedy 2023 106 mins Director: Zacharias Mavroeidis
A seductive and smart gay comedy set on a cruisy Greek island.

Driving Mum Driving Mum
Comedy 2022 113 mins Director: Hilmar Oddsson
Jon drives his mums corpse across Iceland in Hilmar Oddsson’s darkly comic odyssey of self-discovery and acceptance, beautifully filmed in crisp black and white.

The Crime is Mine The Crime is Mine
Thriller 2022 103 mins Director: François Ozon
François Ozon’s witty 1930s farce about a penniless actress who finds fame while on trial for murder, featuring a riotous performance from Isabelle Huppert.

Special People Special People
Comedy 2008 74 mins Director: Justin Edgar
Justin Edgar's pioneering feature comedy about a neurotic filmmaker enlisted to make a film with a class of wheelchair-users.

Timestalker Timestalker
Fantasy 2024 89 mins Director: Alice Lowe
What if unrequited love spanned the centuries? Alice Lowe's time-jumping fantasy rom-com is a colourful, darkly funny treat.

Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)
Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami
A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthami’s gripping, pitch-black satire.

Withnail & I Withnail & I
Comedy 1988 107 mins Director: Bruce Robinson
Richard E. Grant steals the show in the indomitable cult classic following two washed-up actors as they embark on a booze-filled getaway to the Lake District.

Bridesmaids Bridesmaids
Comedy 2011 125 mins Director: Paul Feig
Much more than a girls-being-bad comedy, this matrimonial farce finely captures female friendship in all its glory.

Duck Soup Duck Soup
Comedy 1933 69 mins Director: Leo McCarey
The Marx Brothers' lunatic satire of international relations finds Groucho in his his most memorable role as Rufus T. Firefly - leader of Freedonia. A comic masterpiece.

Citizen Ruth Citizen Ruth
Drama 1996 106 mins Director: Alexander Payne
Laura Dern is hilarious an addict unwittingly caught in the midst of America's culture wars, in Alexander Payne's superb first feature - previously unreleased in the UK.

Chasing Amy Chasing Amy
Comedy 1996 113 mins Director: Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith's quirky charmer features an early-career Ben Affleck as the comic-book artist who discovers the girl of his dreams is a lesbian.

The Associate The Associate
Comedy 1996 114 mins Director: Donald Petrie
Whoopi Goldberg plays an investment banker forced to invent a male superior in this unjustly forgotten, feminist workplace satire.

The Death of Stalin The Death of Stalin
Comedy 2017 107 mins Director: Armando Iannucci
Chaos and comedy ignite in Armando Iannucci’s acerbic satire, as Soviet officials frantically react to the passing of their glorious leader.

Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 5) Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 5)
Children's 1968 25 mins Director: Daphne Shadwell
With the series in full flow, the fifth episode showcases some splendid interplay between the team – plus some sumptuous mugging from David Jason.

Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 11) Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 11)
Children's 1968 25 mins Director: Daphne Shadwell
Highlights in this episode include the terrific ‘Art Gallery’ sketch, with a Gumby-esque Terry Jones exhibited as a living art work.

Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 13) Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 13)
Children's 1968 25 mins Director: Daphne Shadwell
The last show of the first series sees everybody larking about somewhat.

Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 2) Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 2)
Children's 1968 25 mins Director: Daphne Shadwell
A more adult tone creeps into some of the sketches, in this second episode of the seminal series.

Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 1) Do Not Adjust Your Set (Series 1 episode 1)
Children's 1968 25 mins Director: Daphne Shadwell
Here we meet Michael Palin’s prototype unhelpful shop assistant (a distinct precursor of many future Python characters), plus the Bonzos ripping up the stage with The Sound of Music.

Richard III Richard III
Drama 1996 104 mins Director: Richard Loncraine
Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine’s bold restaging transplants Shakespeare’s play to an imagined 1930s fascist Britain.

The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Drama 1989 116 mins Director: Jack Clayton
Maggie Smith is astonishing in one of her greatest roles as a spinster who falls for Bob Hoskins’ brash businessman.

Richard III Richard III
Drama 1996 104 mins Director: Richard Loncraine
Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine’s bold restaging transplants Shakespeare’s play to an imagined 1930s fascist Britain.

Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other
Documentary 100 mins Director: Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter
A creative artist couple navigate love and ageing in this brave, fascinating documentary.

The Last Showgirl The Last Showgirl
Drama 2024 89 mins Director: Gia Coppola
Golden Globe-nominated Pamela Anderson is enchanting as the Las Vegas showgirl whose stage show is set to close.

Dust & Metal Dust & Metal
Documentary 2022 82 mins Director: Esther Johnson
Discover unfamiliar histories of Vietnam through Esther Johnson’s poetic documentary on the country’s love affair with the motorbike.

Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound
Documentary 2024 91 mins Director: Antony Crook
Celestial sonic odyssey charting the cult Scottish band’s expansive career from the mid-90s to their tenth studio album written during lockdown.

Flow Flow
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 85 mins Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Oscar-winning animated adventure about an unlikely group of animals who must work together to survive a natural disaster.

Invasion Invasion
Science Fiction 1966 79 mins Director: Alan Bridges
An alien fugitive, injured in a road accident, pitches up at a rural hospital. But when two intergallactic pursuers arrive, things start to heat up...