Mistakes
When Basil is out of the car and shouting at it after its final breakdown, you can see a crew member reflected in the right hand side of the windscreen giving John Cleese cues. It's not Cleese himself, as the reflection remains after he runs out of shot to get the tree branch, and the reflection doesn't mimic every action performed on screen. See more...
Trivia
John Cleese has said that the character of Major Gowen was based on his Latin teacher from school. See more...
Movie Mistakes blog
Popular blog posts:
Top 15 biggest Harry Potter film mistakes
The 10 biggest mistakes in Iron Man 1 & 2
15 biggest mistakes in Titanic
Other great sites
Fawlty Towers (1975) - 8 quotes
Directed by John Howard Davies, starring Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, John Cleese, Prunella Scales (add more)
Where is Fawlty Towers ranked on the ultimate best to worst list? Cast your vote and find out!
The Wedding Party (a.k.a. Sex) (series 1)
Basil: Did you ever see that film, "How To Murder Your Wife"?
Major Gowen: How To Murder Your Wife"?
Basil: Yes, awfully good. I saw it six times.
A Touch of Class (series 1)
Basil: Hello? - Ah, yes, Mr O'Reilly, well it's perfectly simple. When I asked you to build me a wall I was rather hoping that instead of just dumping the bricks in a pile you might have found time to cement them together...you know, one on top of another, in the traditional fashion.
Waldorf Salad (series 2)
Basil: This is typical. Absolutely typical...of the kind of...ARSE I have to put up with from you people. You ponce in here expecting to be waited on hand and foot, while I'm trying to run a hotel here. Have you any idea of how much there is to do? Do you ever think of that? Of course not, you're all too busy sticking your noses into every corner, poking around for things to complain about, aren't you? Well let me tell you something - this is exactly how Nazi Germany started. A lot of layabouts with nothing better to do than to cause trouble. Well I've had fifteen years of pandering to the likes of you, and I've had enough. I've had it. Come on, pack your bags and get out.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) (series 2)
Basil: Good morning, good morning.
Miss Gatsby: Oh you're very cheerful this morning, Mr Fawlty.
Basil: Yes, well one of the guests has just died.
Communication Problems (a.k.a. Theft) (series 2)
Basil: A satisfied customer. We should have him stuffed.
The Germans (series 1)
Basil: Don't mention the war. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right.
Basil: Is something wrong?
German guest: Will you please stop talking about the war?
Basil: Me? You started it.
German guest: We did not.
Basil: Yes you did, you invaded Poland.
Communication Problems (a.k.a. Theft) (series 2)
Mrs Richards: And another thing. I expect to be able to see the sea.
Basil: [whispering to Manuel] Deaf, Mad and Blind. [To Mrs Richards] Yes, this is the view as far as I can remember... yes, yes it is.
Mrs Richards: When I pay for a view, I expect something more interesting than that.
Basil: But that is Torquay, madam.
Mrs Richards: Well it's not good enough.
Basil: Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain...
Mrs Richards: [interrupting] Don't be silly. I expect to be able to see the sea.
Basil: You CAN see the sea! It's over there between the land and the sky!
Mrs Richards: I'd need a telescope to see that.
Basil: Well might I suggest you move to a hotel closer to the sea. Or preferably in it.
Mrs Richards: Now listen to me. I'm not satisified but I've decided to stay. HOWEVER, I shall expect a deduction.
Basil: Why, because Krakatoa isn't erupting at the moment?
Mrs Richards: Because the room is cold, the bath is too small, the view is invisible and the radio doesn't work.
Basil: No, the radio works. You don't.