Editing Johnny English

{{short description|2003 spy action comedy film by Peter Howitt}}
{{About|the British-American film of 2003|the series|Johnny English (franchise)|people named John English|John English (disambiguation){{!}}John English}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Johnny English
| image          = Johnny English movie.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Peter Howitt]]
| producer       = [[Tim Bevan]]<br />[[Eric Fellner]]<br />[[Mark Huffam]]
| writer         = [[Neal Purvis and Robert Wade|Neal Purvis<br />Robert Wade]]<br />[[William Davies (screenwriter)|William Davies]]
| starring       = [[Rowan Atkinson]]<br />[[Natalie Imbruglia]]<br />[[Ben Miller]]<br />[[John Malkovich]]
| music          = [[Edward Shearmur]]
| cinematography = [[Remi Adefarasin]]
| editing        = [[Robin Sales]]
| studio         = [[StudioCanal]]<br />[[Working Title Films]]
| distributor    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Universal Pictures]]<br />(International)
* [[BAC Films|Mars Distribution]]<br />(France)<ref>{{cite web|title=Film #20314: Johnny English|work=[[Lumiere (website)|Lumiere]]|access-date=11 April 2021|url=http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=20314}}</ref>
}}
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|2003|4|11|United Kingdom|2003|7|18|United States}}
| runtime        = 88 minutes<ref name="boxofficemojo">{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=johnnyenglish.htm |title=Johnny English (2003) |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=13 January 2009}}</ref>
| country        = United Kingdom<ref name="country">{{cite news |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700190280/Film-review-Johnny-English-fires-wildly-but-mostly-misses-comic-targets.html |title=Film review: 'Johnny English' fires wildly, but mostly misses comic targets |last=Lemire |first=Christy |work=[[Deseret News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=21 October 2011 |access-date=22 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204062626/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700190280/Film-review-Johnny-English-fires-wildly-but-mostly-misses-comic-targets.html |archive-date=4 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> <br /> France<ref name="BFI">{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b87cbef28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009211128/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b87cbef28|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 October 2020|title=Johnny English (2003)|website=BFI|access-date=23 October 2021}}</ref><br />United States<ref name="BFI"/>
| language       = English
| budget         = $40 million<ref name="boxofficemojo"/>
| gross          = $160.5 million<ref name="boxofficemojo"/>
}}
'''''Johnny English''''' is a 2003 [[Spy film|spy]] [[action comedy film]] directed by [[Peter Howitt]] and written by [[Neal Purvis and Robert Wade|Neal Purvis, Robert Wade]] and [[William Davies (screenwriter)|William Davies]]. It is a British-French venture produced by [[StudioCanal]] and [[Working Title Films]], and distributed by [[Universal Pictures]].

Starring [[Rowan Atkinson]] in the title role along with [[Natalie Imbruglia]], [[Ben Miller]] and [[John Malkovich]], it is the first instalment of the [[Johnny English (film series)|''Johnny English'' film series]] and serves as a parody and homage to the spy genre, mainly the [[James Bond]] film series, as well as Atkinson's [[Mr. Bean (character)|Mr. Bean]] character. The character is also related to Atkinson's bumbling spy character from a series of adverts in the United Kingdom for [[Barclaycard]] in the 1990s.

Released theatrically in the United States on 18 July 2003, the film met with mixed reviews from critics but was commercially successful and grossed $160 million worldwide against a budget of $40 million.<ref name="boxofficemojo"/> The film was released in the [[United Kingdom]] on 11 April 2003 and topped the country's box office for the next three weekends, before being overtaken by ''[[X2 (film)|X2]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=20030411|title=Weekend box office 11th April 2003 - 13th April 2003|publisher=25thframe.co.uk|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=20030418|title=Weekend box office 18th April 2003 - 20th April 2003|publisher=25thframe.co.uk|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=20030425|title=Weekend box office 25th April 2003 - 27th April 2003|publisher=25thframe.co.uk|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref> It was followed by two sequels, ''[[Johnny English Reborn]]'' (2011) and ''[[Johnny English Strikes Again]]'' (2018).

== Plot == 
Kindhearted but clumsy [[MI7]] agent Johnny English dreams of becoming Agent One, MI7's top agent. After the real Agent One is killed, followed by all of MI7's remaining agents at his funeral, both due to English's incompetence, he is left as the sole surviving agent capable of finishing Agent One's mission.

Assigned to thwart a plot to steal the newly restored [[Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom|Crown Jewels]] at an event hosted by French prison [[Business magnate|magnate]] Pascal Sauvage, English meets the mysterious Lorna Campbell at the jewels' unveiling at the [[Tower of London]]. During a sudden blackout, the Crown Jewels are stolen and English accidentally knocks out the head of security. He fights an imaginary assailant to cover his mistakes, and gives a false description of the unseen suspect to MI7 head Pegasus.

English and his assistant Angus Bough follow a tunnel dug beneath the jewel's display case and confront German thieves Dieter Klein and Klaus Vendetta, who escape in a hearse. English loses them by pursuing a different hearse and ends up gatecrashing a funeral, until Bough saves him by having him pretend he is an escaped mental patient.

Sauvage is revealed to be Klein and Vendetta's employer, and instructs the thieves to eliminate English. Pegasus refuses to believe English and Bough's claims that Sauvage is involved and orders them to exclude Sauvage from the investigation. English and Bough are attacked by Vendetta, who escapes when English mistakenly attacks Bough. English again encounters Campbell and, having seen her at two crime scenes, his suspicions deepen when no record of her can be found on a single government computer.

Determined to expose Sauvage, English and Bough infiltrate Sauvage's headquarters and learn that Sauvage, a descendant of [[Charles Edward Stuart]], plans to make himself king using an impostor [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. English observes that the fake Archbishop has a tattoo on his backside saying ''Jesus is coming &mdash; look busy''. The pair encounter and try to interrogate Klein, but English accidentally injects him, and himself with a powerful muscle relaxant. Campbell appears and rescues the two, revealing herself to be an [[Interpol]] agent also tracking Sauvage. Attempting to inform Pegasus of his discoveries, English crashes a [[party|reception]] hosted by Sauvage and makes a fool of himself due to the relaxant. As a result, he is dishonourably removed from the case by Pegasus.

Sauvage abandons his plan to use the fake Archbishop and instead blackmails Queen [[Elizabeth II]] into abdicating and erasing her [[Succession to the British throne|line of succession]] by threatening her [[Royal corgis|corgis]]. Campbell, now in charge of the assignment, convinces English to travel to Sauvage's French château and investigate behind Pegasus' back. After learning that Sauvage intends to transform mainland Britain into the world's largest prison, English accidentally blows their cover attempting to steal an incriminating DVD but accidentally takes the wrong disc before the two agents are captured.

Bough rescues English and Campbell, and the three race to stop Sauvage's coronation. English exposes the Archbishop's bare bottom and discovers by the lack of the expected tattoo that he is genuine. Undeterred, English has Bough play the incriminating DVD, only to find it is footage of himself, from a bug placed by Sauvage in his flat, lip-syncing to [[ABBA]]'s "[[Does Your Mother Know]]" in his underclothes. Having snuck away, English swings back in on a wire to steal [[St Edward's Crown]] from the Archbishop. Sauvage draws a gun and shoots at English, making him drop the crown, and moments before he is crowned, English lands on the throne knocking Sauvage off, and is crowned himself. As king, English has Sauvage arrested before restoring Elizabeth to the throne, requesting only a [[knight]]hood as a reward.

A radio newsreader announces that Sauvage is awaiting trial for [[High treason in the United Kingdom|high treason]] and execution, and that he has requested his brain be donated to [[schizophrenia]] research. English and Campbell drive to southern France but English accidentally [[Ejection seat|ejects]] Campbell from his car while attempting to kiss her. In the post-credits scene, she lands in a swimming pool where Bough and a man matching the description of the imaginary assailant are on holiday.

== Cast ==
* [[Rowan Atkinson]] as Johnny English
* [[Natalie Imbruglia]] as Lorna Campbell, an INTERPOL agent
* [[Ben Miller]] as Angus Bough, English's companion
* [[John Malkovich]] as Pascal Sauvage, a French prison owner and descendant of [[James II of England|James II]]
* [[Oliver Ford Davies]] as the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]
* [[Tim Pigott-Smith]] as Pegasus{{refn|In the [[Johnny English (franchise)|Johnny English franchise]], whoever leads [[MI7]] is codenamed "'''Pegasus'''" and is known by that codename until retirement or forced departure from the position of head of MI7. It is the equivalent of the [[M (James Bond)|M]] in the [[James Bond|James Bond franchise]] (those who lead [[MI6]] receive the codename M and are known by that codename until retirement or forced departure from the position of head of MI6). Due to this, his true name is unknown.|group=Note}}, the head of MI7
* [[Kevin McNally]] as [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Douglas McFerran]] as Klaus Vendetta, one of Sauvage's minions
* Steve Nicolson as Dieter Klein, one of Sauvage's minions
* [[Tasha de Vasconcelos]] as the Exotic Woman in English's daydream
* [[Greg Wise]] as Agent One, MI7's top agent whose death English is unknowingly responsible for
* [[Terence Harvey]] as the Funeral Officer at Agent One's funeral
* [[Nina Young]] as Pegasus' Secretary
* Rowland Davies as Sir Anthony Chevenix, Head of Royal Security
* Philippa Fordham as the Snobby Woman, whom English harasses at the [[Tower of London]] ceremony
* [[Prunella Scales]] as [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]]
* Tim Berrington as Roger, an MI7 agent who helps discover the identity of the "assailant" at the Tower of London
* Simon Bernstein as the Assailant, who English invents to cover his error
* Martin Lawton as the Hearse Driver at the funeral English mistakenly crashes
* Neville Phillips as the Priest at the funeral English mistakenly crashes
* Takuya Matsumoto as the Sushi Waiter
* Peter Tenn as the Sushi Bar Customer
* [[Sam Beazley]] as the Elderly Man at the Hospital
* Kevin Moore as the Doctor
* Faruk Pruti as the Truth Serum Guard
* Marc Danbury as the Guard that holds Bough at gunpoint in Sauvage's office
* Jack Raymond as the French Reception Waiter
* [[Jenny Galloway]] as the [[Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom)|Foreign Secretary]]
* [[Chris Tarrant]] as the Radio Announcer at Sauvage's coronation
* [[James Greene (Northern Irish actor)|James Greene]] as the Scottish Bishop at Sauvage's coronation
* [[Clive Graham]] as the Welsh Bishop at Sauvage's coronation
* [[Trevor McDonald]] as the Newsreader, who reveals Sauvage's fate

Additionally, the film's director [[Peter Howitt]] played a cameo in the film, as the man Bough threatens to play the DVD at Sauvage's coronation.

== Production ==
In March 2000, before the release of ''[[Maybe Baby (film)|Maybe Baby]]'', Atkinson signed up to star as a spoof 007.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/mar/02/news|title=Rowan Atkinson to star as spoof 007|work=The Guardian|date=2 March 2000|access-date=4 January 2016}}</ref>

In July 2002, ''Johnny English'' [[principal photography]] commenced. The film shot for fourteen weeks, filming at [[Shepperton Studios]], on location in London and [[St. Albans]], and finally setting down in [[Monte Carlo]] for two days to complete filming the final scene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/pages/johnnyenglishproductionnotesx20x03x03|title=Johnny English - Production Notes|publisher=contactmusic.com|access-date=9 February 2016}}</ref> In September 2002, it was announced that [[Natalie Imbruglia]] would star alongside Atkinson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.com/news/item/6170/natalie-imbruglia-takes-on-hollywood.phtml|title=Natalie Imbruglia Takes on Hollywood|publisher=cinema.com|date=20 September 2002|access-date=9 February 2016}}</ref>

The character of Johnny English himself is based on a similar character called Richard Latham, who Atkinson played in a series of British television adverts for [[Barclaycard]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Johnny English Reborn: I spy with my little eye … |author=Stuart Heritage|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2011/apr/13/johnny-english-reborn-trailer |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 April 2011 |access-date=26 October 2011}}</ref> The character of Bough (pronounced 'Boff') was retained from the adverts though another actor, [[Henry Naylor]], played the part in the ads. Some of the gags from the adverts made it into the film, including English incorrectly identifying a waiter, and inadvertently shooting himself with a tranquilliser ballpoint pen, although he shot Pegasus' secretary with it in the movie.

=== Filming locations ===
<!-- This list should be converted to prose. -->
* Some scenes were filmed at [[Canary Wharf]] in London—indeed, the film duplicates the single real tower into two identical ones (albeit on the real site) for the fictional London Hospital and Sauvage's headquarters at [[One Canada Square|1 Canada Square]].
* The scenes set in [[Westminster Abbey]] were filmed in [[St Albans Cathedral|St. Albans Abbey]]:<ref name="film locations">{{cite web |title=Johnny English (2003) |publisher=British Film Locations |year=2015 |url=http://www.british-film-locations.com/Johnny-English-2003 |access-date=30 December 2015 |archive-date=9 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109213944/http://www.british-film-locations.com/Johnny-English-2003 |url-status=dead }}</ref> though this connection is solely implied through the dialogue—for this footage is never intercut with footage of the real abbey's exterior. The interior (with the televisual screen hiding the St Albans organ) is clearly St Albans. The choir singing in the coronation scene is [[St Albans Cathedral Choir]].
* Both the exteriors and interiors in the introductory dream sequence scene are in [[Mentmore Towers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukonscreen.com/hhcfidb-Johnny-English-(2003).html |title=Johnny English filming locations |publisher=UK Onscreen |access-date=7 February 2010 |archive-date=23 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223053307/http://www.ukonscreen.com/hhcfidb-Johnny-English-(2003).html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The exterior and interior of [[MI7]]'s headquarters which English enters at the start is [[Freemasons' Hall, London]],<ref name="film locations"/> which is also used as [[Thames House]] (the MI5 headquarters) in ''[[Spooks (TV series)|Spooks]]''.
* The scenes where Johnny English drives into [[Dover, Kent]] along the [[A20 road (England)|A20 road]] (with [[Dover Castle]] in the background) and then enters the [[Port of Dover]] (with a "Dover Ferry Terminal" sign, Dover's Athol Terrace and the [[White Cliffs of Dover]] in the background) to catch a ferry to France, were all shot on location.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kent Film Office|url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2003/11/johnny-english-2003/|title=Kent Film Office Johnny English Film Focus|date=2 November 2003 }}</ref>
* The exterior of Sauvage's French château is actually the castle atop [[St Michael's Mount]] in Cornwall.<ref name="film locations"/>
* The scenes in [[Brompton Cemetery]] were filmed there.<ref name="film locations"/>

== Reception ==
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 32% based on 121 reviews with an average rating of 4.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A tame spy spoof that elicits infrequent chuckles."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/johnny_english/ |title=Johnny English Movie Reviews, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=9 February 2025}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a score of 51 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/johnny-english|title=Johnny English Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |website=Metacritic |access-date=20 November 2011}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[CinemaScore]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
All tracks were written by [[Edward Shearmur]] and performed by London Metropolitan Orchestra unless otherwise noted.
# "A Man for All Seasons" ([[Hans Zimmer]], Robbie Williams) – [[Robbie Williams]]
# "Theme from Johnny English" ([[Howard Goodall]])
# "Russian Affairs"
# "A Man of Sophistication"
# "Kismet" (Written by [[Gay-Yee Westerhoff]]) – [[Bond (band)|Bond]]
# "Truck Chase"
# "[[Statues (album)|The Only Ones"]] – [[Moloko]]
# "Parachute Drop"
# "Pascal's Evil Plan"
# "Theme from Johnny English (Salsa Version)" (Howard Goodall) – Bond
# "Off the Case"
# "Cafe Conversation"
# "Into Pascal's Lair"
# "[[Zadok the Priest]]" – [[Handel]]
# "[[Does Your Mother Know]]" – [[ABBA]]
# "For England"
# "Riviera Highway"
# "Agent No. 1"

== Home media ==
''Johnny English'' was released on VHS on 11 August 2003 and on DVD on 11 January 2004.<ref>{{Citation|title=Johnny English (2003)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/johnny_english|language=en-US|access-date=15 November 2018}}</ref> A DVD re-release, entitled ''Johnny English: Fully Loaded Edition'', was released on 19 September 2011, including bonus material about its sequel ''[[Johnny English Reborn]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Johnny English - Fully Loaded Edition [DVD]|date=19 September 2011 |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnny-English-Fully-Loaded-DVD/dp/B005FF2NZK|language=en-GB|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>

The film was released on [[Blu-ray]] on 28 February 2012,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/|title=DVDs Release Dates - Latest Info on New DVD Releases|website=DVDs Release Dates|language=en-US|access-date=15 November 2018}}</ref> along with its sequel ''[[Johnny English Reborn]]''. The film was released on [[Netflix]] in February 2016.<ref>{{Citation|last=MaFt.co.uk|title=Johnny English (2003) on Netflix USA :: New On Netflix USA|url=https://usa.newonnetflix.info/info/60026148/s|access-date=15 November 2018}}</ref>

== Sequels ==
{{main|Johnny English Reborn|Johnny English Strikes Again}}
A [[sequel]], titled ''[[Johnny English Reborn]]'', was released in October 2011. In September 2010, filming for the sequel began, seven years after the release of the original, and concluded in March 2011. The film follows Johnny English, now training in Asia after being disgraced in an earlier mission, as he attempts to foil a plot to assassinate the [[Premier of the People's Republic of China|Chinese Premier]], Xiang Ping,  while a mole is found in "MI7" and English has to deal with being framed.

In May 2017, it was announced that pre-production had begun on a third film titled, ''[[Johnny English Strikes Again]]'', which was released on 5 October 2018.

==See also==
*[[Outline of James Bond]]
*[[List of British films of 2003]]
*''[[Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery]]'', a 1997 comedy film similarly lampooning the spy genre

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0274166}}

{{Johnny English}}
{{Peter Howitt}}
{{William Davies}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnny English}}
[[Category:2003 films]]
[[Category:2003 action comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s adventure comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s parody films]]
[[Category:2000s spy comedy films]]
[[Category:British action comedy films]]
[[Category:British adventure comedy films]]
[[Category:British parody films]]
[[Category:British spy comedy films]]
[[Category:Depictions of Elizabeth II on film]]
[[Category:Film characters introduced in 2003]]
[[Category:Films about Catholic priests]]
[[Category:Films about royalty]]
[[Category:Films critical of the Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Films directed by Peter Howitt]]
[[Category:Films produced by Eric Fellner]]
[[Category:Films produced by Tim Bevan]]
[[Category:Films scored by Edward Shearmur]]
[[Category:Films set in Kent]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:Films shot in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Films shot in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Films shot in Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Films shot in Kent]]
[[Category:Films shot in London]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by William Davies]]
[[Category:Johnny English (film series)]]
[[Category:Parody films based on James Bond films]]
[[Category:StudioCanal films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Working Title Films films]]
[[Category:Works based on advertisements]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:English-language action adventure films]]
[[Category:English-language action comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language adventure comedy films]]