13 Revealing Facts About The Full Monty

From Gypsy to Showgirls to Magic Mike, the big screen has had its share of male strippers. Then came the cast of The Full Monty. In 1997, Peter Cattaneo's dramedy about a group of out-of-work (and mostly out-of-shape) steelworkers who decide their best shot at a big payday is to strip for a group of local women became an unexpected success worldwide. It was a surprise to the cast and crew as well, who encountered numerous challenges in bringing the film to life. On the 20th anniversary of its release, we revisit the naked truth behind the movie that made 'The Full Monty' a part of everyday language. 

1. IT HAD A DIFFICULT BEGINNING.

Though The Full Monty eventually became a huge success, its journey was far from easy. Initially, Channel 4 Films showed interest in the project and invested in the development of the script. However, when the script was finished, they felt it was too similar to Brassed Off, another film they were also considering. According to Paul Webster, the company’s CEO at the time, the executives ultimately chose Brassed Off after a 'beauty contest' between the two films.

'We felt that both films addressed similar communities and shared concerns about unemployment and dignity,' Webster stated. From a financial perspective, The Full Monty—which earned roughly ten times what Brassed Off did at the box office—would clearly have been the more profitable choice. 'You can only hope you don't make that mistake again,' Webster remarked.

2. THE TITLE LEFT HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVES BAFFLED.

After Channel 4 passed on the project, the film’s creators pitched The Full Monty to several Hollywood studios—many of whom were utterly confused by the title. While the film made the phrase famous worldwide, few were familiar with its meaning prior to 1997. According to screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, several American studio executives were puzzled by the title and questioned why there wasn’t a character named 'Monty' in the movie.

3. AMERICAN AUDIENCES STRUGGLED WITH THE BRITISH SLANG AS WELL.

Although Beaufoy was confident that The Full Monty had universal appeal, he heard from multiple American viewers that they couldn't understand much of the dialogue. 'When we premiered it at the Sundance Film Festival,' Beaufoy told Metro, 'there were people leaving saying: 'God, I loved that. I didn't understand a word they were saying but I loved it!' We were a bit baffled, but there's something about the characters and the story that's universally relatable. It's about human nature and loss: the loss of a job, pride, and dignity. It did incredibly well in Brazil.'

Some U.S. theaters reportedly handed out pamphlets before the film, explaining some of the more confusing slang featured in the movie.

4. NICHOLAS LYNDHURST WAS THE ORIGINAL CHOICE FOR 'GAZ.'

Nicholas Lyndhurst, best known for his roles in Going Straight, Only Fools and Horses, and Goodnight Sweetheart, was initially the top pick to play the role of Gaz, a part that ultimately went to Robert Carlyle. For Lyndhurst, turning down The Full Monty was an easy decision: 'I was in rehearsal in Northampton on a dreary day, and my agent called me,’ Lyndhurst recalled. “‘Darling—availability check: British film, not much money, set in Sheffield, about male strippers…’ I said I'd pass. I don't regret it.'

5. ROBERT CARLYLE DESPISED MAKING THE MOVIE.

Eventually, Robert Carlyle—fresh off his role in Trainspotting—took on the part of Gaz, although he wasn’t excited about it. Over the years, Carlyle has admitted that he didn’t enjoy making the film and was convinced it would be a flop at the box office.

'I thought it was a load of f***ing pish,' Carlyle told Graham Norton earlier this year. Needless to say, he was stunned when it went on to gross more than $250 million worldwide—especially considering it was made on a $ million budget.

6. IT ALMOST WENT STRAIGHT TO VIDEO.

With little confidence in the project from various sides, and a first cut that was reportedly underwhelming, 20th Century Fox considered cutting their losses and sending the film straight to video. 'It was a tough shoot,' Carlyle recalled. 'It was so bad that when the people at Fox Searchlight, who had commissioned it, saw the first cut, they said 'straight to video.'' But thanks to producer Uberto Pasolini’s persistence, who pushed for another edit, they got the chance to recut the film. In 1998, The Full Monty earned four Oscar nominations, including a Best Picture nomination for Pasolini. (Anne Dudley won the Academy Award for Best Music.)

7. THE 'HOT STUFF' SCENE WAS ALMOST CUT.

One of the most iconic scenes in the film occurs when the group stands in line and Donna Summer’s 'Hot Stuff' starts playing on the radio overhead. Without hesitation, they all seamlessly break into their synchronized moves to the song. According to various sources, this scene almost didn’t make the final cut because it was considered 'too unrealistic.'

8. YES, THE ACTORS REALLY DID STRIP DOWN.

Reluctant to put his cast through the ordeal of stripping down repeatedly for take after take to film the movie’s final striptease scene, Cattaneo assured his actors it would only be done in one take—a promise that ultimately convinced many of them to join the project in the first place. And he kept his word.

'We took two days to film the final scene with 50 extras,' Cattaneo told the Chicago Tribune. 'We rehearsed and rehearsed the last shot, but there was only one take. The cast was on board with that.'

9. ALCOHOL PLAYED A PART.

To ease the pre-strip jitters on set, Cattaneo figured that a little liquid courage might help the actors deliver their most authentic performances—so he made sure there was plenty of booze available. 'By the time we filmed the final scene, they were half full of whiskey,' Cattaneo told the Chicago Tribune. 'That was the only way to get through it.'

10. THE FILM TURNED OUT TO BE TOO BRIEF.

After several rounds of editing, by the time the filmmakers had a version that worked, it ended up being too short. As a result, several months after the shoot had wrapped, the cast had to reunite to film additional footage. However, there was a hitch: Carlyle was already tied up with another project and couldn’t return for the shoot, which is why he’s missing from the exercise montage.

11. IT WAS TURNED INTO A TONY AWARD-NOMINATED BROADWAY MUSICAL.

Like many successful films, The Full Monty made its way to the stage in 2000. The musical, starring Patrick Wilson, premiered at New York City’s Eugene O’Neill Theater on October 26, 2000, where it ran for 770 performances. In 2001, it received 10 Tony Award nominations.

12. MANY BELIEVE THAT PRINCESS DIANA’S DEATH PLAYED A ROLE IN THE MOVIE’S SUCCESS.

The Full Monty debuted in UK theaters on August 29, 1997, just two days before Princess Diana’s tragic passing. As the nation mourned the loss of The People’s Princess, some box office analysts speculated that the widespread sadness in the country might have contributed to the film's unexpected success.

On September 16, The Los Angeles Times reported on the film’s surprising global success, noting that 'In Britain, it has already grossed about $13 million, leading the box office for three consecutive weeks, including the weekend of Princess Diana's funeral.' When reviewing the stage version in 2015, The Reviews Hub remarked that 'The success of the movie The Full Monty in 1997, coinciding with Princess Diana's death, was thought to be due to the public’s desire for something to uplift them during such a somber time.'

In a possible connection to this theory, director Peter Cattaneo’s latest project—a TV movie called Diana and I—will explore the lives of four individuals during the week following the Princess’s death, set to air later this year.

13. PRINCE CHARLES WAS ALSO A FAN.

In November 1998, just before turning 50, Prince Charles attended a Full Monty themed party where he and Hugo Speer, one of the stars of the original film, performed the "Hot Stuff" dance routine. The Prince's moves impressed the crowd. "I’ve even had some choreography tips on how to do things in the queue," Charles confessed. "I loved the film so much, I've watched it twice."