It’s been over 25 years since The Full Monty graced the silver screen, but though viewers will have walked away feeling stellar after its euphoric finale, the behind-the-scenes story was an experience rougher than what watching the final film would suggest. Now, a brand-new Hulu series is right around the corner, picking up with the original cast for another look at working-class life in Sheffield, UK, a town known for its once-thriving steel industries. While some may take issue with the fact that the sequel miniseries doesn’t actually feature the film’s most iconic element, the male stripping, true fans of the original know that The Full Monty is about so much more than that.
What Is 'The Full Monty' About?
The Full Monty follows Gaz (Robert Carlyle) and his not-so-merry, eccentric band of mates as they struggle to navigate an unemployment crisis that leaves them unable to provide for themselves or their spouses (and in Gaz’s case, his child). Fed up with begging for non-existent employment as a result of Sheffield’s deindustrialization, Gaz decides to assemble a rag-tag group of middle-aged men for a one-night-only strip show. The key difference between them and other more attractive adult entertainment outfits is that they go "the full monty," a British synonym for "all the way’" (think the British version of "the whole nine yards"). While it’s true that much of the film’s comedy is mined from the inherent silliness of middle-aged men attempting to slip out of their clothes and comfort zones alike, The Full Monty never shies away from addressing complicated questions surrounding masculinity in crisis, suicide, body dysmorphia, and impotence. It’s a complexity that rivals that in Sean Baker’s work wrapped up in 1997’s feel-good hit of the summer.
The Ending of ‘The Full Monty’ Brings Joy After a Lot of Bleakness
Watching the first act of The Full Monty, you’d be hard-pressed to find any joy on the horizon. It’s nothing but struggle and tears until the band comes together, embodied by the final ensemble’s assembly and the desperate reasons they fight to put on a show. Gaz is only in it to earn some money to maintain custody over his child, who always complains about the odd jobs he puts him through, such as stealing steel beams or hanging out in the scrapyard. His best friend Dave (Mark Addy) is similarly aimless and struggling with his self-worth, leading to a long-term case of impotence. Gerald (Tom Wilkinson) is coming off of countless job rejections and doesn’t have the pride to tell his wife the truth of their penniless situation, leading to massive amounts of debt. This all peaks when the two find Lomper (Steve Huison) attempting to commit suicide through the exhaust pipe of his car. When they ask him why he didn’t get one of his mates to help him, his answer is both endearingly and heart-achingly sad: “I haven’t got any mates.”
There seems to be no salvation in sight, with some of the auditioned strippers complaining about the fact that they have their kids waiting in the car. There’s no sugar-coating the bleakness of the situation they’re in, aligning neatly with UK cinema’s preference for working-class miserabilism. However, as with Billy Elliot, the final dance results in unforgettable tears of joy, particularly the due to the fact that the "average-looking" men on stage actually possess relatable body types to the audience. While the Magic Mike franchise would blossom in the last decade to become a story about the power of positive masculinity in the 21st century, the stars of that particular strip show are still sporting sculpted abs and bodies that would make gods drool. The Full Monty, as that final dance number proves, alternatively contends that anyone can be sexy, provided that you’re not afraid of embarrassing yourself a little in the process. It’s a joyously cathartic moment only made possible by the misery experienced prior.
The Reaction from the Audience Was Entirely Genuine
According to The Guardian, director Peter Cattaneo was well aware that he wouldn’t be able to show any actual, full-frontal male nudity in the final cut. While he originally considered covering the men’s privates with the cheering arms of the crowd, it proved too complicated. He opted instead for the iconic freeze-frame of bums facing the audience, having just removed the hats blocking the view of their sensitive areas. The best part: the audience had no idea it was coming. According to Hugo Speer (who plays Guy, the one who can’t dance but is revealed to be unusually well-endowed in one of the funniest scenes of the film), the extras in the audience weren’t told prior that the performers would be going all the way, leading to an entirely natural reaction on their parts. Speer credits it as a smart move from the producers, showing how well-oiled the tiniest tidbits of scheduling need to be for the sake of bolstering great art.
The Set of ‘The Full Monty’ Was Boozier Than Most
While alcohol on a film set is generally a hard no, The Full Monty proved an exception born from necessity. The final scene was actually shot in an old, dusty, and cold working men’s club, leading to difficulties for the cast members’ performances given they were practically nude throughout. According to The Guardian, to keep them warm, they were handed glasses of alcohol from the makeup and costume department, hopefully having the added effect of taking some of the pressure off of their exposure. Carlyle and the actors only allowed for one take to capture the full-frontal reveal (crucially occurring halfway through the shoot to further lessen the anxiety), meaning that everything had to be perfect. Fortunately, the extras snuck in some booze themselves, leading to the rambunctious atmosphere necessary for such a stunning climax. Speer even continues to state that the low-budget working conditions of the actual set increased the camaraderie among the cast, as they were all changing in and out of the same trailer.
The Full Monty series premieres on Hulu on June 14.