The Missionary

The Missionary is a 1982 British comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine, and starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith.

It was produced by George Harrison, Denis O'Brien, Palin (who also wrote the screenplay) and Neville C. Thompson.

She was only a child when he left but is now a young woman eager to be married and have lots of children; however, she dislikes being touched by him.

Apparently he does, and as word quickly spreads of his unorthodox methods, his mission is soon filled with young women.

When Charles tries to explain himself, Isabel states that she was hoping he would help her to change her life (Lord Ames, it turns out, is not sexually active with her).

Other religious denominations in the area are complaining that they can't attract enough girls to their own missions, as they're all going to Fortescue.

The Bishop also tells him that someone has tried to murder Lord Ames by poisoning his food; the attempt failed only because Slatterthwaite took a wrong turning again and one of the gardeners died instead.

He races to their Scottish estate on the day of his wedding and manages to foil a shooting "accident" engineered by Corbett, an ardent admirer of Isabel.