Up the Chastity Belt (1972) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set across medieval England, with key sequences in the Holy Land during the Crusades and a German castle. The story moves between royal courts, bustling village markets, and a Crusades-era camp, treating these locations as colorful backdrops for farce and satire.

• medieval england
• holy land
• german castle
• crusades
• settings

The movie takes place during the late 12th century, specifically during the Crusades era when Richard the Lionheart led his campaigns in the Holy Land. The feudal politics, knightly rivalry, and festive excess frame the story as a satire of medieval life.

• 12th century
• crusades
• medieval era
• richard the lionheart

Lurkalot is a cheeky serf serving Sir Coward de Custard who sells love potions and chastity belts in the marketplace. Raised by a pig-owning family after being abandoned, he becomes a clever schemer haunted by mysterious voices that nudge him toward discovering his true identity and destiny.

• lurkalot
• serf
• frankie howerd
• character

Richard the Lionheart is portrayed as an English king bored with ruling who yearns for adventure on a crusade. His adventures in the Holy Land involve romance, scheming, and pursuits that blur the line between kingly duty and libertine whim, with his return to England entangled in family and political drama.

• richard the lionheart
• king
• crusades
• holy land

The film explores three central themes: identity, with Lurkalot's hidden origins driving the comic pursuit; chivalry satire, where the knightly code is lampooned through bungled duels and exaggerated bravado; and feminism and power, with female characters like Lobelia challenging patriarchal norms through resistance and agency.

• themes
• identity
• chivalry satire
• feminism
• power dynamics

The identity theme centers on Lurkalot's hidden origins and a twin twist with Richard the Lionheart, turning personal discovery into a comic pursuit. The story treats identity as a malleable, humorous construct within the feudal world, with mysterious night voices and mashups of myth pushing him toward his destined role.

• identity
• twin twist
• origins
• destiny

The knightly code is lampooned through bungled duels, magical props, and exaggerated bravado. Lurkalot and his allies improvise ridiculous weapons and schemes, poking fun at romance, honor, and battlefield glory in a lighthearted critique of medieval bravado wrapped in farce.

• chivalry
• satire
• knights
• duels
• medieval

Sir Braggart de Bombast is the unscrupulous noble antagonist who aims to seize Sir Coward de Custard's lands and win Lobelia. He challenges Coward to a duel to gain his prize, embodying arrogance and bluster while his schemes catalyze the war and eventual downfall.

• sir braggart de bombast
• villain
• antagonist
• noble

Lady Lobelia is Sir Coward de Custard's daughter and the prize sought by Braggart. She becomes a pivotal figure in court intrigue and romantic machinations, caught between power plays and Lurkalot's strange charisma, eventually facing choices about love and allegiance while challenging patriarchal norms.

• lady lobelia
• lobelia custard
• daughter
• court intrigue

The film shows women like Lobelia and Saladin's women influencing events and challenging patriarchal norms through resistance and agency. Female characters seize opportunities amid chaotic politics, with humor arising from the tension between traditional gender roles and sudden acts of empowerment.

• feminism
• female characters
• power dynamics
• women

Robin Hood appears as a benefactor during the siege who rescues Lurkalot from danger and helps mount an assault against Braggart. His role blends mythic folk-hero vibes with a comedic, pragmatic edge, aiding the underdog cause.

• robin hood
• folk hero
• ally
• rescue

Scheherazade is a mysterious figure played by Eartha Kitt who influences Richard the Lionheart in the Holy Land. She shares intimate and exotic conversations with him and is linked to his sexual escapades and Kama Sutra-inspired pursuits during the crusade journey.

• scheherazade
• eartha kitt
• holy land
• exotic