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Summary: For this reviewer, one of Britain's funniest films.
Review: This film runs on two levels: the first is the evil genius' odd gang of robbers who are planning their first-ever job. The second, is the little old landlady who believes she must report all to the police who in turn never take her reports seriously. Guinness, as the would-be crime-lord, is a master of the apparently dastardly mobster role while at the same time building an impression of total inept team-building at its most amusing. He rents the upstairs rooms from a little old lady whose house is right next to a busy suburban railway track and overpass. Guinness rents the rooms under a pretext. His gang is a string quartet, Guinness tells her, getting ready for a huge concert. When the day comes for the big heist, all goes awry after the robbers bring the Bank of England loot back to their rented rooms. One-by-one the villains are laid to rest and the million Pounds are left on the bed (in a cello case.) Naturally, the landlady discovers the money, but when she makes her report to the police and discribes the cello case's contents, the local police sergeant believes it another foundationless figment of her imagination and kindly tells her that she is perfectly enttitled to keep what she has found.
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Summary: The Ladykillers -- I almost died with laughter!
Review: This is a great movie. This is the only movie my husband will watch more than once! It is his favorite movie. We love it.
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Summary: The Gem of the Ealing Studios.
Review: This is a truly brilliant black comedy. Alec Guiness in brilliant form and the first movie appearance of Peter Sellers.
Storyline and execution make this the classic comedy heist movie.
Many of Englands top comedy charactors are sprinkled thru the movie including Frankie Howard, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom and many more. If you like British comedy you owe it to yourself to see this one!
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Summary: Black comedy at its finest
Review: This is the kind of dark, bleak comedy that the British excelled at in the 1950s, and seems to anticipate many of the comic trends found on both sides of the Atlantic in the decades that were to follow. The plot concerns the adventures of a group of thieves who meet in the apartment of Alec Guinness, the gang's mastermind and the tenant of the lady of the title. Although the movie has many wonderful moments, I think my favorites are those in which a wildly grinning Guinness explains to his landlady the various goings on in his flat. The cast is absolutely first rate. Even by Guinness's chameleonic standards, this is one of his more unusual performances. He made himself up to bear a striking resemblance to the great Alastair Sim, wearing some padding to make his frame look more like Sim's, and wearing false teeth and combing his hair to more successfully mimic Sim. It is a quite successful imitation, but I would enjoy knowing a bit more about why Guinness made this decision. Anyone familiar with the Pink Panther films will be delighted to see Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom as members of Guinness's gang. Lom was one of the great heavies in 1950s British film, and his casting in a comedy film was at the time highly unusual. Sellers, of course, was a few years from the film that would first bring him fame, I'm ALRIGHT, JACK, and his role in this film is not a major one. This is very definitely the "early" Peter Seller, carrying a great deal more weight before he lost a great deal because of the illnesses that plagued him throughout most of his life (Sellers suffered from a very serious heart condition the eventually killed him). This film isn't for everyone. It isn't a film that will illicit laughs so much as smiles. And many will find the entire tone to be very, very dark, perhaps too dark for their liking. Finally, many will not enjoy a comedy in which all the major characters are essentially unlikable cads. But for those of us for whom these are not barriers, this is one of the most unique and enjoyable comedies of the 1950s.
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Summary: halarious and exciting
Review: THIS MOTION PICTURE IS ONE OF A KIND. I WAS ELEVEN YEARS OLD WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS PICTURE, AND NEVER FORGOT IT. THE COMEDY OF IT WAS OUTSTANDING. NOT TO SPEAK OF THE PLOT. THE SET UP WAS SO NEAT, WATCHING THESE MEN POSING AS MUSICIANS, BUT IN REALITY, THEY WERE TRYING TO BE MURDERERS. AND THEN WATCHING TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD GO ABOUT TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR TASK. SO, EVER SINCE THEN, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE MOVIE. I HAVE RENTED IT, AND I CAN STILL RENT IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO NOW PURCHASE IT. WELL ANYWAY, THAT'S MY REVIEW.
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Summary: Very droll, very quaint gem!!
Review: This movie is for those who appreciate humour with a British Touch. Alec Guiness, Peter Sellers and fellow robbers take a room with a little old lady, to use as a shield for the bank robbery. But it has wild reprocussions as that little old lady ties them into knots. An absolute howl, one of Guiness' best (showing his marvel range especially if you buy it with Damn the Defiant!) I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys their comedy with a kinder, gentler Brit vein!!
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Summary: Treats for boys and girls of all ages
Review: What a wonderful accomplishment this piece of movie-making is (though you have to ignore the glaring inconsistencies...which is easy for it adds to the charm). It is apparent when watching that Alec Guinness is in convivial company and enjoying every minute of it. Katie Johnson (Mrs. Wilberforce...aka Mrs. Lop-sided) is hysterical as the duped go between for the 'lolly', but despite her protestations of guilt in this regard quite refuses to take responsibility for the 'East Castle Street Job'..."I don't even know East Castle Street is...!"
Ealing Studios where this and other fantastic classics where professionally thrown together, (that's a description that though inaccurate by far...fits), is now reopen after too many years and has just finished production of a new 'The importance of being Earnest', by Oscar Wilde of course, with Dame Judi Dench cast as Lady Bracknell..."a Handbagggg!??". Couldn't be better than Edith Evans but the good news is not so much the film as the British Studio revived. As to The Ladykillers...buy this movie, you work hard and you deserve some nice treats...some simple luxuries.
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Summary: Classic British Farce
Review: Years ago, before the networks realized there was a late night culture that could be exploited with mindless extreme sports and shopping channels, you could find classic British films like this one on TV in the wee hours. This film is a must-see for Anglophiles, along with School For Scoundrels, Whisky Galore, and Kind Hearts and Coronets. Star Wars fans should see this, if only to understand why Alec Guinness was able to become Obi Wan so effortlessly, his skill as an actor was already finely honed at the time of this great film. And today's film writers should study it to gain an insight into the proper way to put a real twist on the end of a film.
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Summary: Alec or Alistair
Review: Yes, to be completely redundant, it is a wonderful film. But are there others out there who can't watch Guinness's performance without thinking of Alistair Sim?
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