Classic British comedy... A gang of criminals, posing as classical musicians, rent rooms from a sweet elderly widow, Mrs. Wilberforce. Their plan is to use her lopsided home as a base for a major robbery. The robbery itself goes, mostly, fine. But Mrs. Wilberforce's innocent curiosity and general bumbling soon threaten to unravel their carefully planned escape.
A brilliant ensemble cast makes "The Ladykillers" the timeless film it is. Alec Guinness leads as the suave and manipulative Professor Marcus, the leader and mastermind of the criminal gang. His performance is a study in comedic timing and understated menace.
The film's humor is subtle yet effective, relying on witty dialogue, physical comedy, and the clash of personalities between the criminals, each with very different personalities, and their unsuspecting landlady. The plot is suspenseful without losing sight of comedic elements.
Fun fact... The director's choice of Katie Johnson for the role of Mrs. Wilberforce was initially rejected on the grounds that she was too frail for the production. A younger actress was cast instead but she unfortunately died before filming began and Johnson got the part after all.
More reviews here on letterboxd:
No comments:
Post a Comment