Directed by:
Charles CrichtonCinematography:
Douglas SlocombeComposer:
Georges AuricCast:
Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sidney James, Alfie Bass, Gibb McLaughlin, John Gregson, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Shaw, Desmond Llewelyn, Frederick Piper (more)VOD (1)
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Classic Ealing comedy starring Alec Guinness as a mild-mannered bank clerk whose sudden compulsion to rob the bank he works for causes all manner of chaos. Henry Holland (Guinness) has been trusted with delivering gold bullion for 20 years and is considered a safe pair of hands by his employers. However, Henry harbours dreams of becoming rich and hatches a plan to steal the gold when he makes the acquaintance of the artist, Alfred Pendlebury (Stanley Holloway). The pair realise that if Alfred melts the stolen gold into miniature statues of the Eiffel Tower, it could be smuggled safely to France and sold on. However, things go awry when the gold statues become mixed in with a group of ordinary statues, leading to a frantic chase as Henry and Alfred try to recover the gold without their crime being detected. The film features a brief cameo from a young Audrey Hepburn. (Optimum Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (3)
I was quite curious about this movie, given its reputation for a smart and acclaimed script, but I can't help it - I simply didn't find it entertaining. I didn't find humor here that I could appreciate; I actually found the chase scenes more interesting, and from an action standpoint, the movie entertained me a bit more.
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A pleasantly old-fashioned film from the times when criminals didn't need high-tech equipment or a whole arsenal of heavy weapons to carry out a heist, and filmmakers didn't need a bombastic budget or a barrage of digital special effects to create an interesting movie. The Lavender Hill Mob is a clever and charming comedy about how two British gentlemen plan and execute the heist of the century to secure their retirement. Even the way they put together their gang is original and very funny. The whole atmosphere of Crichton's film reminds me of Jiří Sequens' The Sinful People of Prague, with the difference being that this is a comedy that at times, like during the chase of the two protagonists by the police force, turns into slapstick. The film has a pleasantly short duration and an unexpected point. Overall impression: 90%.
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A film in which British gentleman thieves steal from schoolgirls couldn't possibly be bad. Especially when one of the villains is played quite charmingly by Alec Guinness. Something is happening in The Lavender Hill Mob from beginning to end, often the action is downright brilliant (the escape from the Eiffel tower, the final confusion) and the viewer has no choice but to keep his or her fingers crossed. If only The Titfield Thunderbolt had been released on DVD...
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Gallery (65)
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