The Ladykillers (1955)

Director:

Alexander Mackendrick

Writer:

William Rose (story)
(more)

Release Date:

24 February 1956 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Meet "The Unholy Five"...The Most Befuddled Set of Assorted Thugs That Ever Fouled Up a Million Dollar Bank Robbery!!

Plot:

Five diverse oddball criminal types planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians.

Plot Keywords:

Planning | Octogenarian | Widow | Criminal | Robbery

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Alec Guinness	...	Professor Marcus
Cecil Parker	...	Claude (a.k.a. 'Major Courtney')
Herbert Lom	...	Louis (a.k.a. 'Mr. Harvey')
Peter Sellers	...	Harry (a.k.a. 'Mr. Robinson')
Danny Green	...	One-Round (a.k.a. 'Mr. Lawson')
Jack Warner	...	The Superintendent
Katie Johnson	...	The Old Lady
Philip Stainton	...	The Sergeant
Frankie Howerd	...	The Barrow Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Madge Brindley	...	Large Lady (uncredited)
Hélène Burls	...	Hypatia (uncredited)
Kenneth Connor	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Michael Corcoran	...	Burglar (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Parcels Clerk (uncredited)
Fred Griffiths	...	Junk Man (uncredited)
Lucy Griffiths	...	Miss Pringle (uncredited)
Phoebe Hodgson	...	Constance (uncredited)
Vincent Holman	...	Station Master (uncredited)
Anthony John	...	Child (uncredited)
Stratford Johns	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Evelyn Kerry	...	Amelia (uncredited)
Sam Kydd	...	Second Cab Driver (uncredited)
Edie Martin	...	Lettice (uncredited)
Jack Melford	...	Detective (uncredited)
Robert Moore	...	Constable (uncredited)
Arthur Mullard	...	(uncredited)
Ewan Roberts	...	Constable (uncredited)
George Roderick	...	Radio Car Policeman (uncredited)
John Rudling	...	Nervous Man (uncredited)
Leonard Sharp	...	Pavement Artist (uncredited)
Peter Williams	...	Detective at Parcels Office (uncredited)
Neil Wilson	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Mackendrick

Writing credits
William Rose		(story and screenplay)
Jimmy O'Connor		uncredited

Produced by
Seth Holt	....	associate producer
Michael Balcon	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Tristram Cary

Cinematography by
Otto Heller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jack Harris

Art Direction by
Jim Morahan

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson

Makeup Department
Alex Garfath	....	makeup artist
Daphne Martin	....	hair styles

Production Management
Hal Mason	....	production supervisor
David Peers	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Pevsner	....	assistant director
Michael Birkett	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
John Meadows	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
W. Simpson Robinson	....	scenic artist
Bert Davey	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Norman Dorme	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	....	junior draughtsman (uncredited)
Jack Shampan	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stephen Dalby	....	sound supervisor (as Steven Dalby)
Gordon Stone	....	sound editor
Leo Wilkins	....	recordist
Harry Fairbairn	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
Don Wortham	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sydney Pearson	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator (as Chick Waterson)
Alan Bryce	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Ray Parslow	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Herbert Smith	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Harry Aldous	....	assistant editor
Jim Clark	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Dock Mathieson	....	conductor

Other crew
Joan Bridge	....	Technicolor colour consultant
Felicia Manheim	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Rank Organisation, The (presents) (as The Rank Organisation)
• Ealing Studios (as An Ealing Studios Michael Balcon Production)

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1955) (UK) (theatrical) (released through) (as J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors Limited)
• Continental Distributing (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Parvisfilmi (1956) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1969) (Finland) (TV) (1978) (1989) (2000) (TV1)
• Kamras Film Agency (1973) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1994) (Finland) (TV)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Studio Canal (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (StudioCanal Collection)

Other Companies

• Crest National  DVD (uncredited)
• Sinfonia of London  music played by (as the Sinfonia of London)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:U | Iceland:12 | Australia:G | Sweden:11 (re-release) (1975) | UK:U (video rating) (1989) (2002) (2006)

Filming Locations:

Argyle Street, St. Pancras, London, England, UK

Company:

Rank Organisation, The

Trivia:

The Packard motor car used by the thieves as a getaway vehicle belonged to Michael Balcon.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Some of the background images of the streets are obviously back-projection. The matte work is clearly a different shade from the actors in the foreground.

Quotes:

[after Louis has 'dealt' with the Major on the roof']
Professor Marcus:Well, where is he? Where *is* the Major? Is he up there still?
Harry:No, no, he, uh, he come down.
Professor Marcus:Well bring him here!
Harry:He come down... with the chimney-pot.
Professor Marcus:With the chimney- ?
[chuckles]
Professor Marcus:Is he hurt?
Louis:I shouldn't think he felt a thing.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 50 Greatest Comedy Films (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Minuet in E major

Classic dark comedy with lots of mood and style

Soon after this atmospheric black comedy begins, aged widow Johnson putters around her house (situated near a railyard) as an imposing shadow seems to peer at her from every window (accented by dramatic music.) When she opens the door, there stands Guinness, in one of his amusingly creepy personas. He rents a room from the lady and arranges to have his cronies come over to practice their quintet. Unfortunately, he has something else in mind and the quintet is merely a cover for a greater plan. The film has detail, wit and character to spare. Guinness (and his friends, played by legendary character actors like Sellars and Lom) are a funny, motley lot. However, the story really belongs to Johnson. Shamefully underbilled and unsung, she perfectly embodies the role at hand and is incredibly memorable in her understated sweetness and supposed vulnerability. This is a woman who looks for the best in everything and everyone and fights injustice whenever she encounters it. Johnson gives a quiet, yet towering performance and it is astonishing how disrespectful her billing is in the film and how little she's been given even in recent packaging. There is nothing wrong with Guinness's work, but this is Johnson's film. (Ironically, according to Robert Osborne, a younger actress was cast in the film, to be made up as older, because the producers felt that the sometimes demanding director would be too much for Johnson to bear. However, that actress died before filming, so Johnson was used and got on fine!) It is truly the type of film that won't be made again. (It may be RE-made, but never with the same quaint, understated style, nor with such polished actors.)