The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)

The crooks in London know how it works. No one carries guns and no one resists the police. Then a new gang appears that go one better. They dress as police and steal from the crooks. This ... See full summary »

Director:

Cliff Owen

Writers:

Ray Galton, Alan Simpson,

Stars:

Peter Sellers, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Sellers	...	Pearly Gates
Lionel Jeffries	...	Inspector Fred 'Nosey' Parker
Bernard Cribbins	...	Nervous O'Toole
Davy Kaye	...	Trainer King
Nanette Newman	...	Valerie
Bill Kerr	...	Jack Coombes
Ed Devereaux	...	Bluey May
Reg Lye	...	Reg Denton
John Le Mesurier	...	Assistant Commissioner
Graham Stark	...	Sid Cooper
Martin Boddey	...	Superintendent J.S. Forest
Irene Browne	...	Dowager
Arthur Mullard	...	Brassknuckles
Dermot Kelly	...	Misery Martin
Vanda Godsell	...	Annette

Storyline

The crooks in London know how it works. No one carries guns and no one resists the police. Then a new gang appears that go one better. They dress as police and steal from the crooks. This upset's the natural order of the police/criminal relationship and the police and the crooks join forces to catch the IPOs (Impersonating Police Officers), including an armored car robbery in which the police must help the gangs to set a trap.

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Plot Keywords:

police | robbery | policeman | funfair | london england | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 1963 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Gentlemenkillers

Filming Locations:

Battersea Fun Fair, Battersea Park, Battersea, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Velaise Productions, Romulus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The white Ferrari that Peter Sellers pulls up in at the fairground is his own, its a 500 Superfast, one of only 6 in the country at the time. He loved it so much he is quoted as saying 'if it catches fire let it burn' because he wouldn't let anyone touch it.

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Goofs

In the first bank robbery, the robbers drive away from the bank, but in the next shot they are seen approaching the bank again from the opposite direction as the IPO mob divert them down a side street where they are lined up against a wall directly opposite the bank.

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Quotes

[Pearly Gates has arrange to meet Inspector "Nosy" Parker on a roundabout at a funfair]
Inspector Parker: [complaining] I suppose this is your idea of a joke. Battersea Funfair. Fancy having a meeting on a thing like this.
Pearly Gates: I must admit, the idea of a load of bogeys going round in circles did appeal to me, yeah.

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Connections

Featured in John Le Mesurier: It's All Been Rather Lovely (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Oh Charley, Take It Away"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur Le Clerq, Frederick Malcolm and Elvin Hedges

User Reviews

Nosey Parker, Nervous O'Toole............Pearly Gates.

London's crooks are finding that no matter what job they pull, the London Constabulary are waiting to feel their collars. All of which comes as a great surprise to the police as they know nothing about it. It appears that a new firm of antipodean crooks are on the manor, who are not only stealing from London's finest thieves, they are also impersonating police officers in the process. There's only one thing for it, the constabulary and the villains must unite to restore the standard police/criminal workings in London!

The British Crime Crooks Caper, when it comes to film, is a long and distinguished list, comprising of brilliant stuff like Ask A Policeman 1938, much loved stuff like The Italian Job 1969 and enjoyable fare like Too Many Crooks 1959. The Wrong Arm Of The Law 1963 falls into the latter category, hugely enjoyable with sharp scripting and performances to match. Boosted by the considerable writing talents of Ray Galton & Alan Simpson, the picture manages to steer well clear of being overtly twee, something that Crooks In Cloisters was guilty of the following year.

The humour on show here by and large comes courtesy of the unlikely alliance between London's good and bad elements, a code and adherence to rival ethics brings about some delightful mirth. Both parties are fierce rivals but there is still unwritten rules that both sides must follow, and thankfully the astute pen scribbling from Galton & Simpson creates some smashing set pieces and quite ridiculous {in a good way} scenarios. All of which would have gone to waste if the cast did not fulfil the scripts potential, but when you got Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and a quite fabulous Lionel Jeffries fronting your movie, you are definitely in good hands. The Wrong Arm Of The Law is highly recommended to anyone who loves an old fashioned British comedy. 7.5/10