Make Mine Mink (1960)

Zany collection of misfits led by aging military man (Terry-Thomas) go on a spree of robbing mink coats. An unlikely trio of women (Athene Seyler, Hattie Jacques, and Elspeth Duxbury) find ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Asher

Writers:

Peter Coke (play), Michael Pertwee (screenplay)

Stars:

Terry-Thomas, Athene Seyler, Hattie Jacques

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Terry-Thomas	...	Major Rayne
Athene Seyler	...	Dame Beatrice
Hattie Jacques	...	Nanette Parry
Billie Whitelaw	...	Lily
Elspeth Duxbury	...	Pinkie
Jack Hedley	...	Jim Benham
Raymond Huntley	...	Inspector Pape
Kenneth Williams	...	Freddie Warrington
Noel Purcell	...	Burglar
Irene Handl	...	Madame Spolinski
Sydney Tafler	...	Spanager
Joan Heal	...	Mrs. Spanager
Penny Morrell	...	Gertrude
Freddie Frinton	...	Drunk
Michael Balfour	...	Rowson's Butler

Storyline

Zany collection of misfits led by aging military man (Terry-Thomas) go on a spree of robbing mink coats. An unlikely trio of women (Athene Seyler, Hattie Jacques, and Elspeth Duxbury) find new reasons to live ... until their housekeeper (Billie Whitelaw), an ex-con is suspected of the robberies.

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Plot Keywords:

robbery | mink coat | fence | farce | alliteration in title | 

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Taglines:

An absolute shower of mink and laughter!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Of all the cast, the ones who lived longest, were Billie Whitelaw and Athene Seyler. Sadly, Terry-Thomas, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams, and Elspeth Duxbury had all passed away - Ms. Duxbury passing away the earliest, 1967.

Ms. Seyler - who was the oldest cast member - passed away in '91, and Ms. Whitelaw passed away in 2014.

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Quotes

Elizabeth Pinkie Pinkerton: It's the brute who attacked me in the park! He came up behind me and pounced!
Inspector Pape: I have never pounced on anyone. Except in the course of duty.
Major Albert Rayne: Do you call that duty? Huh!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: KENSINGTON - LONDON

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Connections

Referenced in Kate & Allie: Make Mine Mink (1985)

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Soundtracks

The Third Man Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Anton Karas

User Reviews

Endearingly funny thanks to a splendid script and cast...

Oddball British humor is as quirky as it gets in MAKE MINE MINK about a former military man (TERRY-THOMAS) who organizes an unlikely band of fur thieves in order to help fund an orphanage. It's screwball farce on the highest level, as only the British could do in the '60s about seniors in a rooming house who decide to spice up their lives by joining a robbery plan that goes awry.

Within a half-hour of various pranks involving a discarded mink coat, the eccentric roomers of a London boarding house decide to go in on a scheme of stealing fur coats to fund their favorite charity. A sub-plot develops involving BILLIE WHITELAW and a young policeman. She's reluctant to become his sweetheart because she has a police record and it could hurt his career. He scoffs at the idea. She, of course, knows nothing about the roomers' plans.

The plot deals amusingly with all of the bungled fur robberies and the interplay between the eccentric boarding house characters who adopt different disguises for every robbery. One of the most amusing sequences has Terry-Thomas believing he's stumbled upon a den of thieves and fences so he can sell some of the stolen goods--until he realizes the patrons are all members of the Salvation Army.

The fun is in the role playing and the clever script. It's played to the hilt by an ingratiating cast and ends on an ironic note after the burglar ring has sworn that they've committed their last crime.

Summing up: Mindless fun all the way.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 1961 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Make Mine Mink

Filming Locations:

Durward House, Kensington Court, Kensington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Rank Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min (1964) (re-release)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1