Today’s quick review: The Ladykillers. Posing as an amateur string quintet, Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) and his criminal colleagues (Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, and Danny Green) rent a room from Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson), a kindly old widow. Using Mrs. Wilberforce’s house as a base of operations, they plan out the perfect crime. But when their hostess becomes a witness, they must get rid of her before she can tell the police.
The Ladykillers is a classic crime comedy about five hardened criminals and one little old lady. What begins as a foolproof plan devolves into chaos as complications arise, personalities clash, and Mrs. Wilberforce continues to be her polite, helpful self. The Ladykillers benefits from convincing acting and a satisfying escalation from setup to payoff. However, its short heist and relatively subdued black humor won’t be for everyone.
The Ladykillers’ appeal comes from dropping its offbeat characters into precarious situations. Professor Marcus and his gang are a mismatched bunch of criminals, each with a distinct personality and his own opinion about how to handle the unfolding crisis. Mrs. Wilberforce makes for an effective foil, an utterly blameless woman who is the one variable they can’t control. The way the characters bounce off one another yields much of the film’s comedy.
Beyond its characters, The Ladykillers is a heist film with modest doses of black humor and slapstick. The story moves briskly from the setup to the heist to its aftermath, with the focus of the story shifting accordingly. The result is a somewhat lopsided watch that’s paced quickly but still takes a long time to get to the main event. Even so, the individual phases of the plot are light and enjoyable, and the finale is suitably wry.
How much you get out of The Ladykillers will depend on your taste in comedy. Fans of the classics will appreciate it the most, chiefly for its clever premise and talented acting. Others may find its humor a little too tame and its plot oddly structured. For a less subtle take on the same premise, try the remake by the Coen Brothers. For a more straightforward classic crime comedy, try The Thin Man.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid acting and writing; your score may vary.