Ealing black comedy classic. highly recommended!

Meredith 2022-05-10 22:23:31

The appearance of the protagonist of the film, the landlady, is quite metaphorical. At the gate of the police station, she stopped to tease the baby in the stroller. As a result, the child suddenly burst into tears. This really startled her, and it also caused the mothers to look coldly. The details here seem to imply that this short, rosy-cheeked, old British lady with a lace top hat has a destructive power that does not match her appearance. As for the power of this destructive force, the audience can only fully appreciate it in the second half of the film. From the words of the old lady after entering the police station, we can also confirm that she is a frequent visitor to the police station. Of course, not a regular in the usual sense, but pouring out her whimsical fantasies to the police. This foreshadowing is very important, and it directly affects the ending of the film.

As soon as the old lady returned home from the police station, a guest came to visit. The black projections on the doors and windows and the gloomy background music seen from the inside of the house show that the visitor is not good. The door opened, and outside stood the professor (aka the great Alec Guinness). The so-called teacher is actually the leader of the robbers. He is planning a robbery and needs to find a suitable apartment as a hiding place for the criminal loot. After the conversation and visit, the professor asked the old lady if he could use the room on the second floor as a rehearsal venue for the amateur orchestra. The old lady readily agreed, because she claimed to be fond of music. The self-proclaimed smart professor was secretly delighted at this time.

Next, the director did not describe the professors as pure thieves. Their robbery was successful, and it went fairly smoothly. After that, using innocent old ladies to bring their stolen goods back seems to be quite clever (although the old lady's distinctive personality once made them nervous during the period). Good things take a long time, let alone crime. Just when they were about to hide the stolen money and take it away in musical instrument boxes, one of them slipped away. Therefore, how to deal with the landlady who has happened to know the inside story has become a top priority for the professor and his group to finally get away with it. But who is going to kill this old lady who can't help the chicken? They decided to use the most democratic way: casting lots! As a result, the colonel "unfortunately" became the first executioner. While waiting anxiously and guiltily for the result, the rest of the robbers sat in the living room chatting, justifying their actions. The words also reflected that they had already sensed the great power of the old lady.

: She asked for it by herself.
: Maybe she's been asking for it all her life.
: Yes, look at that poor street vendor. (Because of the mixing of the old lady) He was bankrupt in ten minutes!

But what about detection? The catastrophe is on the horizon...

the performers of comedy movies don't have to be pure comedians. A character actor, in a specific story background, in a specific environment, and in a specific contrast of character characteristics, can also easily make people laugh. The character design in this film fully reflects this. Needless to say, the professor's face shape highlights the cunning in his eyes. The actor Alec Guinness has appeared in many Ealing comedies. Including Kindness and Crown, Robbers of Lavender Hill, Man in White, Killer of Old Woman, etc. As a successful character actor, he not only adapts to different styles of film styles, but can also cooperate with different actors. And these are in line with the "team spirit" that Yilin has always emphasized. Herbert Rohm plays the ruthless Louis who is always dressed in black and black. This is his first comedy role. In the director's words, "He doesn't seem to know that his (cold) performance is actually very interesting." Colonel Sethel Park and Danny Green's tall, mighty man are also distinctly mentally retarded ex-boxers. And Harry, played by Peter Sellers, is a nervous and timid person at first sight (in addition, the talented Sellers also dubs the eventful parrot). This is his first major film. Soon after, Sellers starred alongside Rom in the seminal comedy series The Pink Panther. The image of the two rivals in the police station created in the film left a deep impression.

Although the casting and performance of the robbers are excellent, the biggest contribution to the success of the film is Katie Johnson, 77, who plays the landlady. The old lady has been on stage since 1894, and after 1932, she only played some small roles in a few movies. But by virtue of the film's excellent performance, she won the Best Actress Award from the British Film and Television Institute in 1956. Johansson, because of his petite and weak appearance, has a strong image contrast with the five big and three thick robbers. And this contrast only became more comical after she finally forced this group of big men to scratch their ears and cheeks and even %&%&. In contrast, the black landlady in the Coen Brothers remake is noticeably overgrown, making the audience lose the pleasure of bullying the weak (and that's just one of the problems with the remake).

Of course, this does not mean that the director can have no comedic quality requirements for the actors themselves. He may not be a comedian, but he should be somewhat hilarious. If Guinness didn't have some innate sense of humour in his own right, I don't think horror could end up being a good character in Ealing's comedy, even if he was a good actor, even if he had the ability to mingle with his co-workers. The reason why I don't like "Six People" is that the six people in the play basically have no comedy quality. The laughs come entirely from the lines, not their performances. This defect can also be verified from their respective performances and responses in other film and television works, especially comedy works. Moreover, the actor's image and style are too similar, lacking comedic contrast and contrast. The story that happened to A is also applicable to B. On the other hand, some other American TV series I Love Raymond and Seinfeld have done a good job in this regard. Take a look at two of Seinfeld's three friends (one bald and short, one neurotic), as well as Raymond's eccentric brother and parents. The stories or jokes related to them are basically related to the protagonist. Their physical appearance and neurological traits match, that is to say, a story that can only belong to them.

The film was released in 1955. It was Ealing's last standout comedy, and director Alexander McKendrick's last in Ealing. Soon after, McKendrick went to Hollywood to develop. Just two years later, he directed perhaps his most successful work - "The Taste of Success". But this film has no comedy, only black.



In addition, BFI said that the subtext of the film "Old Woman Killer" refers to the stubbornness of British conservative forces that restrict social progress and innovation. In the film, the small old lady of the landlady and her sisters of the same age represent this conservative force. The innovation is reflected in the implementation of some thefts and murders of the Guinness gang... Personally, I feel that the perspective of this subtext is amazing!

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Extended Reading
  • Simeon 2022-05-10 20:02:47

    The first time I watched Yilin's comedy, the play is really exquisite and harmonious. After the theft was over, the good show was staged; the string performance was used as a cover to neutralize the evil spirit of the thief's identity in the comedy (Guinness fully presented these two words); and a most traditional old lady was arranged as an opponent, The difference in the number of one-to-five and the huge contrast in image not only creates a perfect dramatic tension, but also lays the foundation for the comedy effect. On top of this, there are five old ladies appearing, five thieves "disappearing" one after another, the final ownership of money, and the perfect echo of the beginning and the end.

  • Stone 2022-05-10 15:15:27

    ①Professor's shadow appears with a hint of horror warning ②Seeking money but unwilling to kill, British gentleman robbers ③Following the train to the distance one by one

The Ladykillers quotes

  • [driving past the police station, they see their case of money sitting in the doorway]

    Harry: I don't believe it. I don't *believe* it!

    Louis: Shut up.

    One-Round: It's just... sitting there... look, couldn't we...?

    Professor Marcus: No one, I hope, is going to suggest that we steal it.

  • [Professor Marcus enters the phone booth right as the phone rings. On the other end, Claude is in another phone booth outside the train station, watching Mrs. Wilberforce collect their trunk]

    Professor Marcus: Now, Major, before we start, let's press button A, shall we?... That's better... Major. Ma - Major! I want you to keep calm, speak quietly, and concentrate. Have you got that? Splendid. Mrs. W. should be coming into view just about...

    [hums]

    Professor Marcus: ... now... Now she's driving away.

    [She does, but comes back]

    Professor Marcus: . Major, Major, Major

    [throws phone book]

    Professor Marcus: RELAX! Calm down!

    Claude: Back to the station! She's come back to the station!

    Louis: [entering phone booth] What's wrong? Major!

    Professor Marcus: Louis! Louis!

    Louis: Major, tell me what's happening! Major!

    Professor Marcus: Louis! Louis, will you mind your own business, please!

    Harry: [Harry enters the phone booth too, and One-Round tries to squeeze in with them] Louis! Give us a listen, Louis! Come on, let me hear, will you? I want to hear!

    Harry: [to One-Round] Get out! Louis, I want to hear what he says!

    Louis: [to One-Round] You get out! Major, tell me what's happening!

    Louisa Wilberforce: [coming out of the train station with her umbrella] I'm always leaving it.

    Louis: [hearing Professor Marcus laughing] What's she doing?

    One-Round: What's going on here?

    Professor Marcus: It's all right, it's just that she went back to get her umbrella!