KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

mark.waltz And to Katie Johnson, too, that cute old British sweetheart who stole the scenes in that 1955 Ealing comedy out from the hands of Alec Guennis and Peter Sellers. Having died only a month before the British release of this black comedy, Johnson had a lengthy career but had only come into her own thanks to "The Ladykillers", leaving a sad quality to the history of this delightful film.I must admit when watching this, I had a sudden urge to utilize this in a plot line on "Downton Abbey" as a great family on a great estate discovers that they are destitute and must somehow plot to murder wealthy uncle Charles Coburn who had left England years before to move to America and is only now coming over for a visit. Family patriarch Nigel Patrick has it set up that he will accidentally shoot Coburn as he arrives, but ironically, it is a distant cousin that is killed instead. One by one the family with the exception of Coburn, Johnson and Patrick are all killed off, and that includes Patrick's irritating mother (Atheyne Seyler), unknowing wife (Wendy Hiller) and cousin Kenneth Fortescue who had intended to drowned his uncle yet fell in the water himself, only to die of pneumonia. A sweet bond is started between Coburn and innocent Johnson, another distant cousin who is considered the black sheep of the family simply because she seems so simple. As luck turns out, Coburn is accused of knocking off his family, thanks to the presence of Anthony Newley, boyfriend of one of Patrick and Hiller's daughters, seen taking notes at family functions as certain "hints" are dropped. Deliciously droll in every way, this remains consistently funny in the way everybody is dispatched, along the lines of "Kind Hearts and Coronets", later musicalized for Broadway as "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder". In spite of how close it seems to the Ealing comedies, it was independently made and released by Columbia, which is perhaps one reason why it is not known as well. This was one of the first major roles for a young Michael Caine, barely recognizable as a town local. Patrick underplays his role of the murderous nephew, a smart choice that would have been much broader had Alec Guennis played the role. In fact, Patrick plays the part without much guilt, as if his family duty called for those killed to be willing victims to the future of the family, and that is what makes this film all the more intelligent. The ghosts of the deceased make curtain call appearances, but there is delightfully sweet close-up of Coburn and Johnson as the film ends. This is a must for those who like intelligent comedy with a bit of naughtiness to it.

drednm Wondrous British comedy about Henry, a destitute aristocrat (Nigel Patrick) and his family living in a rotting castle. Along comes a wealthy uncle from America (Charles Coburn), making a visit to his family home. So Henry decides to do away with the old boy, but being a black comedy, none of his plans go as planned.In a similar vein to the classic film THE LADYKILLERS, this one is a riot as the plot goes on its murderous-but-merry way and boasts an excellent cast.Coburn is a delight as the unsuspecting uncle with a fondness for martinis, and Patrick (who also directed) is the perfect hapless plotter. Also in the cast are Wendy Hiller as the dutiful wife, Athene Seyler as the grandmother, Katie Johnson as the vaguely related Alice, Kenneth Fortescue as the son, Patricia Webster as the daughter, Anthony Newley as her criminologist boyfriend, Noel Hood as Aunt Marjorie, Ian Wilson as Harold the postmaster, Trevor Reid as the Inspector, Cyril Luckham as the coroner, and Michael Caine in one of his first film roles.A total delight and full of surprises. This one marks Katie Johnson's only film followup to THE LADYKILLERS and proved to be her final film.

malcolmgsw I first saw this film when it was released at the Odeon Temple Fortune and have remembered it ever since.I have just obtained a copy and i have to say that it wears very well.This was the last film of Katie Johnson and i think that this was trying to build on her great success in The Ladykillers as the film is also a black comedy.It doesn't have the edge of The Ladykillers but it is still very good fun.A great cast featuring a very young Michael Caine who doesn't speak a word.The film was co directed by one of my favourites Nigel Patrick with assistance from Max Varnel,son of Marcel.There is one unusual feature towards the end when a ghostly Nigel Patrick introduces the whole cast once again.He refers to Caine as Mike Caine.

ffrannytk Is there any way to get a copy of this film? I saw it several times when it was released in the 50s and have never seen it again....I have tried to check on its DVD availability to no avail and have never seen it listed on TV.....It is absolutely hilarious and the cast contains actors who were famous veterans and some (Anthony Newley and Michael Caine) appearing in small but marvelous roles. I don't understand why it hasn't had a big following, enough to be able to see it and obtain a copy. Nigel Patrick is at his top form as the patriarch of the family down on its financial luck. One scene has himself and Wendy Hiller dressing as always for dinner which she has had to cook. It's a funny movie in itself, but as a satire of the British stiff upper lip, among other things, it deserves re-seeing many times.