kris-gray
I remember my mother collecting me from school, armed with sandwiches, milk and chocolate and taking me to the afternoon showing of this film (something we did quite a lot when my father was away on business). I loved in then and today I saw again for the first time since that time. Of course the humour is different to today's alternative comedy but the charm remains the same even if I didn't laugh out loud this time. Terry Thomas is always a delight to watch, so sad the way he was treated when he suffered badly at the end with Parkinson's disease. Watch him steal every scene from Jack Lemon in 'How to Murder Your Wife'. He is well supported here by Hattie Jacques, Athene Seyler and the lovely Billie Whitelaw. Please watch anything with Ms Whitelaw in, I fell I love with her as a teenager and even saw her on stage in 'Alphabetical Order' in the 70's. I cried when she died. Also featured is a young Jack Hedley who would go on to star in the TV adaptation of 'Colditz' amongst others.MMM is the kind of film the British were so good at in the 50's and 60's something that has been lost since then.I feel compelled to rubbish the review by filmalamosa who expected the plot to be believable, really? it's a farce, the premise of a farce is always unbelievable and the film world is littered with unbelievable plots I could list them but it would take days. Security in the 60's wasn't what is now. I suspect this person is a child of alternative comedy, possibly no older than 30 at the time of writing. If like myself you are a child of the 50/60's then you will appreciate it and wallow in the nostalgia of the period this was made. Especially of interest are the street of London which are almost devoid of traffic, when you could park easily with no traffic wardens to hassle you.
tforbes-2
I give "Make Mine Mink" 10/10, because it enchanted me from the first time I saw it on WOR back in 1968. I was a youngster then, and found it very engaging.And you know what? Things have not changed!The movie sports a terrific cast, led by Athene Seyler and Terry-Thomas, and they make the movie tick! While the plot may seem unrealistic, it IS a comedy, and its purpose is to make one laugh. It is also clear how the movie is as much a spoof of the British establishment, and a commentary on the redundancies that so many Britishers felt after World War II.Some people might find the movie dated, because it was shot in 1960, but that adds to the charm. The jazzy soundtrack music really adds to the overall cool ambiance, and is reason alone to give the movie high marks."Make Mine Mink" remains a personal favourite, even after all this time!!
U.N. Owen
I begin this by turning first to a review by BARLEEKU, who called this film a 'rarity' back in'05. I also have very similar relation to this film, having grown up in NYC, and - like him - seeing MAKE MINE MINK, on our local Channel 9's late night movie.I'd not seen this film in many years. I only had bits of memories of this film. For me, time has made it better, as, having recently got hold of a copy (which, for some reason, is very hard to do, here in the states). Back then, I remember (as well as a kid can) there was a whole gay humor subtext. Having seen the film now, I can appreciate it so much more.Two of my favorite actors - Hattie Jacques (pronounced 'Jakes') portrays the full figured Nanette Parry - who gives a slight lecherous look as she gives young debs etiquette lessons, and the MARVELOUS Kenneth Williams, as Freddie Warrington, the fence. For those who don't know much about these two great actors, they both costarred in many of the CARRY ON films, with Jacques usually playing a 'matron' character, and Williams, as an effete. Williams had previously done incredible work in a BBC radio show, ROUND THE HORNE, in which he and Hugh Paddick played Julian and Sandy - two (ahem!) chorus boys, who spoke in the slang speak of Palori, as, homosexuality itself was illegal in the UK until '67, so, for those 'in-the-know' listeners, it gave a whole other level to the action.Here, Williams (whose voice/dialect work is legendary) is the 'fence' for a bunch of old women (and one man, the terrific Terry-Thomas), who steal furs - for charity.I must also say how much I love Athene Seyler - who plays Dame Beatrice Appleby, whose apartment all the rest live in. As was pointed out elsewhere, she was the oldest cast member, and outlived them all (she passed away at age 101 in 1990. Bravo! (I recommend you see her tell a story about a hat on YouTube - extremely funny, and she was much older than she was here).This film hearkens back to a lost time, and a very specific type of film we'll not again - the caper films, such as The Ladykillers (the original NOT the remake). It also throws a light on the legendary Rank Films, from which sprung so many of the UK's best and brightest talent.Several people have commented how they felt this story didn't 'hold up.' I disagree - wholeheartedly.Just as Shakespeare's stories have 'held up,' or, Gone With The Wind can STILL bring grown men to tears, so does 'funny.' It might not be the type of humour the commenter likes, or understands, but, that does not mean funny isn't funny.I'm NOT comparing Make Mine Mink with those 2, directly, but, things which move a person - no matter which way - sad, happy, etc., that does not change. As for the commenter who found certain aspects 'unbelievable,' I'm always amazed; why do those types even GO to see a film, which is all about escape? (I'll even go so far as to say it reminds me of someone who saw The Spy WhoLoved Me. Nothing in the film - none of the daredevil, UNrealistic situations, or such bothered this person - except, the white Lotus - ONLY when it drove up on shore. They actually quibbled NOT about the car turning into a sub, but, that it could then manage to survive AND then be drivable. I laughed at this person - YES, this is a true story - because, the point is, 'enjoy the film, and don't strain your brain). In this caper film, the fur stealing, is irrelevant. It's a joy to see these actors - and the rest of the cast perform.As it's over six years since BARLEEKU wrote his review (where he wondered if seeing MAKE MINE MINK all these years later, would it still hold up - I have to say 'yes.'The film, which was based on the book BREATH OF SPRING, by Peter Coke, was turned into the Broadway musical 70, Girls, 70, by Kander and Ebb.
calvinnme
This film is the very definition of the word "droll", and is one of my favorite comedies. The three residents of Dame Beatrice's rooming house don't really have a place in the world, and Dame Beatrice herself is upset that she isn't able to bring in the kind of money that she once did for all of her favorite charities. They all feel that the world has forgotten them until Lily, Dame Beatrice's maid, steals a mink from the veranda of a man who has tried to give it to his wife to appease her jealousy and his conscience over his extramarital affairs. Since Lily has a criminal record, Beatrice and her tenants are afraid she will be returned to jail, so they all work together to replace the mink without the owners ever noticing it was missing. When they are successful they realize it would probably be just as easy to steal furs as replace stolen ones and use the proceeds for Beatrice's charities. This gives all concerned a purpose in life, which is all they have been seeking. The unlikely team of thieves makes many mistakes, but usually come away with the furs, and only give up the game when Lily discovers what they've been doing and makes them promise not to steal another fur. However, a call to Dame Beatrice from someone seeking further charitable contributions puts them back in action. However, they can't continue to steal furs due to their promise to Lily. Thus, they turn their attention to even bigger game at the end of the film.This film is a comedy completely without personal conflict - it is pure comedy and farce from beginning to end. All involved work together for the common good, and no selfish motives are ever seen, other than the desire to be useful. You keep waiting for one of the members of the little band of thieves to get greedy and want to keep at least some of the money for themselves, but it never happens. At a time in American cinema history when film noir was still popular, and crime dramas often had no sympathetic characters, it is strange to watch a film from this period in which all of the characters are sympathetic. This probably has to do with the difference between American and British culture, and also the period in British history in which this film was made. The British had just come through a fifteen year period in history after World War II in which they had attempted to remake British society, and in many ways had fallen short of the mark. The gentry felt displaced, but many of the common people didn't feel the inclusion they expected this displacement to achieve. Thus there were several British films from this period, such as "The Smallest Show on Earth", in which people banded together to fulfill a common goal that achieved nothing more than an affirmation of their own usefulness. This is one of those films, and I find it not only funny, but completely charming.
