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The Ladykillers

Play trailer Poster for The Ladykillers Released Feb 20, 1956 1h 30m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) likes to report suspicious behavior to the police. Unaware of her reputation, the dapper thief Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents rooms in the elderly widow's home for himself and his band of cohorts. Posing as a string quintet, the thieves pull off a bank robbery, but slip up in front of the old woman as they try to escape. Agreed that they need to murder her, the bumbling crooks wind up double-crossing each other and slowly killing themselves off.
The Ladykillers

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Ladykillers is a macabre slow-burn with quirky performances of even quirkier characters.

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Critics Reviews

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Robert Abele Los Angeles Times Crooked smiles guaranteed. Jul 15, 2021 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian A superbly elegant comedy... Rated: 5/5 Oct 23, 2020 Full Review Kate Muir The Times (UK) One of the great Ealing comedies of the 1950s. Rated: 5/5 Oct 8, 2015 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Perhaps the best of all the celebrated Ealing Studios comedies. Rated: 3.5/4 Nov 16, 2024 Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times This is British comedy at its best, with eccentric characters never for a second seeming out of place in the most everyday locations. Rated: 5/5 Aug 8, 2024 Full Review Edward Porter Sunday Times (UK) The twists of fate in the story’s climax are shaped by a marvellous sense of black humour. Oct 24, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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John G Not perfect, but constantly (almost) entertaining. Great acting overall with Katie Johnson's KILLLER performance the frosting on the cake - literally. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/13/25 Full Review Stephen C Funny in 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In memory of Alec Guinness (April 02nd, 1914-August 05th, 2000)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $22,200.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/03/25 Full Review bob c Could be the greatest of all time (GOAT). My young self found it hilarious at the cinema and the current old boy still loved it. The usually brilliant Coen bros version wasn't a patch on it. None of the Ealing comedies lasted as well. Peerless and timeless. In a cameo, Frankie Howard lives forever. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/03/25 Full Review Alec B Like so many English comedies of this era it is delightfully offbeat and filled with gallows humor. Guinness' choice to do the movie mimicking Alister Sim was an inspired choice. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/24 Full Review isla s This is very much a mad caper type comedy crime film. I prefer it to the modern remake but thats not necessarily saying a lot, as the remake was pretty bad. I like the old lady, Mrs. Wilberforce, how oblivious she seems and the way the bungling burgulars rush around to try not to incriminate themselves. Its not seriously funny as such but its certainly fairly amusing and more warm and entertaining than the remake, so I'd recommend it on that basis. There are some aspects of the plot of this original film version that I don't recall seeing in the remake and it makes it a better film, I feel. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member LOL, the greatest 1.5 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Ladykillers

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Cast & Crew

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Alexander Mackendrick

Director

Alec Guinness

Professor Marcus

Katie Johnson

The Old Lady

Cecil Parker

Claude

Herbert Lom

Louis

Peter Sellers

Harry

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The Ladykillers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) likes to report suspicious behavior to the police. Unaware of her reputation, the dapper thief Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents rooms in the elderly widow's home for himself and his band of cohorts. Posing as a string quintet, the thieves pull off a bank robbery, but slip up in front of the old woman as they try to escape. Agreed that they need to murder her, the bumbling crooks wind up double-crossing each other and slowly killing themselves off.
Director
Alexander Mackendrick
Producer
Michael Balcon
Screenwriter
William Rose
Distributor
Continental Distributing Inc.
Production Co
Ealing Studios, The Rank Organization [gb]
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 22, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.2K
Runtime
1h 30m