The Ladykillers

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The Ladykillers

Released Feb 20, 1956

1h 30m

Comedy

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100%

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34 Reviews

87%

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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.

Critics Consensus

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

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Crooked smiles guaranteed.

Jul 15, 2021

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

A superbly elegant comedy...

Rated: 5/5

Oct 23, 2020

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Kate Muir

Times (UK)

One of the great Ealing comedies of the 1950s.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 8, 2015

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Audience Member

LOL, the greatest 1.5 hours ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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Audience Member

One of the better Ealing studios comedies about some hapless hitmen and bank robbers. Neat ending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Audience Member

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

02/13/23

Full Review

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Alexander Mackendrick

Director

Alec Guinness

Professor Marcus

Katie Johnson

The Old Lady

Cecil Parker

Claude

Herbert Lom

Louis

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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: The Rank Organization [gb], Ealing Studios
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