Loot – 1970 | 101 mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

A lethally gruesome satire on the Agatha Christie-style whodunits parading macabre bad taste and bizarre family situations. Orton’s successful stage play is unfortunately lumbered with sitcom writers Galton and Simpson’s script that is boisterous but ultimately ineffective.

Pallbearer Dennis (Hywed Bennett) and layabout Hal McLeavy (Roy Holder) decide to improve their lot by robbing a bank of £4k and hiding the loot in the coffin of Hal’s recently deceased mother in the neighbouring funeral parlour. Wacky and sadistic Inspector Truscott (Richard Attenborough) arrives on the scene to investigate and immediately takes a dislike to the shifty Dennis. Truscott tracks down the suspects to the McLeavy Hotel run by Hal’s father (Milo O’Shea), and gains entry posing as an inspector from the water board. Soon, the father’s hotel becomes a cacophony of stomping feet and slamming doors, with the loot and the corpse in a farcical game of hide and seek. Unfortunately, although the boys hide the money they can’t hide the elusive corpse, and in addition to Truscott, sexy blonde nurse Fay (Lee Remick) wants a share of the loot.