ladykillers81

My favourite film - it is simply the best!

~au revoir,

Chlse

(Professor Marcus P.A.)

Windthrop

I didn't find it funny the first time I saw it when I was a secondary school (nobody else did either). It's a film that has grown on me over the years.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

CaptainWaggett

I've always felt very affectionate to The Ladykillers because it was the first film I ever saw at the NFT c1982. And Charles Barr's analysis of it as being a parallet of the 1951 general election with Katie Johnson representing the Tories taking credit for Attlee's achievements was the first bit of film criticism that made me see a film in a totally new way.

billy bentley

A few years back I saw it on the big screen at the "Brooklyn Academy of Music" the tea party scene had a kind of balletic (?) quality to it, the gang seemed almost to be dancing with the old ladies. In it's field only equalled by the "Lavendar Hill Mob" and wasn't Mackendrick's next picture "Sweet Smell Of Success" - what a one two !!

Windthrop

Which was sadly when that fine director began to go wrong. He was spoilt at Ealing and when faced with big stars who had more power than he had he came unstuck.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

billy bentley

He may well of "come unstuck" but that doesn't stop "Sweet Smell Of Success" being one of the greatest films ever made. I wonder how many American directors at that time would have taken on such a direct attack against Winchell ?

Windthrop

I wasn't disputing its significance/merit just lamenting the point at which AM got into trouble. I do also note that his 3 60s films are not without merit. Like Welles and Powell he was so gifted he was a misfit in mainstream cinema and that he didn't do more was our loss.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

billy bentley

Windthrop, my dear fellow, I didn't think that for a moment. My point was more what an incredible back to back brace of flicks A.M. directed. There aren't many directors, especialyy British ones that achieved such quality and range within the space of two pictures. I've not yet read "Lethal Innocence" but i'm closing in on it, with some relish.

ladykillers81

Incredible new information there, chaps! Thank you :)

batman

A High Wind In Jamaica is a favourite of mine.

I'm the cutest bottom judge!

stevie boy

That is a nice way of putting it(grown on me) all the Ealings should be watched and watched again. Another slow burner is the Maggie which is my personal fave

batman

Am I the only person who watches The Maggie and is on the side of Paul Douglas?

I'm the cutest bottom judge!

CaptainWaggett

I am! I don't understand why we're meant to dislike him. All he wants is to get his furniture transported and it's clear that the crew are incompetent rogues. Why should we think their boat is more important than his bathroom? I can't understand why anyone wouldn't sympathise with him. It's not like he's trying to stop them getting their whisky. To me the film makes no sense at at all especially when you compare the attitude Mackendrick shows to Douglas' character with his oft-quoted sympathy with Waggett in Whisky Galore (though obviously that doesn't quite tie in with what we see onscreen in the earlier film).

batman

Exactly!

I'm the cutest bottom judge!

Windthrop

With a young Martin Amis, whose experiences have not always been as good since (Saturn 3)

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !