Good afternoon! Today's post is slightly different from my usual content. I wanted to share some of my favourite films with you today, more specifically Ealing Comedies. I say today, but I've actually had about 80% of this post written since May... Anyway, I've picked three of the Ealing Comedies, most of which were made in the 1940s and 1950s, and came to define both the Ealing Studios and British Cinema. They are perfect for those who love character driven pieces and for those with a slightly dark sense of humour. If you'd like to know even more about the history of these movies,
One of the earlier Ealing comedies, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' is a brilliant film. Dennis Price is Louis Mazzini, whose mother was disowned by her high class family, the D'Ascoyne's, when she married for love rather than money. When she dies, she is refused the right to be interred into the family vault and Louis decides that he will take matters into his own hands, killing the D'Ascoyne family one by one so he can take his place as Duke. His plans are complicated further when he finds himself torn between his childhood crush and the beautiful wife of one of his victims. Alec Guinness takes on the roles of the eight members of the D'Ascoyne family, from suffragettes to clergymen, and this film was an early, and now lasting, showcase of his amazing talent as a comedic actor. The characters are quirky and entertaining, the plot is filled with ironic and clever details, and each elimination is more inventive than the last. If you like crime shows, a good laugh and characters that are off-the-wall and delightfully despicable, you simply must watch this film.
In 'The Lavender Hill Mob', Alec Guinness is Henry Holland, a timid, seemingly rather ordinary bank clerk. His job is to accompany gold bullion in the special van with armed security guards. He joins forces with his friend Pendlebury, played by Stanley Holloway, to steal the gold and smuggle it out of the country, but, as in any Ealing Comedy, things aren't as straightforward as the characters hope. This film has a much lighter tone overall than the other two on this list, I think, and packed to the rafters with laughs. It's such an entertaining film, and once again, the star of Ealing Comedies, Alec Guinness, shines in his performance. It's imaginative, the characters are hugely entertaining and the partnership of Guinness and Holloway, as well as of their characters Holland and Pendlebury, really elevates the film, keeping you invested from the get-go.
'The Ladykillers' was the first Ealing Comedy I ever saw, and as a child, I found Alec Guinness slightly unnerving in this film - as I think I've mentioned before. I have, however, always loved this film, so much so that a few years ago, I went to see the stage production of it and I reviewed it here. Mrs Wilberforce, played wonderfully by Katie Johnson, likes to report suspicious behaviour to the police. Completely unaware of this, the seasoned thief Professor Marcus, played by Alec Guinness, rents rooms in her house for himself and his gang, who are posing as an string quintet. They complete a bank robbery but slip up in front of their landlord when they try to escape. They decide she has to be killed, but things don't go to plan when the gang begin to double cross and go after each other. The characters are so quirky, the plot is so off-the-wall and yet it works so brilliantly and it is an essential in every film collection.
And that brings today's post to an end. I hope you liked it, and you enjoy spending some time watching these films.
What is your favourite Ealing Comedy? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Have a brilliant day!
GingerSnaps xxx
