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• First Class Movie

  • James Smith
  • 2/28/13

  I wish I had the wit and skill to produce a movie this good. First class.

• One Of The Best Movie Comedies

  • david gedalecia
  • 7/5/12

  Like a fine wine, "The Ladykillers" has aged well since I saw it in 1955 at the Sutton Theater in New York City. In 1994, Herbert Lom, who stars as Louis, the black-attired gangster in the film, mentioned disparagingly that Hollywood was thinking of remaking the film. Indeed, Hollywood did, and Lom was correct: it could in no way be compared to the original in terms of comedic subtlety and characterization. In the original, Alec Guinness, as Professor Marcus, and Katie Johnson, as the prim Mrs. Wilberforce, steal the show, and the supporting cast, which includes a young Peter Sellers and the brooding Lom, is outstanding. This is English humor at its best.

• One of the Most Nearly Perfect Comedies Ever

  • Lis Steiner
  • 3/27/12

  If you love dark, subtle, British humor you MUST see this movie! It's one of the most perfectly written, cast, directed and crafted films ever made. In fact, I really can't think of a single flaw in it, and there are many, many moments that are simply gems. Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) is a little old lady who -- while merrily going about her daily business -- unknowingly and obliviously causes chaos to those around her wherever she goes. After renting a room to "Professor Marcus" (Alec Guinness), who is actually a master criminal with a tenuous grasp on sanity, the fun begins. Prof. Marcus and his gangster pals use Mrs. W's house as their headquarters to plan and execute a big armored car robbery. The professor arranges it so that Mrs. W is unknowingly involved in their heist, but when everything goes pear shaped and she finds out about the robbery, the quintet reluctantly decides that the little old lady must be killed so she won't be able to ID them. True to form, Mrs. W unconsciously leaves pandemonium in her wake as she disrupts the gangster's murder plot, with each man dying off one by one. In the end, frail Mrs. W is the only one left alive and is dumbfounded to find that each criminal has inexplicably "disappeared" -- and equally dumbfounded (but delighted) to discover that, by a twist of fate, she gets to keep all of the loot. Some of the best scenes are Guinness' intro in which he looks like a complete lunatic; when he first meets Mrs. W's cockatoo; when the men are helping Mrs. W give one of her parrots its medicine; the scene in the police station, especially when the cart driver is giving a description of his runaway horse and he says, "...and he goes by the name of Dennis"; the *entire* scene from the time the men try to make their getaway until they return to Mrs. W's home; the tea party and the little old ladies who attend, and on and on and on. In short, see this classic movie!

• The Ladykillers

  • Ray Marlitz
  • 7/24/10

  "5 Bank Robbers try to kill an old woman - unsuccessfully 5 Bank Robbers try to kill themselves - successfully"

• The Lady Killers - An English Commedy

  • Joy
  • 1/26/10

  We really enjoyed watching this unique comedy. It may have been classified as an English film, but it surely did "tickle our American ribs." We feel it is a real classic, and will encourage our friends and family to see the movie when it shows again on March 6th! Thanks TCM for the good, clean, funny movie!!!

• The Lady killers

  • craig brewster
  • 11/22/06

  having been stationed in England as an American, Humor is no different than ares. Just the slang of different areas of England, Scotland etc. Learning of customs and all. This movie as do all english films makes one want to go back to the UK.

• English Comedy

  • Joe
  • 4/29/06

  if you enjoy english comedy, this one has it all. especially the facsial expressions.

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