THE LADYKILLERS
UK, 1955, 97 minutes, Colour.
Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom. Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Katie Johnson.
Directed by Alexander Mackendrick.
The Ladykillers is a British comedy classic. it is one of the last of the Ealing Studios comedies and one of the last of Alec Guinness' small scale British comedies for which he was so popular in the fifties, e.g. The Man In The White Suit, The Lavender Hill Mob. The film was directed by Alexander Mackendrick who had made such good films as Whiskey Galore. This film was notable for its comedy but also for its black comedy tone - for all the main characters were villains. They range from Alec Guinness to Peter Sellers and Cecil Parker and Herbert Lom. Thieves they are and thieves fall out with very black comical repercussions. The humour and sentiment of the film came from the performance of Katie Johnston as the literal dear little old lady. Attractively photographed in colour, combining the comic talents of its stars, good screenplay and effective timing of situations, the Ladykillers is one of the best of British comedies.
1. The significance and tone of the title, for humour and menace and their combination? This film has a classic reputation. Did it deserve it? Why? How good an example of the British comedy of the fifties was this: the characterisation, humorous situations, irony, the quality of dialogue, the satire on behaviour and types, farcical situations etc.? Which were the most prominent features?
2. How enjoyable a crime caper was this? In comparison with the genre as developed in the 50s and 60s? The differences and similarities? The comparisons of quality?
3. The importance for this film of the colour, locations, the use of shadows, the railways and the house etc.?
4. The use of music and its incorporation into the plot of the film, the classical music associated with Mrs. Wilberforce, and the contrast with the gang?
5. How important was the person of Mrs. Wilberforce for the success of the film? Katie Johnson's personality and style? Her being introduced, in her going to the police etc.? Sympathy for her, the house as part of her personality, her relationship with the police, her response to the music, her fussiness in interrupting them with cups of tea, her relationship with her lady friends. her helping the criminals, the irony of her destruction of the taxi, fruit barrow etc. the finale and her using her resources, the irony of her keeping the money?
6. What happened when she discovered the truth? Her control, yet her anger? The effect on the criminals?
7. How enjoyable was Alec Guinness' performance as Professor Marcus? His role as a boss, his sinister shadow. make-up, his treatment of the other members of the gang, his initiatives, his control and lack of control, the irony of the ending and his death? Was he a well developed character or was it a clever caricature?
8. How well developed were the other characters in comparison? Cecil Parker and his typical style as the major? Herbert Lom and the menace of Louis? Danny Green and his clever use of the dumb boxer style and the relationship with music and the dainty old lady? A young Peter Sellers as Mr. Robinson? How enjoyable were these performances, and in combination?
9. How interesting and audience gripping was the presentation of the robbery? How clever?
10. The criminals following Mrs. Wilberforce getting the money, her fussiness in combination with getting the money? The complications of the taxi, the barrow etc.?
11. The importance of the tea party sequence? The criminals and their relationship with the elderly ladies?
12. Were the deaths in keeping with the whole tone of the film? The use of the railways and the smoke and the signals? How satisfying was the irony of the ending?
13. What are the values in these English comedies of the 50s?
