The Lavender Hill Mob

Starring:Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, Alfie Bass, Marjorie Fielding, Edie Martin, John Salew, Ronald Adam, Arthur Hambling, Gibb McLaughlin, John Gregson, Clive Morton, Sydney Tafler, Marie Burke, Audrey Hepburn, William Fox (II), Michael Trubshawe, Ann Hefferman, Jacques B. Brunius, Eugene Deckers
Director: Charles Crichton
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Britain's Ealing Studios was at the top of its game when this classic comedy was released in 1951--one of the all-time best crime-caper comedies and a quintessential example of the witty and subtly subversive Ealing style. Alec Guinness stars as a mild-mannered transporter of gold bullion who has spent 20 years moving gold bars to banks in an armored truck. Then one day he simply decides to help himself to a million British pounds' worth of the gold, but to pull off the heist he enlists and old friend (Stanley Holloway), who sculpts and manufactures paperweights. Once the gold is hijacked, it's molded into souvenir miniatures of the Eiffel Tower and shipped off to Paris, right under the noses of British customs officials on alert for the missing gold. Panic ensues when six of the gold miniatures are mistakenly sold to a group of English schoolgirls, and just when the amateur thieves think they've finally pulled off their heist without a hitch ... well, let's just say this classic comedy has a few climactic tricks up its sleeve. Guinness is in peak form here, and director Charles Crichton (who scored a late-career hit with A Fish Called Wanda over a quarter-century later) keeps the action moving with impeccable British efficiency. Along with The Ladykillers and The Man in the White Suit (both starring Guinness), The Lavender Hill Mob represents the golden age of British comedy, and it's still delightfully entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

The Alec Guinness Collection (Kind Hearts and Coronets / The Lavender Hill Mob / The Ladykillers / The Man in the White Suit / The Captain's Paradise)
Average customer rating:

Anyone who appreciates great comedy will treasure these.

Simply Superb.

bad news for Spanish viewers?

Great films, great value

A remarkable collection.

The Alec Guinness Collection (Kind Hearts and Coronets / The Lavender Hill Mob / The Ladykillers / The Man in the White Suit / The Captain's Paradise)
Starring: Alec Guinness , Joan Greenwood , Cecil Parker , Michael Gough , and Ernest Thesiger
Director: Alexander Mackendrick , and Charles Crichton
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Doonan, Patric | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Gordon, Colin | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Gough, Michael | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Greenwood, Joan | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Guinness, Alec | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Hughes, Roddy | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lamont, Duncan | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Parker, Cecil | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Thesiger, Ernest | ( T ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Crichton, Charles | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ealing Studios Comedy Collection (The Maggie / A Run for Your Money / Titfield Thunderbolt / Whisky Galore! / Passport to Pimlico)

The Horse's Mouth - Criterion Collection

Peter Sellers Collection (I'm All Right Jack/Heavens Above!/Hoffman/Two-Way Stretch/The Smallest Show on Earth/Carlton-Browne of the F.O.)

Preston Sturges - The Filmmaker Collection (Sullivan's Travels/The Lady Eve/The Palm Beach Story/Hail the Conquering Hero/The Great McGinty/Christmas in July/The Great Moment)

British War Collection (The Cruel Sea/The Ship That Died of Shame/Went the Day Well?/The Dam Busters/The Colditz Story)

ASIN: B00006FMAX
Release Date: 2002-09-10

Product Description

He was, quite simply, one of the greatest actors of all time. And while Sir Alec Guinness may be best known for his legendary dramatic roles, his true genius lay in his incomparable comedy performances. THE ALEC GUINNESS COLLECTION presents four of this screen legend s magnificent Ealing Studios comedies as well as the classic THE CAPTAIN S PARADISE, available exclusively in this collection.

Features:
Kind Hearts And Coronets

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Ladykillers

Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

Languages: English; French

The Lavender Hill Mob

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Man In The White Suit

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

The Captain's Paradise

Full-Frame Presentation

Theatrical Trailer

Alec Guinness Bio

System Requirements:
Running Time: 451 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Five of the British film industry's best-loved comedies in one boxed set makes The Alec Guinness Collection absolutely essential for anyone who has any passion at all for movies. It contains Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Captain's Paradise (1953) (only available in this set), and The Ladykillers (1955). The Ealing Studio's greatest comedies captured the essence of post-war Britain, both in their evocation of a land once blighted by war but now rising doggedly and optimistically again from the ashes, and in their mordant yet graceful humor. They portray a country with an antiquated class system whose crumbling conventions are being undermined by a new spirit of individual opportunism. In the delightfully wicked Kind Hearts and Coronets, a serial killer politely murders his way into the peerage; in The Lavender Hill Mob a put-upon bank clerk schemes to rob his employers; The Man in the White Suit is a harshly satirical depiction of idealism crushed by the status quo; in The Captain's Paradise, a ferryboat captain complements his proper British wife with a fiery Spanish wife; while The Ladykillers mocks both the criminals and the authorities with its unlikely octogenarian heroine Mrs. "lop-sided" Wilberforce. Many factors contribute to these films' success--including fine music scores from composers such as Benjamin Frankel (Man in the White Suit), Malcolm Arnold (Captain's Paradise), and Tristram Cary (The Ladykillers); positively symphonic sound effects (White Suit); marvelously evocative locations (the environs of King's Cross in Ladykillers, for example); and writing that always displays Ealing's unique perspective on British social mores ("All the exuberance of Chaucer without, happily, any of the concomitant crudities of his period")--yet arguably their greatest asset is Alec Guinness, whose multifaceted performances are the keystone upon which Ealing built its biting, often macabre, yet always elegant comedy. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews:

Anyone who appreciates great comedy will treasure these........2007-01-11

No vulgarity, no nudity, just some of the cleverest stories with fine performances from all concerned.

The remakes never work. Hard to improve on perfection.

Simply Superb........2006-07-13

The best British comedy and satire. No slapstick or foul language or artistic nudity. Just great acting and great stories. Comedy mysteries with twisty endings. Example: the very ending of "The Captain's Paradise"; you would never guess.

bad news for Spanish viewers?.......2005-04-15

I know all these films and agree they are wonderful. But, is it possible that this edition have an audio track in French and no Spanish subtitles?

Great films, great value.......2004-07-16

As other reviewers have noted, these superb comedies from the golden age of British cinema showcase Alec Guinness' considerable skills, proving him to be as great an actor in his own way as the late Marlon Brando. And as others have pointed out, the DVD transfers are incredibly good for British films of this vintage. I've never seen Man in the White Suit looking better. Please note that poor sound recording equipment was a particular problem for British filmmakers of this era, so the sound can occasionally seem muted. This is a problem with the source, not the transfer.

The extras are a little disappointing compared to other Anchor Bay releases. (Yes, their Guinness filmography is incomplete.) But the value of this collection can't be beat. It's one of the best buys out there, so do yourself a favor and pick up the whole collection before Anchor Bay lets it go out of print, as other British titles in their catalogue have done.

Random comments to address other reviews:

All the films are presented in their proper aspect ratios. The Ladykillers is the only widescreen film here. (All the others were filmed before 1952, hence before the days of widescreen.)

Captain's Paradise is NOT an Ealing Studios film; it was produced at London International (the same place that oversaw production of The Third Man, so its credentials are good).

In Britain, this collection was partnered with another collection of Ealing comedies (via another distributor). Since Anchor Bay has also released Ealing's horror anthology Dead of Night (also recommended), they may be persuaded to distribute those films too if this collection sells well. Those films (Whiskey Galore, Passport to Pimlico, etc.) are equally superb, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

A remarkable collection........2003-02-19

I am 24 years old so one would not expect me to be a huge fan of these "older" films. On the contrary I am not just a fan I love them. One of my bosses turned me on to them a few years ago and I was always a huge Peter Sellers fan (mostly for his Pink Panther series) but after picking up this collection I found it to be a wonderful addition to my film library. Yesterday during the blizzard I watched four of the five disks. I found Kind Hearts and Coronets to be not only an interesting story but also darkly satiical. Many scenes were so well crafted I could not help to laugh. Alec was remarkable in this film as he played 8 different characters. Quite a feat for that time and a role Mike Meyers would love. Ladykillers was the only film I had seen previous to buying this set and I must say that not only is it an outstanding caper film but the DVD transfer was superb. The image quality really has brightened up fromt he onld VHS I saw. This film also shows some of Sir Alec's truly great acting and was brutally histerical. Peter Sellers yelling at a parrot was funny to see considering he went on to many more scenes involving fowl later on in life. The Lavender Hill Mob was probably the most intriguing of the 4 I have seen. Another crime caper flick Sir Alec really starred and the story was very solid. Also there was a car chase scene in this film that was extremely well done considering the time. The last film I managed to watch was the Man in the White Suit. While this film shows Alec again at his best I found it to be a little weaker than the other three. It was funny at times and an interesting enough plot just not as good if watched in succesion with the others. The final film is the Captain's Paradise but I have yet to view that one and will not review it. All the films look great on DVD and if you are young (like me)and have never seen any of these films you are really missing out on some of the masterpieces of the film industry. The only collection I could possibly recomend more to anyone is the Peter Sellers set. Better yet, buy them both like I did.

Average customer rating:

Light-hearted crime capers
The Great Gold Theft
Hilarious, sophisticated Ealing comedy
A Wonderful Film
The Lavender Hill Mob

The Lavender Hill Mob
Starring: Alec Guinness , Stanley Holloway , Sid James , Alfie Bass , and Marjorie Fielding
Director: Charles Crichton
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Ladykillers
Kind Hearts and Coronets - Criterion Collection
The Man in the White Suit
I'm All Right Jack
The Mouse That Roared

ASIN: B00006FMAU
Release Date: 2002-09-10

Amazon.com essential video

Britain's Ealing Studios was at the top of its game when this classic comedy was released in 1951--one of the all-time best crime-caper comedies and a quintessential example of the witty and subtly subversive Ealing style. Alec Guinness stars as a mild-mannered transporter of gold bullion who has spent 20 years moving gold bars to banks in an armored truck. Then one day he simply decides to help himself to a million British pounds' worth of the gold, but to pull off the heist he enlists and old friend (Stanley Holloway), who sculpts and manufactures paperweights. Once the gold is hijacked, it's molded into souvenir miniatures of the Eiffel Tower and shipped off to Paris, right under the noses of British customs officials on alert for the missing gold. Panic ensues when six of the gold miniatures are mistakenly sold to a group of English schoolgirls, and just when the amateur thieves think they've finally pulled off their heist without a hitch ... well, let's just say this classic comedy has a few climactic tricks up its sleeve. Guinness is in peak form here, and director Charles Crichton (who scored a late-career hit with A Fish Called Wanda over a quarter-century later) keeps the action moving with impeccable British efficiency. Along with The Ladykillers and The Man in the White Suit (both starring Guinness), The Lavender Hill Mob represents the golden age of British comedy, and it's still delightfully entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Light-hearted crime capers.......2005-12-19

Alec Guiness portrays a long-time and unreproachable employee who oversees the melting of gold into bullion and subsequent transportation to banks, who decides he wants much more luxury in his life. He teams up with Stanley Holloway, an artist who makes his living making gold-plated lead replicas of the Eiffel Tower (paperweights and souvenirs). Two long-term but small-scale thieves join them, and they hatch a plot to divert a shipment of gold, melt it and cast it into solid-gold versions of Holloway's usual product, ship them to France, and then convert them back to gold and sell them off. All goes well, for a short time, and then things begin to unravel. There is a surprising twist right at the end, too.

Alec Guiness and Stanley Holloway both make excellently likable gentlemen-thieves. The story has enough action and complexity to be interesting, but is also clearly a light-hearted spoof of big-time gold-heist movies. This Black-and-White film makes for an enjoyable afternoon, especially if it's too rainy, snowy, cold, or hot to enjoy the great outdoors.

The Great Gold Theft.......2005-12-01

What happens when an underpaid hard worker deals with large amounts of gold on a daily basis? Temptation. Alec Guinness is that man. One day he meets another lodger who manufactures trinkets. The wheels turn and a plot is devised to steal a truckload of gold, disguise it a cheap nick-knacks, and get it out of the country. But not all goes quite as planned when some of the gold winds up in the wrong hands.

Retrieving the disguised gold leads to wonderful hijinks including a police chase through a police convention/exhibition. In the end holding on to the gold is harder then getting it ever was. A comic masterpiece that borders on slapstick. Guinness and partner make a wonderful team as they are on the run from the police but always seem to be surrounded. Many plot devices are so classic that they have been mimicked in countless movies and television shows. This DVD gives you the chance to see how they got their start.

Guinness once again proves his ability as an actor as he plays the unlikely thief. But as unlikely as he is his motivations and descent into crime are one-hundred percent believable. Classic comedy combines with classic acting and Guinness at the top of his form to create a truly memorable film with one of the most memorable thefts in all of movie history. A true classic.

Hilarious, sophisticated Ealing comedy.......2005-11-23

This is a typically wonderful Ealing comedy starring Alec Guinness as a lowly bank official in charge of transporting gold bullion for the Bank of England. For years he schemes how to steal some of it and finally figures a way: he enlists souvenir trinket caster Stanley Holloway and together they decide to cast their stolen gold into replicas of the Eiffel Tower and ship them to France where they will collect them.

A madcap chase follows involving innocent English schoolgirls on holiday who buy some of the Towers and a stolen police car; the final scene with Guinness in handcuffs is a real beauty. The humor is marvelously droll and sophisticated. This movie represents the famous Ealing Studios at their creative best. The DVD transfer is excellent and an interesting bio of Guinness is included. Definitely worth a watch.

A Wonderful Film.......2005-10-11

Charles Crichton, who 35 years after directing "The Lavender Hill Mob", would go on to direct "A Fish Called Wanda", paces this wonderful film with the skill of a master. There are a lot of elements that this film and "Wanda" have in common, besides the obvious crime comedy genre. Probably the most notable comparison is the frantic chase scenes at the conclusions of both. Probably the only difference between the two is that the latter is loaded with sexual situations and obscenities...but that was what the times permitted.

Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, and Alfie Bass turn in bravura performances. (I especially liked the scene in which masterminds Guinness and Holloway "meet" their two gangmembers, James and Bass.) To me, though, the minor characters are equally enjoyable: the landlady, the old woman who loves pulp fiction, the cop who loves "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", and several others. This is an all-around wonderful film, with some significance for history buffs: the scenes of post-war, rubble-strewn London undergoing renewal is both sad and inspiring.

The Lavender Hill Mob.......2005-08-23

The unfolding of Henry's scheme creates a series of sublime comic situations you'll see on a movie screen. Guinness is predictably brilliant as the seemingly timid protagonist, and the ever charming Stanley Holloway (Alfie Doolittle from My Fair Lady) provides terrific support. Look fast in the first scene for a glimpse of future star Audrey Hepburn, and later, a young Desmond Llewelyn (Bond's beloved "Q") playing a customs inspector. One of Britain's tip-top comedies, crisply directed by Charles Crichton.

Alec Guinness 4 Pack - Ladykillers/Man in the White Suit/Kind Hearts And Coronets/Lavender Hill Mob

Average customer rating:

Alec Guinness 4 Pack - Ladykillers/Man in the White Suit/Kind Hearts And Coronets/Lavender Hill Mob

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00024855Q

Product Description

Region 1 DVD - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Ladykillers: -Color,-Widescreen Presentation (1.66:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs, -Theatrical Trailer, -Alec Guinness Bio, -Languages: English; French ------------ The Lavender Hill Mob: -Full Screen, -Black and White,-------- The Man in the White Suit: -Full Screen, -Black and White, -Theatrical Trailer, -Alec Guinness Bio, --------- Kind Hearts And Coronets, Full-Frame Presentation, Black/White, -Theatrical Trailer, - Alec Guinness Bio, - Languages: English; French

The Ladykillers / The Lavender Hill Mob (Alec Guinness 2 Pack)

Average customer rating:

The Ladykillers / The Lavender Hill Mob (Alec Guinness 2 Pack)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
ASIN: B000248286

Product Description

The Ladykillers: Color, Widescreen Presentation (1.66:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs, Theatrical Trailer, Alec Guinness Bio, < Languages: English; French----------- The Lavender Hill Mob: Full Screen, Black and White, Theatrical Trailer, Alec Guinness Bio

Average customer rating:

Light-hearted crime capers
The Great Gold Theft
Hilarious, sophisticated Ealing comedy
A Wonderful Film
The Lavender Hill Mob

The Lavender Hill Mob [Region 2]
Starring: Alec Guinness , Stanley Holloway , Sid James , Alfie Bass , and Marjorie Fielding
Director: Charles Crichton
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video