Synopsis
In this beloved Ealing Studios comedy, an eccentric criminal mastermind assembles a misfit gang disguised as musicians to execute a daring robbery from a London train station. Their elaborate plan begins to unravel when their unsuspecting elderly landlady, the impossibly sweet Mrs. Wilberforce, discovers their scheme. What follows is a darkly comic battle of wits where the hapless criminals find themselves completely outmatched by one charming, oblivious old woman.
Did You Know?
- Alec Guinness wore prosthetic teeth to create Professor Marcus's sinister smile.
- It was Ealing Studios' last classic comedy before the studio closed.
- Peter Sellers considered this one of his favorite early film roles.
- The film was remade by the Coen Brothers in 2004.
- Katie Johnson was 77 years old when she played Mrs. Wilberforce.
Iconic Quotes
- One of us will have to go, and I'm afraid it must be you.
- You know, you remind me of my dear mother. She was a great one for knowing people.
- There are some things one simply cannot allow, even in the interests of science.
- I'm afraid, Major, that you have outlived your usefulness to our little enterprise.
- We are musicians, Mrs. Wilberforce. We make beautiful music together.
