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| Mr Henry 'Dutch' Holland |
Why does a rather cold and damp Sunday afternoon seem just
the right time to settle down and watch the best known and some would say, the
funniest of the Sir Michael Balcon produced Ealing comedies The
Lavender Hill Mob (1951). Alec Guinness play’s a meek looking bank
clerk who has spent the last 20 years supervising the transportation of gold
across London for eight pound fifteen shillings per week and not the slightest
inkling that his position will improve. Preparing
for his retirement he plans a daring gold bullion robbery but has no way to get
the gold across the British channel to the more lucrative European markets.
That is until he meets Stanley Holloway who has the facilities to melt down the
ingots into souvenir Eiffel Towers. With the help of two career criminals, Sid
James and Alfie Bass, they attempt the perfect crime.
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| A nice souvenir? |
Directed by
Charles
Crichton, who joined Ealing as an editor in the early 1940’s and remained
at the studio until 1957, this classic Ealing comedy has been described as ‘
a master class in neat plotting and incident’
Unsurprisingly the screenplay won an Oscar for T E B Clarke who, it is alleged
came up with the idea for the film while doing research for the movie
Pool
of London (1951) also it is said he consulted the Bank of England who gave
him advice on how to stage the robbery! Alec Guinness gained an Oscar nomination
for Best Actor in a Leading Role with the film winning a BAFTA Award for Best
British Film.
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| Alec Guinness looks surprised to see Audrey Hepburn on the set! |
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