In the early 1950s , Henry Holland (Alec Gunness) is a shy bank clerk in London who has been in charge of gold bullion deliveries for over 20 years . He has developed a reputation for fussing over details and panicking about suspect cars following the bullion van . He appears to be a man dedicated to his job and security. But all this is a cover : he has in fact hatched the 'perfect' plot to steal a load of bullion and retire. As he joins a misfit team formed by a seedy entrepreneur (Stanley Holloway) and two Cockney spivs (Alfie Bass , Sidney James) to steal gold bullion and turn it into Eiffel Tower paperweights. The foolproof plan appears to succeed , but then develops a snag . Along the way , they're relentlessly pursued by a stubborn police inspector called Farrow (John Gregson) . He stole $3,000,000 in gold and that's a lot of Bullion!. Your Biggest Laugh in Years!. The men who broke the bank - and lost the cargo!
Probably not the finest Ealing comedy (although it does include an enjoyable satire of the car pursuit in Ealing's own The Blue Lamp) , but still one of the few enduringly fun films in British cinema , dealing with a prim and prissy bank clerk schemes to melt the bank's gold down and re-mold it into miniature Eiffel tower paper-weights for later resale . Stars Alec Guinnes who's very good as a seemingly mousy bank teller who teams up with a motley group to carry out a spectacular robbery . And well accompanied by a stunning British cast , such as : Stanley Holloway, Sidney James , Alfie Bass , John Gregson , Marjorie Fielding , Edie Martin, William Fox , among others . Come in late and you'll miss a glimpse , in the opening scene in Rio de Janeiro , of a young Audrey Hepburn.
This excellent motion picture was competently directed by Charles Chricton . It won a script Oscar for TEB Clarke , who divides his satirical jibes between the press , the police and the City. Charles Chricton was a prestigious director and editor, especially known for A fish called Wanda (1988), Dead for Night (1945) , Floods of Fear (1958) and Hunted (1952 ). Charles directed 2 actors to Oscar nominations: Alec Guinness , Best Actor : Lavender Hill Mob (1951), and Kevin Kline , Best Supporting Actor : A Fish called Wanda (1988) in which Kline won the Oscar for his turn. Rating : 7/10 , better than average . Essential and indispensable seeing for British comedy buffs and Ealing enthusiasts . The flick will appeal to Alec Guinness fans.
Probably not the finest Ealing comedy (although it does include an enjoyable satire of the car pursuit in Ealing's own The Blue Lamp) , but still one of the few enduringly fun films in British cinema , dealing with a prim and prissy bank clerk schemes to melt the bank's gold down and re-mold it into miniature Eiffel tower paper-weights for later resale . Stars Alec Guinnes who's very good as a seemingly mousy bank teller who teams up with a motley group to carry out a spectacular robbery . And well accompanied by a stunning British cast , such as : Stanley Holloway, Sidney James , Alfie Bass , John Gregson , Marjorie Fielding , Edie Martin, William Fox , among others . Come in late and you'll miss a glimpse , in the opening scene in Rio de Janeiro , of a young Audrey Hepburn.
This excellent motion picture was competently directed by Charles Chricton . It won a script Oscar for TEB Clarke , who divides his satirical jibes between the press , the police and the City. Charles Chricton was a prestigious director and editor, especially known for A fish called Wanda (1988), Dead for Night (1945) , Floods of Fear (1958) and Hunted (1952 ). Charles directed 2 actors to Oscar nominations: Alec Guinness , Best Actor : Lavender Hill Mob (1951), and Kevin Kline , Best Supporting Actor : A Fish called Wanda (1988) in which Kline won the Oscar for his turn. Rating : 7/10 , better than average . Essential and indispensable seeing for British comedy buffs and Ealing enthusiasts . The flick will appeal to Alec Guinness fans.