The Ladykillers. Image shows from L to R: Major Claude Courtney (Cecil Parker), Louis Harvey (Herbert Lom), Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness). Copyright: STUDIOCANAL

Key details

Genre
Film
Released
1955
Stars
Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, Katie Johnson, Philip Stainton and more
Writer
William Rose
Director
Alexander Mackendrick
Producers
Michael Balcon and Seth Holt
Company

Mrs. Wilberforce is an eccentric old lady who lives in a house suffering from subsidence near King's Cross Station. She is offering rooms to let, an offer which is taken up by the sinister Professor Marcus.

Marcus claims that he wants to use the rooms so that he can practice with his string quintet, consisting of Major Courtney, Harry Robinson, 'One-Round' Lawson and Louis Harvey. In fact, they are armed robbers who manipulate the unwittingly naïve and intrinsically honest Mrs. Wilberforce into helping them steal £60,000 from a bank delivery van.

Having pulled off the scheme with aplomb, the gang are about to make their exit when one tiny blunder leads Mrs. Wilberforce to discover what is going on. Failing to convince her not to go to the police, they resolve that the only way to get around the problem is to kill her - but does anyone have the guts?

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Additional details

UK certificate
U
Duration
97 minutes
UK release
Thursday 8th December 1955
Produced
1955
Distributors

J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour
Soundtrack
Music composed by Tristram Cary, performed by the Sinfonia of London, conducted by Dock Mathieson.

Website links

Broadcast details

Most recent repeats
  • Thursday 16th December 2021 at 2:30pm on Film4
  • Saturday 11th December 2021 at 11:00am on Film4
  • Thursday 10th June 2021 at 4:50pm on Film4

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