British Comedy Guide
The Wrong Arm Of The Law. Image shows from L to R: Pearly Gates (Peter Sellers), Valerie (Nanette Newman)
The Wrong Arm Of The Law

The Wrong Arm Of The Law

  • 1963 film

Crime comedy starring Peter Sellers and Lionel Jeffries. London's criminal gangs team up with the police to catch a group of Australian newcomers. Also features Bernard Cribbins, Davy Kaye, Nanette Newman, Bill Kerr, John Le Mesurier and more.

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The Wrong Arm Of The Law. Image shows left to right: Nervous O'Toole (Bernard Cribbins), Pearly Gates (Peter Sellers). Credit: STUDIOCANAL

Key details

Genre
Film
Released
1963
Stars
Peter Sellers, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins, Davy Kaye, Nanette Newman, Bill Kerr, John Le Mesurier, Irene Browne and more
Writers
John Warren, Len Heath, Ray Galton, Alan Simpson, John Antrobus, Ivor Jay and William Whistance Smith
Director
Cliff Owen
Producers
Aubrey Baring, Robert Velaise and Cecil F. Ford
Company

The London crime scene is neatly tied up between two large organised gangs - run by Pearly Gates and Nervous O'Toole, respectively - and a few independent operators. Having recently formed an alliance to separate their potential targets, each side is therefore deeply unhappy when their most high-stakes operations seem to be constantly foiled by the police.

Initially eyeing each other up very suspiciously, the two sides soon realise that there is in fact another, unknown gang in town, who're somehow learning of their plans before turning up on the scene of each crime dressed as police officers, pretending to arrest the gang members, and confiscating their loot.

When these newcomers - an Australian trio lead by Jack Coombes - also start taking on the real police with a similar con, a very unlikely alignment of interests occurs: the crime syndicate and the Metropolitan Police call a truce, with the intention of pouring all of their combined planning and resources into catching the interlopers so that normality can resume.

However, as the Australians continue to receive tip-offs of the criminals' and police's activities and newfound allegiance, and the Scotland Yard's Inspector Parker becomes increasingly frustrated, it seems that a lot more than a set-up bullion van heist will be needed to put the Brits back at the top of London's underworld hierarchy!

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Additional details

UK certificate
U
Duration
95 minutes
Distributors

Romulus Films

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Black and white

Website links

Broadcast details

Most recent repeats
  • Sunday 6th October 2024 at 6:00pm on TPTV
  • Friday 28th June 2024 at 4:40pm on TPTV
  • Sunday 23rd June 2024 at 10:05pm on TPTV

Recording details

  • Beaconsfield and Denham Aerodrome
  • Beaconsfield Studios

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