One of the best dark comedies to come out of Britain in the history of cinema finally debuts in the 4K disc format for American audiences to appreciate some memorable performances by iconic actors in . Director Alexander Mackendrick’s 1955 film interprets William Rose’s original screenplay to introduce bird-loving and meddling elderly boarding house owner Louisa Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) who accepts new borders, a Nosferatu-like Professor Marcus and his supposed peaceful, classical musician friends. She has actually unwittingly allowed a quintet of criminals to stay as they plot and execute a complex security van robbery by London King’s Cross railway station and intend on using her to help pull off the dirty deed to even her own possible demise.
That’s more than enough exposition to allow thespian maestros including Sir Alec Guinness as Marcus, Herbert Lom as gangster Louis Harvey, Danny Green as the dimwitted muscle “One-Round” Lawson and Peter Sellers as the refined cockney Teddy boy Harry Robinson to pull of some diabolically hilarious acting chops and homicidal slapstick. Amateur film historians should note that it was Sellers’ first major film role and that he would go on to star with Lom in “The Pink Panther” movie series. Kino Lorber presents StudioCanal’s 2020 immaculate restoration of the Technicolor masterpiece, highlighting rich saturated colors as expected for the original film format.
By the way, “The Ladykillers” was the last Technicol.