The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)

Great for Sellers fans, this black and white caper comedy has British accents/slang to deal with and not so amusing script to follow. Note: A young Michael Caine has a small and uncredited role as a young PC.


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Before The Pink Panther series we have this Peter Sellers creation in 1963. Half way through the 90 minute film was awkward for me at best, tedious at worst.

SEE the trailer here for an idea of the film:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NajbyyBbwfE



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Early Peter Sellers comedy who runs a burglery gang through his front as a French speaking shop owner for woman's gowns.
Here we see the early idea of a French detective Closeau. But this time he is really gangleader Pearly Gates, who is a English burgler kingpin who fancies himself benevolent as a gang leader and wants to form a corporation of local criminals.

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But thats not enough to make this a rotten film. It isn't that its a bad film. It's no doubt quality made and acted. Rather, its a bit hard to dicypher the dialog of criminal slang of 1960's Britain society.

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Plus, the story spends half the movie showing various skits where a gang moves into town and dresses as police only to run off with stolen jewels during various heists.


SEE the film in its entirety here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEet2P4GItw



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NOTES:

1 The film was one of the 12 most popular movies at the British box office in 1963.


2 PLOT: In London, a gang of criminals from Australia led by Jack Coombes (Bill Kerr) impersonate policemen to carry out robberies. Local gang leader "Pearly" Gates (Sellers), who operates from the cover of a French couturier, finds his takings cut severely, and blames rival crook "Nervous" O'Toole (Bernard Cribbins). When it emerges that they are both being scammed by the same gang, they join forces, along with Lionel Jeffries' Police Inspector "Nosey" Parker, to bring the so-called "I.P.O. mob" (I.P.O. - Impersonation of a Police Officer) to justice.

4 A young Michael Caine has a small and uncredited role as a young PC.


[img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSDstGToX_Mt_pba3YPUU4jVyfVPw_VMvSe1xBQAd8zsltMkoA5[/img] Scotland Yard's commisioner meets with the gangs on a carosel at the request of Pearly Gates (Sellers) to join forces


Cast

Peter Sellers as Pearly Gates
Lionel Jeffries as Nosy Parker
Bernard Cribbins as Nervous O'Toole

Davy Kaye as Trainer King
Nanette Newman as Valerie
Bill Kerr as Jack Coombes
Ed Devereaux as Bluey May
Reg Lye as Reg Denton
John Le Mesurier as Assistant Commissioner
Graham Stark as Sid Cooper
Martin Boddey as Superintendent Forest
Irene Browne as Dowager
Arthur Mullard as Brassknuckles
Dermot Kelly as Misery Martin
Vanda Godsell as Annette
Tutte Lemkow as Siggy Schmoltz
Barry Keegan as Mr. Pointer

Directed by Cliff Owen

Produced by E.M. Smedley Aston
Aubrey Baring

Written by John Antrobus
Ray Galton
Len Heath

Music by Richard Rodney Bennett
Cinematography Ernest Steward
Editing by Tristam Cones
Studio Romulus Films
Distributed by British Lion Films (UK)

Release date(s) March 1963 (UK)

Running time 94 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English

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More to follow......