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The Ladykillers

Play trailer Poster for The Ladykillers 1956 1h 30m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) likes to report suspicious behavior to the police. Unaware of her reputation, the dapper thief Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents rooms in the elderly widow's home for himself and his band of cohorts. Posing as a string quintet, the thieves pull off a bank robbery, but slip up in front of the old woman as they try to escape. Agreed that they need to murder her, the bumbling crooks wind up double-crossing each other and slowly killing themselves off.
The Ladykillers

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Ladykillers is a macabre slow-burn with quirky performances of even quirkier characters.

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Critics Reviews

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Jake Cole Slant Magazine Dec 12
The greatest joy remains the sight of Alec Guinness’s self-style Marcus constantly adapting on the fly as the gang’s ruse unravels. Go to Full Review Robert Abele Los Angeles Times 07/15/2021
Crooked smiles guaranteed. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 10/23/2020
5/5
A superbly elegant comedy... Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Aug 20
4/5
…The Ladykillers plays like something from Hitchcock’s lighter periods, within a clockwork mechanism and perfectly timed performances to match…there’s a lot of fun in Alexander Mackendrick’s celebrated Ealing comedy… Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 11/16/2024
3.5/4
Perhaps the best of all the celebrated Ealing Studios comedies. Go to Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times 08/08/2024
5/5
This is British comedy at its best, with eccentric characters never for a second seeming out of place in the most everyday locations. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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bruce C @bruce999 Aug 3 a fun movie, as gangsters move in upstairs to this old lady. and it shows how they all meet their demise. not the best drama, but still interesting See more Ben W @Username618 Jun 2 I understand this was made by Ealing just before they moved into being Hammer horror? And. There is that vibe, tone of a Charles Addams cartoon- dates? would they have known. Someone wrote, the lady is the spirit of Conservative government- the crooks self-annihilating Liberal or Labour leaders. An everyone dies and you're supposed to laugh. And. I didn't laugh, but it's quite well made. See more Mickey B. @Mickerdoo Feb 14 Funny concept and the back half comes into its own. But I think they needed a handsome charmer. One Round and the lady were good, though. See more John G @RT30749950 Sep 12 Not perfect, but constantly (almost) entertaining. Great acting overall with Katie Johnson's KILLLER performance the frosting on the cake - literally. See more Stephen C @bob25009 07/03/2025 Funny in 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In memory of Alec Guinness (April 02nd, 1914-August 05th, 2000)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $22,200.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more bob c @RT46426964 03/09/2024 Could be the greatest of all time (GOAT). My young self found it hilarious at the cinema and the current old boy still loved it. The usually brilliant Coen bros version wasn't a patch on it. None of the Ealing comedies lasted as well. Peerless and timeless. In a cameo, Frankie Howard lives forever. See more Read all reviews
The Ladykillers

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Cast & Crew

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Alexander Mackendrick

Director

Alec Guinness

Professor Marcus

Katie Johnson

The Old Lady

Cecil Parker

Claude

Herbert Lom

Louis

Peter Sellers

Harry

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The Ladykillers

The Ladykillers (1955) The Ladykillers (1955) The Ladykillers (1955) The Ladykillers (1955) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Mrs. Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) likes to report suspicious behavior to the police. Unaware of her reputation, the dapper thief Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness) rents rooms in the elderly widow's home for himself and his band of cohorts. Posing as a string quintet, the thieves pull off a bank robbery, but slip up in front of the old woman as they try to escape. Agreed that they need to murder her, the bumbling crooks wind up double-crossing each other and slowly killing themselves off.
Director
Alexander Mackendrick
Producer
Michael Balcon
Screenwriter
William Rose
Distributor
Continental Distributing Inc.
Production Co
Ealing Studios, The Rank Organization [gb]
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 22, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.2K
Runtime
1h 30m
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