The Ladykillers is a 1955 British black comedy crime film written and directed by Americans William Rose and Alexander Mackendrick. It is considered one of the best comedies produced by the historic Ealing Studios.
In this film, Alec Guinness plays Professor Marcus, the leader of a band of criminals who rob a bank from the rented rooms of an older woman’s boarding house. They succeed in their scheme, but their eccentric landlord’s (played by Katie Johnson) trumped-up suspicions about happenings in the neighborhood regularly lead to her having to go to the police station. The crooks decide to kill her when she reports the robbery and threatens to report it. When no one commits the crime, the men turn on each other, resulting in hilariously disastrous consequences.
The Ladykillers is unusual for an Ealing comedy, being made in colour. Rather than being lighthearted, the movie is primarily dark in humor and satire. The film isn’t slapstick nor tries to make you laugh constantly. Several subtle things in this movie make it funnier, such as the characters, the strange events, the overall atmosphere, and the well-written and constructed story itself.
Away from the macabre plot, the Ladykillers all got along famously. They also got along with the locals in North London. The following are some stunning behind-the-scenes photos from the making of ‘The Ladykillers’. This photo shows the relaxing cast off-set, chatting with nearby youngsters. When the stars arrived, King’s Cross residents were starstruck. The studio hosted a post-filming street party in Frederica Street, where the set designers built Mrs Wilberforce’s wonky house.
