More Ealing classics are presented in this three-comedy collection. The classic films included are HUE AND CRY, PASSPORT TO PIMLICO, and THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT. This set also... more
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first box, is nonetheless essential viewing for all aficionados of classic English film. InPassport to Pimlicoa group of Londoners demonstrate, paradoxically, their ...
Comedy Collectionabsolutely essential for anyone who has any passion at all for movies. The set containsKind Hearts and Coronets(1949),The Lavender Hill Mob(1951),The Man in the White Suit(1951) andThe Ladykillers(1955).Ealing's greatest comedies captured the essence of post-war Britain, both in their evocation of a land once blighted by war but now rising doggedly and optimistically again from the ashes, and in their mordant yet graceful humour. They portray a country with an antiquated class system whose crumbling conventions are being undermined by a new spirit of individual opportunism. In the delightfully wickedKind Hearts and Coronets, a serial killer politely murders his way into the peerage; inThe Lavender Hill Moba put-upon bank clerk schemes to rob his employers;The Man in the White Suitis a harshly satirical depiction of idealism crushed by thestatus quo; whileThe Ladykillersmocks both the criminals and the authorities with its unlikely octogenarian heroine Mrs "lop-sided" Wilberforce.Many factors contribute to the success of these films--including fine music scores from composers such as Benjamin Frankel (Man in the White Suit) and Tristram Cary (The Ladykillers); positively symphonic sound effects (White Suit); marvellously evocative locations (the environs of King's Cross inLadykillers, for example); and writing that always displays Ealing's unique perspective on British social mores ("All the exuberance of Chaucer without, happily, any of the concomitant crudities of his period")--yet arguably their greatest asset is Alec Guinness, whose multifaceted performances are the keystone upon which Ealing built its biting, often macabre, yet always elegant comedy.On the DVD:The Ealing Comedy Collectionpresents the four discs in a fold-out package with postcards of the original poster artwork for each. Aside from theatrical trailers on each disc there are no extra features, which is a pity given the importance of these films.The Ladykillersis in muted Technicolor and presented in 1.66:1 ratio, the three earlier films are all black and white 1.33:1. Sound is perfectly adequate mono throughout. --Mark Walker
Advantages: 3 terrific classic films and lots of bonus material Disadvantages: no subtitles
...for this gift set of Ealing Comedies, featuring not only "Passport to Pimlico" but two films I had not, at that time, heard of, namely "Hue and Cry" and "The Titfield Thunderbolt". I am so glad that I did. I have been treated to an additional two features from the postwar period of the Ealing Studios that I might never have come across otherwise, and some great bonus features to boot.
HUE AND CRY
Released in 1947, this film is usually ... ...As with all of the Ealing Comedies, this is not just a cracking story but is a film brimming over with fabulous characterisation. Most worthy of a mention is surely Alastair Sim's portrayal of Felix H. Wilkinson, the scarf-clad writer fond of a glass of ginger pop and gin, living a hermit's existence, tucked away in his taxidermy filled apartment with his cat Otto. Far more concerned about split infinitives creeping into his work than coded messages ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average exceptional
Advantages: Great Classic British Comedy Disadvantages: No frills black and white may not appeal to some
...The Man in The White Suit is a classic film from the EalingComedy Series - a black and white production from 1951.
Background on Ealing Studios and EalingComedies
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The Ealing studios were the first purpose build sound stage studios in Britain, based in Ealing Green in West London.
They produced films from 1938 to 1957 and built up the film careers of people like George Formby, Margaret Lockwood and Gracie Fields.
After the war there was a demand for lighter relief in the media of cinema from the public and in 1947 Ealingscomedy Hue and Cry became a huge success with audiences.
By 1949 the EalingComedy era had begun with releases of Passport to Pimlico, Whisky Galore! And Kind Hearts and Coronets.
The success continued up until 1957 with other films...
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Advantages: Great players and good plot, funny, charming, nostalgic Disadvantages: None for me but will be dated for some viewers
...on DVD and make a perfect gift. From time to time this film, along with the other Ealingcomedies does the television rounds. As a film that is more than 50 years old that cannot be bad going.
Watch this film if you like or fancy a period comedy with great actors, some funny scenes, no violence as such, nothing offensive and a film that is easy to watch. My favourite funny scenes include Henry Holland attacking himself, the race down the Eiffel Tower and the silly schoolgirls. I have tried to give little away there and hopefully have not spoiled the plot generally with this review..
Do not let the black and white deter you from watching this film, as it adds to the period and full glorious colour would not be right somehow.
A film worthy of the description of, A Classic.Loved it!
Running Time 81 minutes
Cast :
Alec Guinness...
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Advantages: Great Plot, like the cinematic style Disadvantages: n/a!
...I quite like Guy Richies cinematic style, so was not disapppointed by Snatch.
As with other Richie films, it follows multiple colliding subplots, with reasonably clever linking between each subplot. (He's pretty clever to link diamonds, a betting shop, gypsies, boxing, the KGB, and a pig farm anyway!)
Richie tracks the movie with the main character Turkish, a boxing promoter, as he jumps between increasingly tangled subplots. He ducks and dives with an underworld played by big and small screen actors e.g. Mike Reid with Brad Pitt.
The director extensively uses small 5 minutes 'runs' of subplot, before cutting to the next to give you a feeling of them occuring at the same time.
The film has a feeling of traditional Ealingcomedy, with quite a humourous script. Occassionally it can be violent, though mainly by implication...
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Special Features: Introductions to the Films, Documentary - 1. FOREVER EALING (49 minutes), Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical, Original Campaign Brochures
Sound: Mono
Dubbing Sound: Mono English
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DVD Description
More Ealing classics are presented in this three-comedy collection. The classic films included are HUE AND CRY, PASSPORT TO PIMLICO, and THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT. This set also includes the documentary FOREVER EALING. HUE AND CRY: Street boys throw rocks as the credits for HUE AND CRY appear behind them, among the grafitti on a brick wall. Director Charles Crichton's camera pans across London's Docklands. Joe (Harry Fowler), one of the street boys, reads from a "Blood and Thunder" comic. Enthralled, he finds he is walking down the streets mentioned in the comic, as the action from the story appears to unfold before him--a truck with the same number plate stops, men unload large crates looking like those in the comic, a man with a moustache waits outside. With hardly a thought, Joe spies on the scene. Joe and his gang discover the comic is being used to send coded messages to London's criminals. Nobody believes them--so they set out to investigate themselves. Alastair Sim and Jack Warner head up the cast of this classic British film. PASSPORT TO PIMLICO: When the residents of the Pimlico section of London discover that their neighborhood is historically part of the French duchy of Burgundy, they declare independence from Britain. They even set up customs checkpoints for passengers travelling through Pimlico station on the London Underground. Initially, they're delighted at the turn of events, which means no more wartime shortages or government rationing. But when they get hit by food and water shortages of their own, Britain starts looking rosier by the minute. Stanley Holloway and Betty Warren star. THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT: The railroad between Mallingford and Titfield is losing money, and British Rail decides to close it. Clergyman Sam Weech (George Relph) and Squire Gordon (John Gregson) try to save the railroad by buying it. They enlist Valentine (Stanley Holloway), the owner of Titfield's pub, promising him that, since the railroad will be private, he'll be able to keep the bar on the train open all day. They run into opposition from the owners of the rival bus line, who would like to remove the competition. Battle lines are drawn--sometimes even across couples: Joan the barmaid (Gabrielle Brune) helps them while her fiance, steamroller driver Hawkins (Sid James), joins the opposition. Sam and Gordon have a month to show they can run the railroad efficiently while their opponents start a campaign of sabotage.
![Ealing Comedy DVD Collection - The Ladykillers/Kind Hearts and Coronets/The Lavender Hill Mob/The Man in the White Suit [1955]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/69097304.jpg)
03.02.2006
13.03.2001
