Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic British crime comedy has smoking, lacks diversity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Lavender Hill Mob
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE LAVENDER HILL MOB tells the story of a daring robbery masterminded by an affable bank clerk, Henry "Dutch" Holland (Alec Guinness).
Is It Any Good?
This vintage British comedy caper takes full of advantage of its nimble but silly plot, having fun with a talented cast and some deft black and white photography. Along with the original version of The Ladykillers, The Lavender Hill Mob is perhaps Guinness' best-known outing in a comedy. His repressed 1950s bank clerk, Holland, is Breaking Bad's Walter White without the rage, quietly plotting to make himself rich and escape the dull routine of his life in London.
A series of happy coincidences sets Holland on the road to recruiting a likable gang of criminals, and while there's not much in the way of tension during the first half of the movie, a well-worked heist at the mid-point hits the sweet spot between humor and intrigue as to what might happen next. No one is ever really in any peril here, with the movie's final mad dash from Paris back to the United Kingdom the only time things become a bit too farcical. Thankfully it's reigned in nicely for the final scene, with a typically understated twist in the final shot. And film fans who are paying close attention before all that will notice a walk-on part from a very (not yet) famous face, who would later become a screen icon.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Lavender Hill Mob's comedic tone. How did it find a balance with the criminal subject matter? How did combining breaking the law with funny incidents make the movie entertaining?
Released in 1951, the film is an early example of a comedic crime caper. What other movies did it remind you of? What were the similarities/differences?
Discuss the lack of diversity. What roles did the few female characters portray? How might the movie be different if it was made today?
Various characters smoke in the movie. How have attitudes toward smoking changed from when the film was made in the 1950s to today? What other differences from that time period did you notice?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 15, 1951
- On DVD or streaming : October 9, 2002
- Cast : Alec Guinness , Stanley Holloway , Sidney James
- Director : Charles Crichton
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 81 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 23, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
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