Kind Hearts and Coronets
1949
Set in the stately Edwardian era, Robert Hamer's Kind Hearts And Coronets is black comedy at is best, with the most articulate and literate of all Ealing screenplays. Sir Alec Guinness gives a virtuoso performance in his Ealing comedy debut, playing all eight victims standing between a mass-murderer and his family fortune. .. Read more
| Starring | Dennis Price, Beatrice Campbell, Valerie Hobson, Joan Greenwood |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Hamer, Henry Cass, Alexander Mackendrick |
| Genres | Drama |
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Kind Hearts and Coronets
Set in the stately Edwardian era, Robert Hamer's Kind Hearts And Coronets is black comedy at is best, with the most articulate and literate of all Ealing screenplays. Sir Alec Guinness gives a virtuoso performance in his Ealing comedy debut, playing all eight victims standing between a mass-murderer and his family fortune. Considered by some to be Ealing's most perfect achievement of all the Ealing films.
| Starring | Dennis Price, Beatrice Campbell, Valerie Hobson, Joan Greenwood, Kay Walsh, Alec Guinness, Alice Krige, Cecil Parker |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Hamer, Henry Cass, Alexander Mackendrick |
| Studio | OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 02 Sep 2002 Production year: 1949 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Arguably the finest of the Ealing comedies, this superb comédie noire from director Robert Hamer has a deliciously witty script that slips smoothly between dastardly deaths in the guise of a self-satisfied memoir. However, the picture is elevated to greatness by the quality of its playing. Obviously, Alec Guinness, who essays the eight doomed D'Ascoynes, merits every superlative lavished on a performance of astounding versatility and virtuosity. But let's not forget Dennis Price as the ceaselessly inventive killer, and Joan Greenwood and Valerie Hobson as the vamp and the vestal in his life, who are singularly brilliant.
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Witty, genteel black comedy well set in the stately Edwardian era and quite deserving of its reputation for wit and style; yet the effect is curiously muffled and several opportunities are missed.
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Most helpful member's review
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10 out of 12 people found this review helpful
This is how every film should be made
So much for so called blockbusters, they have all been very disappointing of late. Here we need to go back to 1959 to find a truly excellent film.
Thoroughly entertaining, well acted throughout without any sex or violence, oh I am no prude and do enjoy the odd film with S&V but now and again it makes a very pleasant change to view a film of this high calibre. -
Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Great comedic murders?
An actor to play one or two parts in a film production could be thought pretty good but to play eight ranks as a unique achievment.
Alec Guinness pulled off such a feat in this film with convincing ease and as a consequence his work never looked back. He became one of the best known character actors we have ever seen. The title of his autobiography reflected this fact! ('My name escapes me').
This film is the British Film Industry at it's best. This delightful period piece is set against the back drop of the Edwardian age with all it's etiquette, voluminous lady's fashions and hats to delight the eye. Joan Greenwood and Valerie Hobson (pre Profumo scandal days)are at their elegant best as the two ladies in our hero Dennis Price's 'life of crime'.
(As he says later 'How happy could I be with either were t'other dear charmer away!')
He disposes of (nearly) all of the eight D'Ascoigne family members that stand between him and the title he so earnestly desires.
The irony of being wrongfully accused of a murder he did NOT do causes him to reflect about how he got to be in this condemned cell at all as he writes his memoirs.
Miles Malleson plays a beautiful cameo role as the hangman - wrestling with how he should address the Duke he is about to hang!
Altogether a delight and one you must see at least once if only to witness the consumate skills of Alec Guinness -(ever to be equalled?, set in an age whose elegance we may never see again either!. -
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Set in the stately Edwardian era, Robert Hamer's Kind Hearts And Coronets is black comedy at is best, with the most articulate and literate of all Ealing screenplays. Sir Alec Guinness gives a ... -