I recently bought a box set of Ealing Comedies (Kind Hearts And Coronets, Passport To Pimlico, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Man In The White Suit and The Ladykillers) and looking back on them you do realise just how good British film comedy was around the 1940s and 50s.
One interesting thing which I have only spotted today is that the opening scene of The Lavender Hill Mob features one of the earliest screen appearances of Audrey Hepburn. I've never noticed it before.
Quote: Ian Wolf @ March 16 2011, 10:19 AM GMTOne interesting thing which I have only spotted today is that the opening scene of The Lavender Hill Mob features one of the earliest screen appearances of Audrey Hepburn. I've never noticed it before.
While the final scene of Kind Hearts And Coronets features a youthful(ish) Arthur Lowe.
It's interesting just how black "Kind Hearts And Coronets" and "The Ladykillers" are too, they are all about greed and death.
Hepburn was the cigarette girl if I remember rightly.
Not only was it class comedy for its time, but it inspired a lot of good rivals to up their game (I don't think Ealing made the Boulting Brother films for example).
I got the boxed set of them for Christmas and watched them all over a couple of weeks.
I think "Passport To Pimlico" was my favourite, closely followed by "The Ladykillers" but they were all enjoyable and mostly still quite relevant to today.
'The Lady Killers' by Tom Hanks was a pretty dire remake which only shows how polished the originals were. My favourite Ealing Comedy has always been 'School For Scoundrels'. What an absolute gem of a film.
Quote: Baumski @ March 16 2011, 3:48 PM GMTMy favourite Ealing Comedy has always been 'School For Scoundrels'. What an absolute gem of a film.
Not strictly an Ealing Comedy as it was made at Elstree studios. 
Quote: Ian Wolf @ March 16 2011, 10:19 AM GMTI recently bought a box set of Ealing Comedies
Which one did you get, Ian?
Quote: Aaron @ March 16 2011, 4:02 PM GMTWhich one did you get, Ian?
It was the 5 Disc collectors edition "The Best of Ealing Studios Collection". I got it and a box set of the four original St. Trinian's films in HMV for £20.
Quote: Ian Wolf @ March 16 2011, 5:20 PM GMTIt was the 5 Disc collectors edition "The Best of Ealing Studios Collection". I got it and a box set of the four original St. Trinian's films in HMV for £20.
Ah, a rather good bargain then! Well done! 
Quote: Aaron @ March 17 2011, 12:36 AM GMTAh, a rather good bargain then! Well done!
Thanks. It's also been useful guide-wise. I've been able to write up entries for Passport to Pimlico, The Man in the White Suit and The Ladykillers, all of which can be put up online. I'd do the other two as well but I don't have full access to them.
I've just learned that the National Media Museum in Bradford is running a film course about Ealing Comedies. If anyone is interested, info can be found here.
Fascinating - if only it was in London, I would be very tempted!
Quote: Aaron @ April 7 2011, 5:33 PM BSTFascinating - if only it was in London, I would be very tempted!
I feel the same way with regards to the London Comedy Writer's Festival.
Quote: Ian Wolf @ April 7 2011, 6:03 PM BSTI feel the same way with regards to the London Comedy Writer's Festival.
But it is in London - hence the name.