Overview
A shy bank transfer agent hatches an outrageous plan to forge gold into souvenirs, leading to a comical heist.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- mischievous
- buoyant
- lazy sunday
- classic comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrate the film as exceptionally entertaining British farce, led by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway, while noting that the aftermath is less elegant than its superb setup.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Holland recruits accomplices and executes an elaborate gold-smuggling scheme while the film treats criminal tropes with polite farce.
Henry Holland is trusted with gold shipments because of his self-effacing bank career, even as he privately dreams of the perfect crime.
The stolen bullion is recast as harmless souvenir Eiffel Towers to move it from England into France.
Holland exploits his trusted position as a bank transfer agent and knowledge of bullion transport to facilitate the robbery.
Films like The Lavender Hill Mob, and why
The Ladykillers
shared british ensemble farce, criminal plotting, and dry comic tone
Kind Hearts and Coronets
shared ealing studios sensibility, comic crime scheme, and morally eccentric characters
A Fish Called Wanda
shared witty caper structure, understated british humor, and ordinary protagonists pursuing elaborate crimes
The Wrong Arm of the Law
shared comic heist mechanics, escalating complications, and playful criminal ensemble
Movie Details
- Director
- Charles Crichton
- Release Date
- 1951-06-28
- Runtime
- 78 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (299)
Cast
- Alec Guinness
- Stanley Holloway
- Sidney James
- Alfie Bass
- Marjorie Fielding
- Edie Martin
- John Salew
- Ronald Adam
- Arthur Hambling
- Gibb McLaughlin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- FlixFling
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Lavender Hill Mob about?
- A timid bank clerk turns his knowledge of bullion transfers into an irresistibly elaborate gold-smuggling caper.
- What is The Lavender Hill Mob like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Lavender Hill Mob as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Lavender Hill Mob violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Lavender Hill Mob as mild.
- What did critics think of The Lavender Hill Mob?
- Critics broadly celebrate the film as exceptionally entertaining British farce, led by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway, while noting that the aftermath is less elegant than its superb setup.
- Which films are like The Lavender Hill Mob?
- Films with a similar feel include The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets, A Fish Called Wanda, and The Wrong Arm of the Law.
- How long is The Lavender Hill Mob?
- The Lavender Hill Mob runs 78 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Lavender Hill Mob?
- In United States, The Lavender Hill Mob streams on FlixFling.
