Noblesse oblige

Undoubtedly one of the most perfect, brilliant comedies ever, this movie is extremely fun and revels in its dark, clever humour. What can one say about a comedy centred around a dapper, charming, likable, impoverished young English gentleman who is at the same time an utterly remorseless, ever-calculating killer who has no qualms about killing an entire line of relatives who all stand in his path to inherit the family fortune? On top of that, he all the while takes great care in preserving his demeanor and status as a gentleman; all the relatives he must eliminate are brought to life by the genius of Alec Guinness; and there's an executioner who takes pains to show proper respect to his social "superior." The dialogue, indeed pretty much all of the humour, is a shining example of "British humour" at its best. It is subtle, clever, dark, and full of irony and satire. It is pure, brilliant entertainment that doesn't stop. Comedy really can't get much better than this.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is probably one of the nastiest movies ever made. And there's hardly an ounce of onscreen violence in it. I first saw this flick as a child, and although I liked it, I was probably too young to understand it fully. Well, now I do. It's brilliant. Dennis Price as the vengeful, amoral (yet, in his own way, strangely moral) Louis Mazzini turns in a fantastic, beautiful, even sympathetic performance. (Would you believe *sympathetic?*) He is complemented--though not overshadowed--by the inimitable Alec Guinness in eight roles as members of the D'Ascoyne family. And Joan Greenwood is every bit Price's conniving equal as Sibella. I should also mention that the script is mind-boggling. It's all nasty stuff covered up by Victorian gentility. Scathing attack on nobility, too. Also on folks who seem to miss the point about art (like Guinness' portrayal of the priest).

I'm running out of ways to express my enjoyment of the film, but I'd like to make a final point. I read a comment allegedly attributed to Lindsay Anderson that indicated the movie's visuals didn't live up to the screenplay. Just want to respectfully disagree. I believe the visuals were perfectly suited to the film, as they framed the action perfectly, called attention to the comic moments without creating any distractions (via camera or otherwise) and provided clean, clear visuals. In other words, a perfect appearance for a nearly perfect comedy. The strong editing also helped. So, while this is not a visually innovative film on the level of, say, "Citizen Kane" or "Battleship Potemkin," it doesn't need to be...nor should it be. The sum of its parts makes a thoroughly delectable whole.

How many stars are we allowed to give it? :-)

• Simon

While Alec Guinness justly deserves rave reviews for his eight brilliant characterizations in "Kind Hearts," one must not overlook the brilliant performance of the lead, Dennis Price, one of the great character actors of the period. Price, a genuine war hero in World War II, had a career that lasted for nearly 30 years, during which he played comic and serious roles with consummate skill. No one could portray the arch, sophisticated rogue better than Price, as is evident not only in "Kind Hearts" but in another of my favorite comedies of the period "The Naked Truth" (1957, where he plays the elegant but sleazy tabloid editor/blackmailer, opposite the likes of Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas, and Peggy Mount. He was very funny in a small role as the "gentleman con man" in Sellers' great hit of 1962, "The Wrong Arm of the Law." And for dramatic intensity one can point to his role of Major Charlie Scott in the gripping regimental drama, "The Tunes of Glory." (1960). So three cheers for Price as that charming rogue, "Louis Mazzini," in "Kind Hearts and Coronets."

Robert Hamer, the director of "Kind Hearts and Coronets", one of the better comedies to come out of the Ealing studios in the late forties, created a memorable film that still keeps enchanting, no matter how many times one has seen it. This is a film that like a vintage wine gets better with age.

Of course, the right elements were put together in this venture under Mr. Hamer's direction, which is probably the best tribute one could say about the film.

Louis Mazzini, the young man who should have inherited a noble title that is lost as her mother elopes with an Italian tenor and she is disinherited. Louis is determined to regain what's due to him, by whatever means possible. Things go well for him, but he commits a mistake in entering an illicit romance with the calculating Sibella, while at the same time falling in love with the radiant Edith D'Ascoyne, the young widow.

Dennis Price gives a smart account of Louis Mazzini. He is a delight to watch as he keeps scratching off dead relatives from behind the picture frame. Alec Guinness portrays eight D'Ascoynes with an unusual panache. Best of all is Lady Agatha who encounters 'turbulence' while flying in a balloon. Valerie Hobson makes an impression with her Edith and Joan Greenwood is at her best as Sibella.

This is a film to treasure.

This fine film is an example of Ealing at its very best, with a superlative script and acting of a very high standard. In watching, one is once more all too sadly aware of the difference in quality between British films of this era and today; there can't have been in recent times a screenplay as cleverly comic, economical and incisive as this is. The level of wit is high, and perfectly suitable for a black comedy such as this. Certain lines and scenes linger agreeably in the memory; the part where Price, in his droll narration, slips into verse, is wonderful, as is the "fight" he has with a lower-class rival; "I'm not going to drawn into a scuffle with you!"

The element of class satire is strong, and while one is shown the lethargy and complacency of the upper classes through the amusing parade of Alec Guinness' characters, Price's corrupt plans are never condemned as such. His character, vigorous and witty, and the clever tool of narration, which in its tone draws in the viewer almost as a confidant. Similarly, but to an even more effective degree than in "Whisky Galore!" (1948) and "The League of Gentlemen" (1959), the viewer is made sympathetic to wrong-doings. The stunningly executed plot and dialogue are finely put across indeed by all of the actors. In the main role, Price refines and defines the cad Mancini perfectly; it really is a great performance, making the character more than memorable. Alec Guinness is great in his 8 roles, making a distinctive actorly mark in all of them. It says a lot that in a career as formidable as Guinness', in TV, film and theatre, his contribution to this film particularly stands out. The two ladies are impeccably played by Valerie Hobson and Joan Greenwood, who contrast quite perfectly; Hobson as rich and strait-laced if certainly beautiful, and Greenwood as the distinctively seductive childhood friend. Price's "juggling" of his two women is wonderfully arch and amusing. The film's ending should be noted as quite ingenious and wonderfully in keeping with the film's overall wit.

In the context even of Ealing, a studio adept at clever comedies, this is an extra-special film. Along with the films of this era of Powell and Pressburger and Carol Reed, this film makes one nostalgic for the days when British film was both distinctively British and universal in its qualities. Wonderfully funny and compelling, this film is one of my few favourites of all and overwhelmingly recommended.

Rating:- *****/*****