The Lavender Hill Mob in cinemas in March, on 4K UHD & Digital in April
22 February 2024
Studiocanal has announce the release of a spectacular 4K restoration of one of the most-loved British comedies from Ealing Studios, The Lavender Hill Mob, written by T.E.B. Clarke (winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar), directed by Charles Crichton (A Fish Called Wanda) and starring Alec Guinness (Kind Hearts & Coronets, The Man in The White Suit), Stanley Holloway (My Fair Lady), Sid James (the Carry On films) and Alfie Bass (Alfie). The enduringly funny story of a nobody bank employee’s ingenious plan to rob the Bank of England and the motley crew that he assembles to carry out the raid, will be released in UK cinemas on 29 March and as a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition and on Digital from 22 April.
Henry Holland (Alec Guiness) has worked faithfully for 20 years as a bank transfer agent for the delivery of gold bullion. A shy retiring man, completely inconsequential to his employers, he has long dreamt of a way to execute his plan of the perfect gold robbery – the only catch being how to move the gold on once stolen. One day he befriends Pendlebury (Stanley Holloway), a maker of souvenirs. Holland remarks that with Pendlebury’s smelting equipment, he could forge the gold into harmless-looking toy Eiffel Towers and smuggle the gold from England into France. Soon after, the two plant a story to gain the services of professional criminals Lackery (Sid James) and Shorty (Alfie Bass). Together the four plot their crime, leading to unexpected twists and turns.
Oscar-winning writer T.E.B. Clarke was inspired for the screenplay, to write about a clerk robbing his own bank whilst researching jewellery heists for the film Pool of London, and he even consulted with the Bank of England on the script. The Lavender Hill Mob was memorably shot on location in the streets of the City of London, still bearing the scars of the Blitz, and by the river Seine and Eiffel Tower in Paris. Ranked by the British Film Institute as the 17th greatest British film of all time, the film was extremely popular at the box office on its original release in 1951, and won several awards including the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, and the Best Actor Academy Award nomination for Alec Guinness.
The new 4K restoration release of The Lavender Hill Mob is part of a wider celebration by Studiocanal and UK cinemas of the Golden Age of Ealing Studios, when it was run by Michael Balcon. The ‘Once More with Ealing’ season will see audience-favourites screening in cinemas, including Kind Hearts & Coronets, Whisky Galore! and Passport to Pimlico, which all celebrate their 75th Anniversary this year.
Studiocanal will also release Kind Hearts & Coronets on UHD for the first time on 22 April, and will have lesser-known Ealing dramas The Bells Go Down, Cage of Gold and Lease of Life released on its Vintage Classics label later in the year.
The Lavender Hill Mob was restored in 4K using a 35mm duplicating positive as the original negative was unavailable. Thanks to the latest film scanning technology and restoration tools, we were able to achieve a high standard image from the positive that was used. Silver Salt Restoration restored and colour graded the film producing a new 4K DCP, HDR Dolby Vision and HD master.
The Lavender Hill Mob released as a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition and on Digital on 22 April 2024, which has been priced on Amazon at £40.
4K UHD COLLECTOR'S EDITION CONTENTS:
2 discs (UHD and BD)
64 page booklet
2 posters - new and original artwork designed by Matt Griffin
4 pop-art artcards designed by Art & Hue
4K UHD COLLECTOR'S EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES:
New The Perfect Heist: Benedict Morrison on The Lavender Hill Mob. Benedict is a Senior Lecturer in Literature and Film at Exeter University and author of Eccentric Laughter: Queer Possibilities in Post-War British Film Comedy.
New London Comedy Film Festival Q&A with Paul Merton
Those British Faces: Stanley Holloway
Introduction by Martin Scorsese
Extract from BEHP Audio interview with Charles Crichton
Good Afternoon: Mavis interviews T.E.B. Clarke
Audio Commentary by film historian Jeremy Arnold
Original Trailer
Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
Kind Hearts & Coronets, meanwhile, will also be released on 4K UHD for the first time on 22 April at 2024 the current Amazon pre-order price of £23.
4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES:
Once More with Ealing
John Landis introduction
Audio commentary with film critic Peter Bradshaw, director Terence Davies and Matthew Guinness
Audio Commentary with film writer and critic Kat Ellinger
