Strong and Moving!

Load of rubbish!!

Fresh and Exciting

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I first saw this movie fifty years ago. I loved it then and, after seeing it on TCM, love it now. The plot: a disaffected English Army officer recruits other vets to pull off a heist. The Gimmick: They are all ex-officers of His/Her Majesty's armed forces so the caper is pulled off with military planning. Bonus Humor: The lampooning of military life. I suspect that this film greatly amused many a British vet in 1960, just as Ocean's Eleven amused US audiences that same year. Fifteen years after WWII ended, many men were having second thoughts about the value of service and the nature of honor and duty. The men carrying out this caper (and this is a Caper Film, like Topkapi or the Italian Job) are all disaffected, some turned to criminal ways. Jack Hawkins' character is not a criminal, but has just been declared redundant by the British Army and forcibly retired after twenty-five tears of service. Add a failed marriage to that (nicely drawn in a few lines of dialog) and you have a man seeking some kind of satisfaction in his battle with Society, just some kind of recognition that he is more than a non-entity. During the heist, as Hawkins' car rolls down the street, the camera shoots up to show us the buildings belonging to the great English newspapers of the day. Without any direct comment, the camera has revealed some of Hawkins' motivation. This is a tight script (written by Bryan Forbes, the motorcyclist in the League), even at two hours, but all the stuff that wasn't developed is lightly traced in. I think that movie makers could study this work with profit. As slow as some of the action might seem to American audiences now (lots of dialog, few explosions), there is hardly a line or a shot that doesn't serve a purpose. If you enjoy caper movies, this is one of the greats. If you want post-WWII history or a treatise on class system decline, that's here as well. Add in great acting, great script, crisp direction and camera-work, you have a marvelous movie!

Yes they get busted at the end. It's 1960 in England, who were more conservative then France, and maybe even America at this point, when it comes to crime films. Still, a great film for us men to watch, especially veterans who can relate to the camaraderie. I knew from the start they would get busted, somewhere along the line they would get revealed, a kid taking down license plate numbers? Whatever. It could have been a person in the street who recognized something, it's like whatever we all knew they would get busted because ALL films back then demanded that. I'm thinking this film actually brought on some back lash as to how lame crime films were. In about 5 or so years the endings would most likely stay the same but then again, maybe not? The times were changing and you can't fault this film too much for an ending that was demanded of it. 8 of 10, great caper film despite the state demanded ending. BTW, doesn't the Adjunct (XO in America) look like a mid aged Bill Murray? Thats the way I watched it through. Cheers.

After the second world war thousands of ex-servicemen,trained to use firearms,well-disciplined,ruthless and fit,found themselves rather unceremoniously made surplus to requirements.Whilst that might have suited the vast majority of conscripts,a significant number of former officers and NCOs who had been career soldiers felt embittered at being discarded - as they saw it - after having served their purpose. These men,quick - thinking,intelligent,resourceful and courageous,found themselves presented with the opportunity of either knuckling down to a life of stifling domesticity in which none of the attributes the army had encouraged and developed would be of any use to them,or the perceived excitement and glamour of a life of crime. It is perhaps not so surprising that a number of major robberies in post-war Britain were carried out by such men . Military Training was turning out to be a bit of a double - edged sword. Mr Jack Hawkins represents the "bad" side as the aptly named Colonel Hyde.He assembles a motley crew of ex - comrades down on their luck whom he coerces to rob a bank. After a lot of initial grumbling they all begin to enjoy the training, reminding them as it does of the army days.Gradually he moulds them into a team where the needs of the group supersede those of the individual. The highlight of the film without doubt is the long sequence where they raid an army base in broad daylight to obtain their weapons. Its depiction of the late 50s military mind is spot on and would have struck a chord with its contemporary audience,many of whom would have spent time in just such an establishment. The bank robbery itself goes off without a hitch,but the team are undone by a schoolboy indulging in the long - forgotten practise of "taking car numbers". "The League of Gentlemen" has a notable cast,the wonderful Mr Nigel Patrick being outstanding;his best role after Mr Jingle in "The Pickwick Papers". The British Cinema was blessed at that time with a positive cornucopia of versatile actors whose faces and voices remain in ones mind nearly half a century on.Mr Hawkins,MrLivesey,Mr Patrick,Mr Moore,Mr Forbes,Mr Attenborough.............I salute you all.A League of Gentlemen indeed.

When I first watched this it felt slow to get going but after they dupe the Army it really gets going. Repeated viewings have made the entire movie great. From Jack Hawkins to Nigel Patrick the cast shine brilliantly. A Boys Own tale in a way...the plot is simple ex-Army men who have been disgraced for whatever reason go to rob a bank. The movie builds the plot with comic moments and then it all goes ahead only for the plan to go awry in the most unlikliest of fashions. Excellent scenes are the Army scene. The lines with the private saying to the rumour to get to attention: "Get stuffed." to which David Lodge as the CSM comes in and bellows: "GET WHAT!?" Or the end sequence just before they get caught involving 'Bunny' Warren who has little capacity for alcohol it seems. Sadly, this film is largely forgotten because of the obscene BBC comedy that bears the same name. I wish I had it on DVD, this movie is the beeknees.