Rent The League of Gentlemen (1960)

NOTHING to do with Messrs Shearsmith, Gatiss, Pemberton and Dyson - The League of Gentlemen review by Tartanian

Like an episode of TV's 'Columbo' we know who the criminals are and how they carry out their crime - we are with them all along the way, through the formation of the gang, the planning and training for 'the job' and its execution. We can be fairly sure that the group of armed bank robbers will be caught - the morality of the day (1960) meant that, Raffles-aside, crooks could not be seen to prosper - but who or what will be the cause of their downfall?

A cast of well-known faces - some of the 'oh, I know him from somewhere' type and others (such as Richard Attenborough and the group's leader Jack Hawkins) who probably remain as well-known now as then - light up the screen with unflamboyant performances*, sympathetically directed by consummate professional Basil Dearden.

* A special mention has to go to the 'blink and you'll miss it' cameo by Oliver Reed as a camp (ballet?) dancer - well worth the price of admission.

'The League of Gentlemen' is the kind of film I would characterise as 'wet, weekday afternoon' viewing - meant as a compliment - where no frame is wasted and the end seems to arrive unexpectedly early (as in 'where did the last hour-and-a-half go?').

Classic British Crime Film - The League of Gentlemen review by GI

This is a nostalgic British heist film about a group of former and disaffected Army officers who plan and execute a bank robbery. There's a mild comedy feel to script and the great array of stalwart British actors, Jack Hawkins, Roger Livesey, Nigel Patrick, Richard Attenborough and Terence Alexander will be familiar to those of a certain age - keen viewers will also spot a very early appearance of Oliver Reed as a gay actor. Overall it's a wonderful story though, well scripted and with, for its time, a gritty robbery set piece at its heart. Hawkins is the leader who brings together a group of ex soldiers who all have financial problems and a history that makes them susceptible to committing the audacious crime. This is an enjoyable and interesting film, not only for it's nostalgic value, but also as a classic British crime film that is well worth seeking out.

More Rehearsal than Robbery - The League of Gentlemen review by griggs

There’s something endearingly buttoned-up about this British caper—the sort of film where the planning takes twice as long as the crime. The League of Gentlemen assembles a crew of ex-army chancers for one last pay-day, all spiffingly organised with military precision. It’s more about logistics than lawbreaking, and you half expect someone to complete a risk-assessment before cracking a safe.

Basil Dearden keeps its brisk, and the cast is a sharp mix of familiar faces—Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, Richard Attenborough, Bryan Forbes, and Roger Livesy—with a young Ollie Reed thrown in for a split second uncredited cameo for good measure. The tone treads the line between comedy and crime, never quite settling on either.

It's good fun in that Sunday-afternoon way—smartly written, well-mannered, and thoroughly British—but it never quite catches fire. You can see its fingerprints on later heist films, particularly Reservoir Dogs, even if it feels more rehearsal than robbery.