Kind Hearts and Coronets

Alec Guinness and Ealing Studios: was there ever a more sublime match of talent and filmmakers in the history of British cinema? Ealing was the premier source of exquisitely droll British comedies in the 1940s and '50s, and Guinness—best known to later generations as Obi-Wan Kenobi of Star Wars fame—was the studio's greatest comedic asset, starring in such timeless classics as The Ladykillers, The Man in the White Suit, and The Lavender Hill Mob. But it was the 1949 Ealing classic Kind Hearts and Coronets that gave Guinness a supreme opportunity to demonstrate his versatility, playing no less than eight roles in a darkly comedic tour de force rivaled only by Peter Sellers' multi-character showcase in Dr. Strangelove 15 years later. Guinness isn't actually the star—that honor belongs to Dennis Price, who perfectly plays Louis Mazzini, a London commoner who avenges his mother's unjust disinheritance by murdering the members of the aristocratic D'Ascoyne family (all eight of whom are played by Guinness), who stand between him and dukedom, knocking them off one by one in delightfully devious fashion (the air-balloon "accident" involving the suffragette Lady D'Ascoyne is particularly wicked). The film's black comedy (and Price's voice-over narration) is so deliciously understated that you may find yourself rooting for Louis' success! Kind Hearts and Coronets was considered more than a little scandalous upon its initial release in 1949, when murder as a form of social-climbing ambition was considered (rightfully so) in rather poor taste, but the timeless appeal of the film lies in the perfect tone of dry wit and suspense that director Robert Hamer maintains with such noteworthy elegance: rarely has serial murder been so much fun. This Criterion Collection double-disc set presents the film in a new, restored high-definition transfer, backed by outstanding supplements, including a feature-length BBC documentary about Ealing Studios, and a rare 70-minute 1977 British talk show appearance by Guinness, recorded just as Star Wars was bringing him great exposure (Guinness rarely gave interviews, so this one's a real treasure). Considered by many to be Sir Alec's crowning achievement, Kind Hearts and Coronets is highly recommended. (J. Shannon) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—Aug. 27, 2019—Kino Lorber, 106 min., not rated, DVD: $19.99, Blu-ray: $29.99—Making its latest appearance on DVD and domestic debut on Blu-ray, 1949’s Kind Hearts and Coronets features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include an intro by filmmaker John Landis (3 min.), audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger, an audio interview with cinematographer Douglas Slocombe (28 min.), the behind-the-scenes featurette 'Those British Faces' on costar Dennis Price (27 min.), and an alternate American ending (3 min.). Bottom line: a British classic makes a welcome debut stateside on Blu-ray.]