ma-cortes Amusing comedy has Aussie swindlers trio being chased by Scotland Yard as well as thieves because they have been posing as policemen and confiscating pillage from apprehended robbers . The Australian bunch being informed by Valerie(Nanette Newman), fiancée of Pearly (Peter Sellers), the leader of a group of inept crooks . Then the criminals organize a convention among the main robbers (Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins) and scheme a plan. After that , there happens a meeting between chief thieves and cops (Lionel Jeffries, John Le Musurier) which takes place at a merry-go-round. Later on, they set up a trap to track them down.Agreeable spoof comedy in ¨Ealing¨ style packs some very funny and wacky moments . This is a classic British comedy of the 60s in the wake of ¨ Lavender hill mob¨ that is clearly its inspiration . Enjoyable argument divides his satirical jibes between the underworld crooks and police . It contains sympathetic performance of Peter Sellers , Bernard Cribbins and special mention for Lionel Jeffries as unfortunate cop. Secondary intervention by Dennis Price as educated crook and cameo role by Michael Caine in the Police Station. Furthermore Graham Stark as likable thief , formerly becoming into usual 'Pink Panther' series. Atmospheric score by Richard Rodney Bennett with jazzy sound in the main titles. Appropriate cinematography in black and white by Ernest Steward. The picture is well and originally directed by Cliff Owen. He is a habitual director for television and an expert on comedy as he proved in ¨ No sex please : we're British¨, ¨The bawdy adventures of Tom Jones¨ , ¨A man could get killed¨ and several others. The flick will appeal to Peter Sellers fans and Brit comedy enthusiast . Rating : Good and better than average English comedy. This is one of the few enduringly funny films in British cinema of the 60.

paul-barnes9090 This is one of my favourite films - although I agree Peter Sellers does not steal the show (for once), its the whole cast and their interaction which makes this film so special. Lionel Jeffries gives a brilliant performance as an inept policeman and Bernard Cribbins role as 'Pearly Gates' gang-lord rival is superb. The plot is well covered on this site, but I would like to add that the robbery on the security van was filmed in Mill Rd, Uxbridge (by the canal bridge - the shop&pub are still there) and I think the airfield was Denham (again nr. Uxbridge).A brilliant film - They just don't make 'em like that anymore! On a similar thread I would recommend Norman Wisdom in 'On the Beat'- one of his best performances in my opinion, and Sellers again in 'Two-way stretch' if you're looking for a good laugh.

Peter Hayes Australian confidence tricksters pose as London policemen in order to steal from known hardcore criminals out on the job.Peter Sellers -- like Elvis, Prince and Jimi Hendrix -- came along with exactly the right talent at exactly the right time. His acting here exposes the truth about him: He was a brilliant comedy actor at a time when the best others could manage was either one note characters or lame camera mugging.(Lionel Jeffries and Bernard Cribbins -- here playing a dutiful, but dim police officer and an Irish hood respectively are good examples!)Sellers (Pearly Gates) outclasses the rest of the cast put together in a kind of double roll as a London criminal mastermind and (when the mood takes him) a "French" dress designer. The whole thing is dated as hell, and features that well known standby of British crime films of the villains having the "its a fair cop, guv" attitude to the law. Indeed this has both sides of the law working together to solve their mutual problem!They put this on a compilation DVD and you can see why: It is not really good enough to stand on its own two feet, but it is not really bad enough not to have some video value.Sellers was a genius and a comedy legend. Without being the slightest bit funny himself (look at his performances on chat shows) he could take quality material in to outer space. Here he only has mediocre material to work with, but he carries you through without a glance at your watch.P.S The scenes at Battersea Amusement Park remind you what the place look liked -- if you ever went there -- before it was closed. Probably due to a fatal accident on the roller-coaster you can actually see in the background.

philcald This film is full of many wonderful characters from the mainstream 50's British cinematic comedy era. The film centres on the criminal gangs of London being double crossed in their criminal activities by a bunch of foreign criminal gang members who impersonate Metropolitan Police Officers.They turn up at the scene of the crime and then disappear with the stolen goods leaving the criminals in limbo waiting to be arrested by the real police.Arthur Mullard, Peter Sellers, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbens and many more make this a gem of a title to watch. Some of the film was produced around Teddington, South West London, the scene of the mass arrest at the railroad level crossing was filmed in a Teddington street called Fairfax Road.The crossing was taken out of use many years ago but the building on which Peter Sellers and his cohorts sat observing the proceedings is still in place adjacent to the point where the crossing was.The area where the Jaguar car driven by Mullard screams over the bridge is the railway road bridge at Strawberry Hill (not far from Teddington).I humbly give this film 9 out of 10, but then maybe I'm biased as I just love old British comedies such as this. Produced by Romulus Films and distributed by British Lion Films, what could be better?