Review of Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) by Ike O — 05 Nov 2010

I approached this with some skepticism but was roiling in riotous laughter within minutes. How a film can be this uproarious, biting and relevant 60 years after release is beyond me. The only recent comedies I can recall that were as hilarious and satisfying all seem to emanate from the English isles ('In The Loop', and a pair of Simon Pegg-Edgar Wright gems).

This is true black comedy in all its majestic glory: deliciously underhanded, bitingly satiric, furiously whip-smart and, of course, a laugh riot. Dennis Price is Louis Mazzini, 10th in line to a Dukedom but mired in poverty b'cos his mother was cast out for marrying - of all things - for love, rather than land or wealth or prestige. When his mother dies in poverty and is denied her final wish of being buried in the family crypt, Louis schemes bloody vengeance - to usurp the Dukedom by offing every single heir - all played hilariously by Sir Alec Guinness - in his way. It is a brilliant scheme, and Louis's exceedingly proper narration of such grim doings is one of the film's strong counterpoints (his quite natural disdain for hunting and other 'bloodsports' is delivered so drolly and matter-of-factly that it becomes a laugh-out-loud punchline in light that he is at the same time plotting to kill his uncle the Duke).

All the kudos over the years have gone to Alec Guinness, who is rightfully lauded for playing 8 so different characters, ranging from an endearing if foppish 24-year-old to a doddering old senile priest. It's quite brilliant to watch how convincing he is, even with the limitations of makeup in those days. But Dennis Price, the lead, the 'hero', should not be kept in the dark, b'cos the film flies or fails with him, and it is his amazing performance - so prim, so proper, so diabolically dashing - that is the true cornerstone of the film. Watching his quite delicate and methodical approach to serialized murder is a thrill, and he consistently provides the most laughs without ever telling a 'joke'; comedies, especially the British ones, were so much more organic back then.

It is a critique of class, and its culmination in a trial b4 the House of Lords is the fitting climax, where Louis is so prim and civilized he will not even risk an outburst at the prospect of being hanged for a crime he alleges not to have committed. The Hays Code enforced a change in the ending for American release, but the delicious ambiguity of the original finale is a wondrous joy to behold. 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' is fiendishly funny and insightful, and certainly one of the greatest comedies committed to celluloid.

ADDENDUM: I was shocked to hear the word "nigger" used not once but twice, in such casual refrain, but even that did not upset by enjoyment of the film, b'cos there was no malice at all in it. I did some reading and found that it was not widely viewed as derogatory in the UK at that time, and was still the commonplace word in the rhyme "Eeny meeny miny moe" (in place of "tiger"). Of course, the Hays Code wisely (for once) enforced a change to "sailor" for its American use, the first time I know of that gov't film censorship in America was actually for the betterment of all involved.