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DVD Description
Kind Hearts and Coronets is regarded as one of the best Golden-Age Ealing comedies and is included on the British Film Institute’s list of the 100 Best British Films of the 20th Century.
Alec Guinness features in eight different roles as the unsuspecting members of the aristocratic D’Ascoyne family--murdered one by one by the scheming, outcast cousin Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price). Mazzini's mother was a D'Ascoyne by birth, but when she ran away with an opera singer she was ostracized by her family as a result. When her dying wish to be buried in the family crypt is refused, Louis vows to get his revenge. As he ascends the social ranks, he is torn between his love for now-married childhood sweetheart, and equally devilish Sibella (Joan Greenwood), and the saintly wife of one of his victims, Edith D’Ascoyne (Valerie Hobson).
A sparkling new restoration of the Ealing Studios comedy classic.
Special Features
Alec Guinness features in eight different roles as the unsuspecting members of the aristocratic D’Ascoyne family--murdered one by one by the scheming, outcast cousin Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price). Mazzini's mother was a D'Ascoyne by birth, but when she ran away with an opera singer she was ostracized by her family as a result. When her dying wish to be buried in the family crypt is refused, Louis vows to get his revenge. As he ascends the social ranks, he is torn between his love for now-married childhood sweetheart, and equally devilish Sibella (Joan Greenwood), and the saintly wife of one of his victims, Edith D’Ascoyne (Valerie Hobson).
A sparkling new restoration of the Ealing Studios comedy classic.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary with Peter Bradshaw, Terence Davies & Matthew Guinness
- John Landis Introduction
- Dennis Price: Those British Faces
- BBC Radio 3 The Essay - British Cinema of the 1940s: Kind Hearts and Coronets Audio Featurette
- Alternative American Ending
- Restoration Comparison
- Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
- Excerpt from BECTU History Project interview with Douglas Slocombe
- Trailer
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is one of the classic Ealing comedies which lingers long in the memory and leaves a very happy aftertaste. It is unique because of Alec Guinness's tour de force in personifying all the D'Ascoignes, but it has many other virtues too - the suave and solid work of Dennis Price and of Valerie Hobson, beautiful and remote with just a hint of earthy lustfulness, and Joan Greenwood, much more worldly and playful and every bit as characterful. The screenplay is full of intelligence - I have always enjoyed the superannuated parson's description of the west window of his church as having 'all of the exuberance of Chaucer without, happily, any of the concomitant crudities of his period' - and the plot is neat and clever, with the irony of Price's downfall resulting from the one death he was not responsible for and then, when all seems well after all, the strong hint that it may not be. I've seen the film a number of times and it always gives delight. It is one film which fully justifies the epithet 'well-liked', and that is just what it deserves to be.
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Kind hearts are more than coronets/And simple faith than Norman blood. - Lord Tennyson."
Tennyson could have been writing about the movie "Kind Hearts and Coronets," a wonderfully twisted movie all about killing one's relatives to get ahead in the world. This classic black comedy is blessed with excellent acting by Dennis Price and Alec Guinness, as well as some very inventive murders and wry dialogue.
A young lady of the D'Ascoyne family was ostracized when she married an Italian singer (he dropped dead when their son was born). Louis (Price) was raised hearing all about his noble relatives, but ignored by them -- and when his mother is refused burial at the family plot, and his devious girlfriend Sibella (Joan Greenwood) spurns him for a rich, dull man, he decides to become the next Duke.
To do that, he has to kill off several relatives, which he does in various ingenious ways. He's also wooing the widow of one such murdered relative, the kindly Edith (Valerie Hobson), while still frisking with Sibella. But you can't commit six murders -- no matter how clever -- without raising some suspicions, and soon Louis finds himself a Duke on death row... but is there a way out?
The whole story is told in flashback, as Louis writes his memoirs in his cell, and there's only a little bit after the memoirs' completion that explains what happened next. But from the first moments onward (the executioner getting excited about the "privilege" of hanging a duke), it's pretty obvious that "Kind Hearts and Coronets" has a rare, wicked sense of humor.
Much of that is through the irony (Louis is morally opposed to hunting, but not murder) and brilliantly dark dialogue ("I shot an arrow in the air; she fell to earth in Berkeley Square"). One of the best things is Louis' narration -- we learn that he's intelligent, droll, and as much of a snob as his richer relatives.
But there's also the great ways in which the D'Ascoynes expire -- exploding labs, drifting boats, shooting down a hot air balloon with an arrow, and a battleship that goes the wrong way and crashes into ANOTHER battleship. A string of murders might normally be dull, but Robert Hamer keeps the wry humor in everything Louis does.
Price does a simply brilliant job as Louis, a poor relation who uses charm, intelligence, pleasant lies, kindness and some disguises to murder his relatives (many of whom are much kindlier than he). Only crackly-voiced Greenwood is as wonderfully amoral as he. And Guinness showed his versatility by playing all the D'Ascoyne relatives -- the dotty vicar, a rather ugly suffragette, a pigheaded admiral, and others.
"Kind Hearts and Coronets" is a brilliantly dark comedy, with some great acting from Guinness and Price, a twisted sense of humor, and a great finale. Definitely a must-see for fans of murder and wit.
Tennyson could have been writing about the movie "Kind Hearts and Coronets," a wonderfully twisted movie all about killing one's relatives to get ahead in the world. This classic black comedy is blessed with excellent acting by Dennis Price and Alec Guinness, as well as some very inventive murders and wry dialogue.
A young lady of the D'Ascoyne family was ostracized when she married an Italian singer (he dropped dead when their son was born). Louis (Price) was raised hearing all about his noble relatives, but ignored by them -- and when his mother is refused burial at the family plot, and his devious girlfriend Sibella (Joan Greenwood) spurns him for a rich, dull man, he decides to become the next Duke.
To do that, he has to kill off several relatives, which he does in various ingenious ways. He's also wooing the widow of one such murdered relative, the kindly Edith (Valerie Hobson), while still frisking with Sibella. But you can't commit six murders -- no matter how clever -- without raising some suspicions, and soon Louis finds himself a Duke on death row... but is there a way out?
The whole story is told in flashback, as Louis writes his memoirs in his cell, and there's only a little bit after the memoirs' completion that explains what happened next. But from the first moments onward (the executioner getting excited about the "privilege" of hanging a duke), it's pretty obvious that "Kind Hearts and Coronets" has a rare, wicked sense of humor.
Much of that is through the irony (Louis is morally opposed to hunting, but not murder) and brilliantly dark dialogue ("I shot an arrow in the air; she fell to earth in Berkeley Square"). One of the best things is Louis' narration -- we learn that he's intelligent, droll, and as much of a snob as his richer relatives.
But there's also the great ways in which the D'Ascoynes expire -- exploding labs, drifting boats, shooting down a hot air balloon with an arrow, and a battleship that goes the wrong way and crashes into ANOTHER battleship. A string of murders might normally be dull, but Robert Hamer keeps the wry humor in everything Louis does.
Price does a simply brilliant job as Louis, a poor relation who uses charm, intelligence, pleasant lies, kindness and some disguises to murder his relatives (many of whom are much kindlier than he). Only crackly-voiced Greenwood is as wonderfully amoral as he. And Guinness showed his versatility by playing all the D'Ascoyne relatives -- the dotty vicar, a rather ugly suffragette, a pigheaded admiral, and others.
"Kind Hearts and Coronets" is a brilliantly dark comedy, with some great acting from Guinness and Price, a twisted sense of humor, and a great finale. Definitely a must-see for fans of murder and wit.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's perhaps fitting that the most exquisite Ealing Comedy has been given a glorious Blu-ray transfer.
Thus far, Optimum's Ealing Blu-rays - while being wholeheartedly recommended - have suffered from minor presentation faults. These are unfortunate but perhaps inevitable, given the age and state of the source materials. Odd moments of greyscale flicker, projector weave and scratched negative have conspired to keep earlier releases 'Very Good' as opposed to 'Excellent'.
I'm pleased to report that Kind Hearts and Coronets seems to have been remarkably well preserved, which has in turn enabled an exemplary restoration. The crisp image could illustrate a masterclass in black-and-white photography; the remastered LPCM 2.0 mono sound is clean and noise-free. English subtitles are included (just the one language track).
This fiendishly-plotted black comedy wastes nothing in its telling. Dennis Price plays Louis Mazzini, an obscure relative of aristocracy who decides to murder his way through various inheritors in order to gain some degree of respectability. The eight D'Ascoynes whose inconvenient existence taxes Mazzini's creativity are all portrayed in a tour de force by the versatile Alec Guinness.
A generous helping of extras includes an audio commentary, a short documentary on Dennis Price, interview excerpts with lighting cameraman Douglas Slocombe, a BBC Radio 3 essay, the alternative American ending and a restoration comparison.
Of all the Ealing Comedies, this is the one I enjoy the most. The skilful screenplay (mostly narrated in flashback by Price), the lightness of direction and some spirited performances come together to provide one of the highpoints in British cinema.
Kind Hearts and Coronets, originally released in 1949, is another testament of the power of the Blu-ray format to present a vintage film as if it were shot yesterday.
Thus far, Optimum's Ealing Blu-rays - while being wholeheartedly recommended - have suffered from minor presentation faults. These are unfortunate but perhaps inevitable, given the age and state of the source materials. Odd moments of greyscale flicker, projector weave and scratched negative have conspired to keep earlier releases 'Very Good' as opposed to 'Excellent'.
I'm pleased to report that Kind Hearts and Coronets seems to have been remarkably well preserved, which has in turn enabled an exemplary restoration. The crisp image could illustrate a masterclass in black-and-white photography; the remastered LPCM 2.0 mono sound is clean and noise-free. English subtitles are included (just the one language track).
This fiendishly-plotted black comedy wastes nothing in its telling. Dennis Price plays Louis Mazzini, an obscure relative of aristocracy who decides to murder his way through various inheritors in order to gain some degree of respectability. The eight D'Ascoynes whose inconvenient existence taxes Mazzini's creativity are all portrayed in a tour de force by the versatile Alec Guinness.
A generous helping of extras includes an audio commentary, a short documentary on Dennis Price, interview excerpts with lighting cameraman Douglas Slocombe, a BBC Radio 3 essay, the alternative American ending and a restoration comparison.
Of all the Ealing Comedies, this is the one I enjoy the most. The skilful screenplay (mostly narrated in flashback by Price), the lightness of direction and some spirited performances come together to provide one of the highpoints in British cinema.
Kind Hearts and Coronets, originally released in 1949, is another testament of the power of the Blu-ray format to present a vintage film as if it were shot yesterday.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Gem
I remember watching this as a child and enjoyed it then. Even now it does not disappoint, from a era where the film is not so in your face as the present ones are. A true classic
Published 7 months ago by Bookaholic
great film -- disappointing release (see update)
I was greatly looking forward to this digitally restored version of one of the great black comedies of all time. Read more
Published 7 months ago by M. FUSCO
In Character
This is a film that no 'Film Buff' should be without, the character acting of Alec Guinness is absolutley out of this world plus of course Dennis Price.
Published 7 months ago by Backrow
Kind Heart and Coronets DVD
very good, I remember watching it originally and this is brilliant. Alec Guiness is superb in this film, go buy it and enjoy
Published 7 months ago by Mr. David Jones
Kind Hearts and Coronets DVD
Most impressed with the swift delivery. DVD is excellent, price was very good and the Amazon site makes everything easy to find.
Published 8 months ago by Mrs. D. P. Geal
Subtitles ?????
Subtitles !!!!!! or are those films only for English speakers? I realy cannot understand why do the English ,the french, the italians sel DVD and blu ray without subtitles , at... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Boaz Senator
Already the best ever film - Blue-Ray extra's welcome addition
I was a little skeptical about adding a blue-ray edition of a film originally released in 1949 and already owned on DVD. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Paul Conder
Optimum Blu-ray release of KH&C
Just recv'd this and after watching it twice last night I conclude that it's the b&w equivalent of "The Searchers" in terms of its Blu-ray picture quality - *cannot* be improved... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Doctor John
Noblesse oblige
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and a facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. ... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Dr René Codoni
Kind Hearts and Coronets - Class and Murder.
Maybe not everybody's cup of tea, this black satire of the British class system will appeal to devotees of the measured, sly approach to story-telling. Read more
Published 10 months ago by A. F. Stuart
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