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Kind Hearts And Coronets [VHS] [1949]
 
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Kind Hearts And Coronets [VHS] [1949]

VHS ~ Dennis Price
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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16 new from £1.60 25 used from £0.01 7 collectible from £1.98

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Product details

  • Actors: Dennis Price, Alec Guinness, Valerie Hobson, Joan Greenwood, Audrey Fildes
  • Directors: Robert Hamer
  • Writers: Robert Hamer, John Dighton, Roy Horniman
  • Producers: Michael Balcon, Michael Relph
  • Format: Black & White, HiFi Sound, PAL
  • Language English
  • Classification: U
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • VHS Release Date: 6 Jul 1998
  • Run Time: 101 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004CJCQ
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 5,304 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

    Popular in these categories:

    #16 in  Video > Classic Films > Actors > Guinness, Alec
    #33 in  Video > Classic Films > Comedy > 1940s
    #70 in  Video > Classic Films > Drama > 1940s

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Set in Victorian England, Robert Hamer's 1949 masterpiece Kind Hearts and Coronets remains the most gracefully mordant of Ealing Comedies. Dennis Price plays Louis D'Ascoyne, the would-be Duke of Chalfont whose Mother was spurned by her noble family for marrying an Italian singer for love. Louis resolves to murder the several of his relatives ahead of him in line for the Dukedom, all of whom are played by Alec Guinness, in order to avenge his Mother--for, as Louis observes, " revenge is a dish which people of taste prefer to eat cold". He gets away with it, only to be arraigned for the one murder of which he is innocent. Guinness' virtuoso performances have been justly celebrated, ranging as they do from a youthful D'Ascoyne concealing his enthusiasm for public houses from his priggish wife ("she has views on such places") to a brace of doomed uncles and one aunt, ranging from the doddery to the peppery. Miles Malleson is a splendid doggerel-spouting hangman, while Valerie Hobson and Joan Greenwood take advantage of unusually strong female roles. But the great joy of Kind Hearts and Coronets is the way in which its appallingly black subject matter (considered beyond the pale by many critics at the time) is conveyed in such elegantly ironic turns of phrase by Dennis Price's narrator/anti-hero. Serial murder has never been conducted with such exquisite manners and discreet charm. --David Stubbs


Synopsis

Alec Guinness plays eight different roles in this film about a young man determined to attain a dukedom. In his efforts he must murder his relatives, one by one.

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great film but disappointed with DVD release, 11 Mar 2001
This review is from: Kind Hearts And Coronets [DVD] [1949] (DVD)
This is one of my favourite films and and after a long wait for the DVD release, finally it came out and of course I snapped one up on the day it came out.

Imagine my disappointment when I played it and all the written material in the film (credits, letters, a warning sign) was in French! I purchased the disk from a UK store so am mystified about this.

Needless to say I returned the disk and now await a proper re-release appropriate to the UK market. Five stars to the film itself, but zero stars for the UK DVD release.

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61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING - This DVD is the French version !, 22 Mar 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Kind Hearts And Coronets [DVD] [1949] (DVD)
"Kind Hearts and Coronets" is probably the best of the
Ealing comedies. The acting, the characters, the storyline and
especially the wonderful black humour blend together perfectly. What's
more, the print used by Warner Home Video for this DVD release is
absolutely immaculate...unfortunately it's also in French!!! Whilst
the DVD contains an English soundtrack, the opening credits and even
parts of the film appear on screen in French (such as a letter written
by Louis D'Ascoyne). I thought at first that they'd put the wrong disc
inside the case, however the small print on the back confirms it is
indeed the French version. With the possibility of further Ealing
comedies being released on DVD in the future, I made my feelings =
known to Warner by returning this DVD for a refund. Five stars for the
film, none for this poor DVD.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Ealings dark corner, 21 Mar 2006
By Mr. David Halliday (Ilkeston Derbyshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Kind Hearts and Coronets [DVD] [1949] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
This and the ladykillers are the only 2 of Ealings output that have really stood the test of time and theres a very good reason for it. As a young man sets about bumping off the various pompous members of the D'Ascoyne family you delight as each upper class twit meets their gruesome end and it seems that nothing will stand in his way, so far so the same as ladykillers but whereas Guiness is the villain in that film,here he plays all the hapless members of the doomed family and the ending here is not the same all too convenient 'happy' good prevails but rather a dark and surprising twist that leaves you rooting for the bad guy and regretting his failure.
To be honest I could really happily live with just catching this on its occassional tv airings but what sets this package up as one to buy is Criterions usual eye for detail. If you've bought one of their dvds before then you dont need me to tell you that they've done everything humanly possible to get their mitts on the best available print and then polished it until it shines.But what matters here is disc 2 that contains a facinating 70 min doc. on Ealing studios and a rare tv appearance by Guiness,a 75 min q&a with Michael Parkinson,(seeing them both talk about Guiness' 'latest' film role in a promising new film called star wars is great stuff),.These 2 make this worth the entry price alone but with a buffed up main feature and very interesting written essay this is one well worth crossing the pond for.(don't forget you'll need a multi-region dvd player to play it.)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars wonderful classic
I stumbled upon this movie by chance. Very good comedy indeed. Alec Guiness is especially wonderful in his 8-fold role as an entire aristocratic family. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2006 by maidencharlie22

5.0 out of 5 stars "I shot an arrow in the air..."
"Kind Hearts and Coronets" is an exquisitely written and performed film, which still appears fresh and vital today. Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2006 by L. Davidson

5.0 out of 5 stars A landmark in British Film comedy. Timeless classic.
While Alec Guinness is, rightfully, given top billing for his chameleon performance as umpteen members of the eccentric, delightful and ill-fated D'Ascoyne family, it is the... Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2002 by M. I. R. Clarke

5.0 out of 5 stars Guiness and Price deserve an Oscar
This is 1 of the best films ever made a 1949 classic Guiness and Price are brillant especially Guiness in his amazing 8 roles brilliant with a twisted end
Published on 12 Mar 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars A timeless classic
"Revenge is a dish best served cold" said Henry Mancinni.

The unwitting story of a young man out done from his rightful inheritance by his wealthy relatives, all of... Read more

Published on 10 Jan 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Ealing takes on the aristocracy
To my mind, the best Ealing comedy by far. Dennis Price is the little guy who takes on the English aristocracy, but who exhibits plenty of aristocratic prejudices himself. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars A film noir dramatic monologue.
Kind Hearts and Coronets is essentially a dramatic monolgue which reveals the true depths of Dennis Price's character. Read more
Published on 16 April 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece
One of the greatest films of all time. Beautifully acted by Price and Guiness. The wonderfully witty presentation results in a definite sympathy for the central character. Read more
Published on 20 Mar 2000

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