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MMD > Archives > March 2003 > 2003.03.10 > 04Prev  Next


Music Box & Player Piano in "The Lady Killers"
By Tom Lear

I have on tape this very funny English comedy from the 1950s(?)
called "The Lady Killers", which features Alec Guinness as the head of
a gang of crooks, including Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker,
and other English character actors who most anyone over fifty would
recognize.

Besides being very well written and very entertaining, it features
a music box with a really sweet rendition of "The Last Rose of Summer"
near the beginning of the film.

Later on, Alec Guinness is seen pumping Mrs. Wilberforce's player piano.
You can see the paper and keys moving, and it does appear that Alec
Guinness is indeed pumping the pedals.  The piano is a bit out of tune
and the song is "Silver Threads Among The Gold."

This is a real classic of English comedy and I would recommend it, if
you can find it.  Maybe someone more knowledgeable will recognize the
make of the music box from its sound and the piano from its appearance.

Tom Lear
San Francisco, CA

 [ "Five crooks pose as musicians... Classic comedy..."  See
 [ http://www.thereelimage.co.uk/reviews/ladykillers/ladykillers.htm
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Mon 10 Mar 2003, 08:49:48 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Box, Killers, Lady, Music, Piano, Player

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