Kind Hearts and Coronets - 1949 - Robert Hamer
This is a 1949 British film. It is a black comedy, meaning it blends crime, intrigue, and drama. The movie was made in black and white. (Color in cinema did not become mainstream until the 1950s). It is based on a 1907 novel called Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal, written by Roy Horniman.
The title of the film comes from an 1842 poem by Tennyson called "Lady Clara Vere de Vere".
The British Film Institute (BFI) compiled a list of the 100 best films of the 20th century, and ranked Kind Hearts and Coronets in sixth place.
The plot revolves around Louis Mazzini (played by Dennis Price), telling the life story of a resentful and ambitious character who seeks to obtain through illicit means what was denied to him. He was rejected by his family—or rather, the rejection was directed at his mother, and by extension, at him as well. After his mother passes away, he seeks to avenge the affront and claim the title that rightfully belongs to him by lineage. Standing between him and his noble inheritance are 8 relatives, and he decides to speed up the timeline and clear his path. The best way he finds is to eliminate them, murdering them one by one until not a single one is left.
Dennis Price's portrayal of the serial killer was the high point of his acting career.
Set in the year 1868, the film opens with the main character in prison, awaiting the execution of his death sentence to which he was condemned. The following morning at 8 AM, he will be hanged.
The film is rich in dialogue and writing; it is a pleasure to enjoy the way each character expresses themselves. For example, at the beginning, who appears to be the judge presents himself at the prison where the condemned man is held and says in a conversation with the prison governor:
• "Not even my late master, the great Perry himself, had the privilege of hanging a duke. A grand finale to a lifetime in the crown prosecution."
• "Finale?"
• "Yes, I want to retire. Once you've used the silk rope, you can't go back to working with hemp."
The duke spends his final moments in prison writing his memoirs. This provides the framing device to tell his story, and that is where the narrative thread begins, interspersed with a voiceover. The duke is a calm, calculating character with good manners who plots his macabre plan while living a life relatively free of major troubles.
The film features a rather particular brand of black humor. You shouldn't expect roaring laughter; rather, it is a more thoughtful, elaborate kind of humor.
The 8 victims—the 8 heirs belonging to the Ascoyne clan—are all played by the very same actor, Alec Guinness, who does a stellar job embodying each of these colorful and varied characters. For this role, Guinness won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor in 1950, a well-deserved achievement for such a renowned actor.
The cast is completed by two women. One of them, Sibella, is frivolous, opportunistic, and sharp, leaving a sense of malice in her actions—one might say she engages in blackmail motivated by money or social prestige—played by Joan Greenwood. The other woman, Edith, played by Valerie Hobson, is a sophisticated, upper-class woman. In part, one might find a certain mocking description of a segment of British society at that time, a satire of certain customs of that era. However, dwelling on this would require a deeper and more meticulous analysis of the film. You can read a good commentary on the movie on this other blog: otrosclasicos.blogspot.com.ar/2007/10/kind-hearts-and-coronets-1949.html. And here are some other reviews: www.filmaffinity.com/es/reviews/1/404067.html
One can find historical references to period customs, such as when someone mentions "acquiring bachelor chambers," or simply watch a film that deals with a story of revenge—largely echoing the well-known phrase mentioned by the protagonist at one point: "revenge is a dish best served cold"—but upon closer inspection, many more layers can be discovered.
At another point, one of the characters refers to Matabele. The Matabele campaign refers to the Boer wars in what is now Zimbabwe, but those wars began in 1880, the Matabele campaigns took place in 1896, and the film is set shortly before 1868, as seen in the date shown on the title card at the beginning. Other authors have referenced this event in their respective texts due to its importance and impact at the time.
Upon its release, the film was censored in the US—not entirely, but in certain parts dealing with infidelity and adultery—and its ending was changed. Around 2006 and 2011, a DVD edition was released that included the film with both endings. I have only seen the original with the English ending.
For those who love classic cinema and want to enjoy a very good movie, do not miss the opportunity to watch it.
To conclude, I must say that the ending is magnificent; in the final minutes, the film takes a terribly good twist, and as if that weren't enough, the final punchline is sensational. You don't expect it, and you will be delightfully surprised.
