| Crooks in Cloisters | |
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'Crooks in Cloisters' poster |
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| Directed by | Jeremy Summers |
| Produced by | Gordon Scott |
| Written by | T.J. Morrison Mike Watts |
| Starring | Ronald Fraser Barbara Windsor Grégoire Aslan Bernard Cribbins Melvyn Hayes Davy Kaye Wilfrid Brambell |
| Music by | Don Banks |
| Cinematography | Harry Waxman |
| Editing by | Ann Chegwidden |
| Distributed by | Associated British Picture Corporation |
| Release date(s) | 1964 |
| Running time | 98 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Crooks in Cloisters is a British-made comedy released in 1964 and starring Ronald Fraser as 'Little Walter' , the boss of a gang of forgers, including Bernard Cribbins as 'Squirts' , Melvyn Hayes as 'Willy' , Grégoire Aslan as 'Lorenzo' , and Davy Kaye as 'Specs' .
Contents |
After pulling off a small train robbery, 'Little Walter' and his gang are forced to hide out on a remote Cornish island in an abandoned monastery disguised as monks. With them comes 'Bikini' (Barbara Windsor), Walter's girlfriend, who is given the job of cook to the group, despite never having cooked in her life. After a few initial setbacks, they slowly adjust to their new contemplative life of tending animals and crops, surviving the added tribulations of visits by a group of tourists and some genuine monks, including Brother Lucius (Corin Redgrave).
Gradually the gang adjusts to its new pastoral life, which turns out to be much to their liking. A return to a life of crime seems less appealing by the day. With the help of Phineas (Wilfrid Brambell), a fisherman, they receive and dispose of stolen goods. The crooks change and are kinder and gentler but 'Brother' Squirts begins to place bets on the dogs and the police become suspicious. When Walter decides it is safe to leave none of them want to go including Willy (Hayes), who has fallen for June (Francesca Annis), Phineas's granddaughter. They give the deeds of the island to some real monks and just as the gang say goodbye they see the police waiting for them.
Crooks in Cloisters was filmed at the Associated British Picture Studios at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, and at St Mawes in Cornwall.[1]