Crooks and Coronets

Crooks and Coronets

Original UK quad poster by Tom Chantrell
Directed by Jim O'Connolly
Produced by Herman Cohen
Clifford Parkes
Written by Jim O'Connolly
Starring Telly Savalas
Warren Oates
Dame Edith Evans
Cesar Romero
Harry H. Corbett
Music by Patrick John Scott
Cinematography Desmond Dickinson
Edited by Martin Charles
Production
company
Herman Cohen Productions
Distributed by Warner-Pathé (UK)
Release dates
2 April 1969 (UK)
Country United Kingdom
Language English

Crooks and Coronets is a 1969 British crime comedy film and/or heist movie written and directed by Jim O'Connolly. It starred Telly Savalas, Edith Evans, Warren Oates, Cesar Romero and Harry H. Corbett.[1] The film was renamed as Sophie's Place for the US market.[2]

Story

Two recently released ex-convicts Herbie Haseler and Marty Miller, go to work for New York mob boss Nick Marco who sends them to England for a big robbery of a large English mansion. The mansion is owned by an eccentric but kind elderly woman Lady Sophie Fitzmore who plans to pass the mansion and its priceless treasures on to her loyal nephew Freddie Fritzmore. Sophie owns a full grown male lion named 'Bo-Bo' who is somewhat domesticated and harmless but nevertheless guards a portion of the estate. When Herbie and Marty get to England they go on a tour of Lady Sophie's mansion and ingratiate themselves with the old lady who invites them to live in the mansion with her under the guise of their having to do research. Herbie and Marty also meet up with Frank Finley, the London mob contact for Nick Marco. Herbie, Marty and Finley plan the robbery and escape and set up general arrangements for when Nick Marco arrives for the main heist. Over time however Herbie and Marty grow fond of Lady Sophie, her nephew Freddie and their assortment of servants and at the last minute decide they cannot go through with the robbery. Their sentiments, especially their fondness for Sophie, lead the men to foil Nick and Frank's effort to commit the robbery.

Cast

Critical reception

The Radio Times wrote, "strange casting - a sort of Carry On meets The Dirty Dozen - gives the film a certain interest, not to mention eccentricity...but the overall tone is far too frantic and full of those terribly dated, Swinging Sixties fads and fashions.";[3] while Allmovie described the film as a "delightful crime comedy";[4] and Sky Movies wrote, "at times, the pace is as sedate as the English aristocracy portrayed: but the magnificently lunatic climax is worth waiting for, as crooks...are finally repulsed by a concerted counter-attack involving crossbows, a lion, and Edith Evans at the controls of a vintage German plane. It has to be said that Dame Edith has no trouble in beating the Americans at the acting game, either." [5]

References

External links