Loot

Er......that's because it is a play. A play PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY PLAY. Did I mention it is a well known play in England? It's a rather good play.

I have seen this play on stage a few times and I must say that it really does work better there. On screen, even though that does allow for greater location flexibility, the story/farce is just a little too undercooked and slapstick here for my liking. It all centres around "Hal" (Roy Holder) and his pal "Dennis" (Hywel Bennett) who have managed to rob a bank. One works in a funeral parlour, so they hit on the idea of stashing their ill-gotten gains in an as yet unoccupied coffin and to lie low for a while. Hot on their trail is the razor-sharp, wandering-handed, "Insp. Truscott" (Richard Attenborough) and as their secret proves difficult to keep, they have to manage the venal expectations of nurse "Fay" (Lee Remick) too. Like so many of it's genre, the humour is very visual and unsophisticated. Again, on stage that exudes a certain adult pantomime feel to it. On screen, that misses much more often than it hits and the pair of them harrying around their cash in the altogether delivering some rather crude, innuendo-ridden, dialogue smacked more of a "Carry On Coffin" type affair. The ending has a twist and that does raise a smile and Milo O'Shea injects a gentle mischief now and again, but that's not enough to carry the rest of this rather crass and mediocre comedy drama.

I wonder if it would be possible to re-edit this comic gem to eliminate the dreadful backing song(s). Its a play in which the absurdity of conventional attitudes is lampooned and the stirling performances by Milo O'Shea and Attenborough carry it off in the larger style required for big screen. It may mystify those hooked on two modern types of comedy film: those which mock the people who don't conform and those which don't ever rise beyond crude vaudeville. Loot sympathises with those who defy and subvert social codes. It has more in common with the intelligent humour of Harold and Maude or The Producers than with the raucous Eddie Murphy / Chevvy Chase shout-fests. Of course, its difficult. The hard of thinking may have to replay some of the one liners to appreciate the ironies - the targets are attitudes rather than personal blemishes. This is not the world of Joan Rivers either - there is no bitchy 'humour' Orton, while deliberately offending against 'good taste' never sets his sights on anything quite so grubby. The cast are all likable but absurd. Even in Orton's more bitchy plays like 'What the Butler Saw' he doesn't aim at vindictiveness - its the institution he undermines. Loot is satire, not sarcasm. The well paced direction and the crisp, non-self-indulgent acting make this a forgotten treat which should be revived, as it has been for such diverse actors as Leonard Rossiter and Kenneth Williams on stage within living memory.

Simply put, I enjoyed this thoroughly. Although I am not familiar with the play of the same name, or any of the actors aside from Richard Attenborough, or any of the crew, I suspect this only enhanced my enjoyment.

I had only previously seen Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park and this movie will most certainly make me keen to see him again. I caught this on TV after another movie and I had absolutely no idea what I was watching. It was completely unplanned on my part.

By the end I was laughing obediently at the ensuing hilarity. If you happen to find this movie is to your tastes then the comedy hits hard and uncompromising like a heavy weight boxer. But to be fair I enjoyed The Love Guru and Basic Instinct 2 so I am in no position to comment on 'taste'. I did however enjoy it enough to feel motivated to add my first review for it.

Got recommended to me by a friend who loves the cars displayed in the film (Triumph Mayflower, car used for the actual heist)... but I must say, I really enjoyed this (seemingly trashy) film: it made up with wit, sharp dialogue and humor for some wicked plot points and awkward slap-stick situations.

It may mystify those hooked on two modern types of comedy film: those which mock the people who don't conform and those which don't ever rise beyond crude vaudeville. Loot sympathises with those who defy and subvert social codes.

The visual aspect of the film got me, as well: the color coding of the set design, character blocking and image compositions are very well done. Very cramped, chaotic, blindingly colorful (enhanced by analogue film and how it filters colors) and brimmed with humor and details. Especially I liked the mansion of the dead mother with its exuberant vintage opulence and vibrant colors. Also the light design is in some scenes just upright genius.

Overall, this gem was LOADS of fun to watch, don't take everything to serious and enjoy the witty dialogues, sometimes SUPER trashy music and exaggerated humor. This is a comedy, made for those who won't take everything to seriously, not even love, death, money and society. It is so dark, it is the brightest thing I've watched in months.