StudioCanal Announces New 4K Restoration Of Ealing Classic The Lavender Hill Mob

Mob Handed

STUDIOCANAL has announced the release of a spectacular 4K restoration of one of the most-loved British comedies from Ealing Studios, The Lavender Hill Mob , written by T.E.B. Clarke (winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar), directed by Charles Crichton (A Fish Called Wanda) and starring Alec Guinness (Kind Hearts & Coronets, The Man in The White Suit), Stanley Holloway (My Fair Lady), Sid James (Carry On films) and Alfie Bass (Alfie). The enduringly funny story of a nobody bank employee’s ingenious plan to rob the Bank of England and the motley crew that he assembles to carry out the raid, will be released in UK cinemas on 29 March and as a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition and on Digital from 22 April…

Henry Holland (Alec Guiness) has worked faithfully for 20 years as a bank transfer agent for the delivery of gold bullion.  A shy retiring man, completely inconsequential to his employers, he has long dreamt of a way to execute his plan of the perfect gold robbery – the only catch being how to move the gold on once stolen. One day he befriends Pendlebury (Stanley Holloway), a maker of souvenirs.  Holland remarks that with Pendlebury’s smelting equipment, he could forge the gold into harmless-looking toy Eiffel Towers and smuggle the gold from England into France.  Soon after, the two plant a story to gain the services of professional criminals Lackery (Sid James) and Shorty (Alfie Bass).  Together the four plot their crime, leading to unexpected twists and turns.

Oscar-winning writer T.E.B. Clarke was inspired for the screenplay, to write about a clerk robbing his own bank whilst researching jewellery heists for the film Pool of London, and he even consulted with the Bank of England on the script.  The Lavender Hill Mob was memorably shot on location in the streets of the City of London, still bearing the scars of the Blitz, and by the river Seine and Eiffel Tower in Paris. Ranked by the British Film Institute as the 17th greatest British film of all time, the film was extremely popular at the box office on its original release in 1951, and won several awards including the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the BAFTA Award for Best British Film, and the Best Actor Academy Award nomination for Alec Guinness.

The new 4K restoration release of The Lavender Hill Mob is part of a wider celebration by STUDIOCANAL and UK cinemas of the Golden Age of Ealing Studios, when it was run by Michael Balcon.  The ‘Once More with Ealing’ season will see audience-favourites screening in cinemas, including Kind Hearts & Coronets, Whisky Galore! and Passport To Pimlico, which all celebrate their 75th Anniversary this year.  STUDIOCANAL will also release Kind Hearts & Coronets on UHD for the first time on 22 April, and will have lesser-known Ealing dramas THE BELLS GO DOWN, CAGE OF GOLD and LEASE OF LIFE released on their Vintage Classics label later in the year.

The Lavender Hill Mob was restored in 4K using a 35mm duplicating positive as the original negative was unavailable.  Thanks to the latest film scanning technology and restoration tools, we were able to achieve a high standard image from the positive that was used. Silver Salt Restoration restored and colour graded the film producing a new 4K DCP, HDR Dolby Vision and HD master.

THE LAVENDER HILL MOB released as a 4K UHD Collector’s Edition and on Digital on 22 April

Here’s the restored film’s trailer

Amazon pre-order link: https://amzn.To/42i4xta

Special features:

New The Perfect Heist: Benedict Morrison on the lavender hill mob.  Benedict is a senior lecturer in literature and film at exeter university and author of eccentric laughter: queer possibilities in post-war british film comedy.

New London comedy film festival Q&A with Paul Merton

Those British Faces: Stanley Holloway

Introduction by Martin Scorsese

Extract from BEHP audio interview with Charles Crichton

Good afternoon: Mavis interviews t.E.B. Clarke (©1974 Thames Television Ltd, licensed by Fremantlemedia ltd)

Audio commentary by Film historian Jeremy Arnold

Original trailer

Behind the scenes stills gallery

Contents of 4k UHD collector’s edition:

2 Discs (UHD and BD)

64 Page booklet

2 Posters – new and original artwork designed by Matt Griffin

4 Pop-art artcards designed by Art & Hue https://artandhue.Com/

Special Features:

Once More With Ealing

John Landis Introduction

Audio Commentary With Film Critic Peter Bradshaw, Director Terence Davies And Matthew Guinness

Audio Commentary With Film Writer And Critic Kat Ellinger

Those British Faces: Dennis Price

Alternate Us Ending

Bfi’s Introducing Ealing Studios

Behind The Scenes Stills Gallery

Costume Stills Gallery

Original Trailer

2019 Trailer

About STUDIOCANAL (a CANAL+ Company)

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and series, operating in all nine major European markets – France, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Benelux – as well as in Australia and New Zealand.  It finances and produces around 30 films per year, distributes around 80 films per year. It owns the largest library in Europe and one of the most prestigious libraries in the world, boasting more than 8 000 titles from 60 countries, spanning 100 years of film history. 20 million euros has been invested into the restoration of 750 classic films over the past 5 years. In addition, STUDIOCANAL also produces almost 20 series each year and operates at an international level by globally distributing its scripted productions and CANAL+ Originals (2,000 hours of current and library content in distribution). All productions take place directly through STUDIOCANAL entities or with its award-winning network of 14 production companies in Europe and in the United States (STUDIOCANAL Series, LAILAPS FILMS, RED PRODUCTION COMPANY, URBAN MYTH FILMS, BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES, STUDIOCANAL ORIGINAL, 2e BUREAU, SUNNYMARCH TV, SAM Productions, DINGIE, KINO SWIAT, BIRDIE PICTURES, STRONG FILM & TELEVISION, THE PICTURE COMPANY).

About VINTAGE CLASSICS from STUDIOCANAL

The stunning roster of incomparable VINTAGE CLASSICS titles includes outstanding thrillers, heart-rending masterworks, horror favourites, war dramas, Ealing comedies, and plenty of lesser-known gems. The collection boasts some of the greatest and most beloved stars of cinema including Alec Guinness, Julie Christie, Paul Robeson, Dirk Bogarde, Diana Dors, Richard Attenborough, Margaret Leighton, Terence Stamp and Jenny Agutter to name but a few, in films directed by auteurs such as David Lynch, John Schlesinger, Carol Reed, Roger Corman, Nic Roeg, and Joseph Losey. Prepare to reappraise underrated actors, box office bombs and overlooked directors, such as the incomparable Muriel Box, director of three films in the collection. 2024 sees the eagerly awaited new 4k restoration of Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom (1960), Ealing’s The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) in 4K, Carol Reed’s enchanting fable A Kid for Two Farthings (1955), the film that kick-started the British New Wave: Room at the Top (1959), Kenneth More as The Comedy Man and many more.

Take an in-depth stroll around this best of British on the brand-new VINTAGE CLASSICS website, taking film fans deeper into their favourite films with behind-the-scenes stills, never-seen-before vintage campaign books, specially commissioned writing, clips, extras and trailers and, new for 2024, a brand new merchandise store, where you can finally get your hands on some of the beautiful artwork for these iconic movies.  Catch some of these titles on Studiocanal Presents, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video Channels and ITV X Premium.