The Lavender Hill Mob

The Lavender Hill Mob, motion picture about a transporter of gold bullion who decides to steal some for himself. Released in 1951, this Academy Award-winning British comedy was a box-office hit and stars Alec Guinness as Henry Holland. After 20 years of loyal service, the very proper Holland meets a sculptor whose job involves making souvenir Eiffel Towers for tourist gift shops. Together they hatch a plan to steal $1 million worth of gold from the Bank of England, melt it into little paperweights, and then ship it to France undetected. Hilarity ensues when a group of schoolgirls accidentally purchases 20 of the valuable little paperweights to take home with them as souvenirs.

Director

• Charles Crichton

Cast

• Alec Guinness (Henry Holland)
• Stanley Holloway (Pendlebury)
• Sidney James (Lackery)
• Alfie Bass (Shorty)
• Marjorie Fielding (Mrs. Chalk)
• John Gregson (Farrow)
• Edie Martin (Miss Evesham)
• Clive Morton (Station sergeant)
• Ronald Adam (Turner)
• Sydney Tafler (Clayton)
• Jacques Brunius (Official)
• Meredith Edwards (P. C. Edwards)
• Gibb McLaughlin (Godwin)
• Patrick Barr (Inspector)
• Marie Burke (Senora Gallardo)
• Audrey Hepburn (Chiquita)
• John Salew (Parkin)
• Arthur Hambling (Wallis)
• Frederick Piper (Cafe proprietor)
• Peter Bull (Joe the Gab)
• Patric Doonan (Craggs)
• Alanna Boyce (Schoolgirl with paperweight)
• James Fox (Gregory)
• Michael Trubshawe (Ambassador)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Writing—Story and Screenplay (1952): T. E. B. Clarke

Trivia

• Actress Audrey Hepburn appears briefly in the film as a schoolgirl, her second role in motion pictures.