THE LADYKILLERS (1955) ** Understated black comedy (problem), Ealing Studios style (solution, partial). Celebrated in some quarters with more enthusiasm than is apparent anywhere in the project, I think it's mainly notable for being a comedy in which Peter Sellers is effectively buried by the other actors. Sellers is reasonably entertaining, but the film's silliest moments belong to Alec Guinness and Herbert Lom. Sellers is trying to subtlety, despite his accent, but can't trade in subtlety (yet) the way that Katie Johnson can. If the show belongs to anyone, it's Guinness, all ghastly with his darkened eye sockets, intractable hair and bad teeth. They're all too talented to be less than amusing, but the cartoonesque character creations only seem to fit Katie and Danny Green. Good for a rainy Saturday afternoon nap, I wouldn't be surprised if there are people who've seen the first half twenty times, but never quite made it all the way through (which is too bad, as the funniest, actually startling scene, is well towards the back).
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