My Favourite Film: Too Many Crooks

Too Many Crooks is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi. The plot concerns a bunch of inept crooks who kidnap the wife of a shady businessman, only for him to decide he doesn’t want her back. It stars George Cole, Sidney James and Bernard Bresslaw as members of the gang, alongside Brenda de Banzie as the victim and Terry-Thomas as her husband.
Terry-Thomas as William Delaney Gordon - "Bill"
George Cole as Fingers
Brenda De Banzie as Lucy Gordon
Bernard Bresslaw as Snowdrop
Sidney James as Sid
Vera Day as Charmaine
Delphi Lawrence as Beryl
John Le Mesurier as Magistrate
Sydney Tafler as Solicitor
Rosalie Ashley as Angela Gordon
Nicholas Parsons as Tommy Weston
Terry Scott as Fire Policeman
Vilma Ann Leslie as Girl Journalist
Edie Martin as Gordon's mother
Tutte Lemkow as Swarthy Man
John Stuart as Inspector Jensen
Joe Melia as Whisper
Arthur Brough as Beggar
Sam Kydd as Tramp
Howard Pays as Policeman at traffic lights
Victor Brooks as Court Usher
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Video Journal about life, growing food and flowers plus visits to horticultural shows, allotments and opens gardens. Trying to become fitter and healthier as I approach 50.
#afternoonfilm #britishcomedy

[@davidheath3835]

A Terry Thomas classic movie and what a cast of British comedy talent. Superb

[@niccymak8243]

What a cad!

[@poetcomic1]

Terry Thomas was dying alone in a hospital, forgotten, when all Britain was told about it on a news report, he was ioverwhelmed with help, love and Terry Thomas movie revivals.

[@mindless-pedant]

George Cole's intruder accent hovers between a sort of Welsh, a hint of Highland, a dash of Irish, and finally decides upon somewhere down south. Oh.. and God knows where🤣

[@ronaldstrange8981]

British humour at its very best. Saw it many years ago and am enjoying it as much as ever again now in 2023. England, December, 2023.

[@furryhenry]

My favourite is School For Scoundrels.

[@Alf-Garnish]

my fav too

[@mscherylb7950]

Smashing film with smashing actors. Thank you for uploading this film.

[@dougaldouglas8842]

You know you cannot beat the old black and white films of the past. There is a quality all of their own

[@malcolmclements9254]

A young George Cole, even then you could see Arthur Daily.

[@normanbell-br7nf]

Love the way George Cole's "Welsh" accent was deliberately all over the place with a touch of Scottish and Irish thrown in !

[@lawrencemasterson7187]

British humor is just so good, not the first time seeing this one. Recommend watching.

[@ideaphile]

Another great Terry T one was "School for Scoundrels" - do yourself a favour!

[@PhflyDan1]

LooooooooL An absolute CLASSIC!! 🤣👍🏾🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@daviddorward7684]

Superb movie! I love Terry Thomas, the "Gap Toothed Git"!

[@1funkyflyguy]

£10,000 in 1959 would be worth £287,000 in 2023, for anyone wondering.

[@kimrrosen]

Or $368,000 USD.

[@tonyciantar6417]

That doesn't work, cause in 1959 you could buy a house for £1200, that same house today would be around £180,000

[@jessewolf7649]

Google says $1 in 1959 is worth $10.88 today. 3.74% inflation rate per year : 1.0374^65 = 10.88; they assumed 65 years, 64 more accurate from jan 1 ‘59 to dec 31 ‘23. In any event using google #s, if the pound had the same inflation rate, 10000 pounds then is 108800 pounds today.

[@jessewolf7649]

@@tonyciantar6417different markets have different inflation rates. real estate inflation rate is much higher than the average inflation rate. 8% per year for housing, 3.7% per year overall rate.

[@kimrrosen]

@@tonyciantar6417 True but home values aren't at play in this context. As a plot point in a screwball comedy (vs documentary/financial drama/loan application) to establish the stakes at hand, the translation from a "£25,000" ransom to an adjusted £700,000 ransom is significant enough. How many homes one could buy is irrelevant. I don't think any of these criminals are like "once I find that nice single-family with a backyard I'm getting out of this racket."

[@fusionfan6883]

Yes love this classic in addition to my other favourites, Two Way Stretch, School for Scoundrels and I’m Alright Jack 👍🏻

[@venividiviking]

And Ladykillers 😁

[@MartinParsons-tr6wi]

They're all good, but I'm Alright Jack speaks volumes. Heavens Above isn't bad either, and, same era, Kind Hearts and Coronets

[@tomhaskett5161]

Another good film is Make Mine Mink with TT. Not quite as good, but well worth a look!

[@pholdway5801]

a trio of my own personal favourites as well . How about The man in the white suit . ? Obi wan Kenobi in later years ...... Watch for an earthquake on the 14th or 15th. as I collect apparent coincidences that later become known accepted facts. Thanks.

[@alandawson513]

@@fusionfan6883 Thought no-one else had the same great taste in old British classics as me.

[@LeeJahn-ih9xu]

Gosh I loved Terry Thomas, what a fabulous actor

[@glennhand4053]

Definitely up there with my other all-time favourites. Excellent cast. So many memorable scenes, and many memorable lines that I will never forget . Pre - Python British humour at its best!

[@stuart8663]

ahhhh yes!...the amazing George Cole

[@venividiviking]

17:32 "Dont be so ridiculous. Nobody loves a tax-inspector" 😂😂😂 So damn true 😁 Thanks for upload mate. This movie and "I´m all right, Jack" are among my favorites. I love classic british comedies. Cheers from Denmark

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Tak ! Og vi elsker Danmark !! .🇬🇧 👍

[@iwasglad122]

Cyril Chamberlain (1909-1974) as the Chief Fire Officer - uncredited, as he often sadly was, but a stalwart of British films for decades!

[@michellefalleur960]

- yes, He was very good in anything he was in .

[@VeraLowdermilk-kj8sn]

Wow what a great comedy! A real gem - I’m so glad I happened upon it!

[@drsyn9616]

I’ve got this on DVD ,brilliant comedy 😂😂😂

[@arthurcarter5126]

Scattered up the great north road... classic

[@stephentaege6255]

Blimmey talk about comic royalty ⭐👍 I'm watching this for about the 50th Time 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Cheers Stephen ✌️🍀😂

[@jacquelineharrod6386]

A wonderful film. Thank you so much for posting this.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Sid James was a handy amateur boxer back in South Africa .!!

[@BrianRPaterson]

And also a ladies hairdresser. Odd but true.

[@paddymeboy]

It is a scorcher of a film, fantastic performance by Terry Thomas and Bernie Bresslaw also has some great lines ' 'They said I should never have been born...but I was!'

[@michellefalleur960]

- Yes, I Love that line !! -- I weighed 18 Oz's

[@MrResearcher122]

Gags Galore! Terry Thomas Character says to the Finish guy at about 11 minutes: ''You speak with a French accent. Why?'' The Finish guy responds, ''Because Finish is tooo difficult..'' At 20 minutes the George Cole character enters the wife's house speaking Welsh then, forgets, and begins speaking a Scottish accent then goes back to Welsh: Lol

[@venividiviking]

It´s Tutte Lemkow. He´s totally nuts 😁Have seen him in several movies, where he had minor parts.

[@diannelee9336]

Thanks for the film. I've never seen this before and I really enjoyed it. hugs

[@nataliafrittitta6660]

An afternoon delight !!!

[@milesholtom7167]

Wonderful a great cast with terry Thomas at his absolute rotter best.

[@cattymajiv]

Thank you so much for not chopping off the start and end! They are very important to some of us, and those who who don't want to watch them can easily skip them. Some info is duplicated in them, but they each contain info that the other one doesn't, as well. The director is never listed at the end, and more minor actors are never listed at the start. Some uploaders seem to think that chopping the front and end off will save them from copyright strikes, but KZbin uses advanced software, so that makes no difference at all. Thank you again for leaving the film intact! ❤❤❤

[@seanjamescameron]

I had permission to upload it that’s why.

[@michellefalleur960]

Love this film SO much, it's brilliant & So funny, fantastic lines, I've had it on video for years

[@poetcomic1]

And the opening music is wonderful, jazzy and upbeat with that sly 'Pink Panther' vibe. Movie is obvious source for Bette Midler's "Ruthless People". With Danny DeVito as the husband.

[@michellefalleur960]

- Yes , never thought of that .

[@garytroman5657]

Love that film...

[@malcolmclements9254]

A great film for Christmas.

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks so much for posting

[@jonakuka6578]

What a humorous piece. Thanks for uploading.

[@dianemorrissey9764]

That was really good, thank you!

[@Fred-rj3er]

Brilliant. Thank you so much for sharing l. Old school humour. Thank you.

[@jennifercatherinekarel8925]

I like this one too!

[@michellelepla]

Great movie, thanks for the upload... 🎉

[@edherman8169]

More of this is needed fella!👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@seanjamescameron]

It’s an absolute shower 🤣

[@selfreference]

Excellent!

[@dateland-twopalmspress755]

I love it!

[@annepoitrineau5650]

Thank you, real funny!

[@purpleaki1277]

A fantastic film, Terry Thomas is outstanding as always

[@whiskysam2036]

Love this film

[@bond0666]

Excellent

[@roberthayes9842]

A brilliant film, one of the greats

[@HighCompressionII]

There are three films in this series... The Zampi brothers made this one and MAKE MINE MINK and THE NAKED TRUTH. Terry-Thomas in them all. They are all brilliant well worth watching.....

[@garyfrancis6193]

1959 classic.

[@aureliobrighton1871]

I am german. But I know Arthur when I see him. :)

[@mathewbayley1770]

It's a shame that Terry Thomas died penniless, but everybody in this film were perfect, a classic in every way

[@lindavalentin5582]

HILARIOUS ❤

[@queenslander954]

Very good movie !

[@johnny8897]

The powers that be can never have criminals "getting away with it" even in a comedy film...Great film tho 👍

[@alonzocalvillo6702]

Yes I was curious how this was going to end.

[@RoderickSpoke]

Brilliant, they don't make me like they used to.

[@reneecarter6702]

Wow a young Glynnis Johns too ❤ You gotta love Terry-Thomas too

[@pholdway5801]

Had she put on that lisp yet ?

[@trevorowen865]

and Vera Day .. later to be handling the card game in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

[@raymondrichards4888]

A true British post war comody.

[@michellefalleur960]

Love Sydney Taffler ! He's So Good

[@yggdrasil9039]

Classic. The high status female character who turns out to be smarter than the gang of crooks and gets one over her husband at the end is in the Lady Bracknell mould. Interesting to see appearances from John Le Mesurier, Nicholas Parsons and Terry Scott as well.

[@frankbaron1608]

terry thomas, that's all i have to say.

[@gunnerlangy]

Sam Kydd was in just about every film at that time .

[@robkeeleycomposer]

Yes- but I think he was uncredited!

[@Kian2002]

Now l understand where the idea for Touchstone Picture's "Ruthless People" came from.

[@chummleslee351]

Remade in 1988 into Ruthless People. Not bad, but this one's much better.

[@spudspuddy]

£10,000...How much is that? 🤣

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Read comments above !!

[@Domdeone1]

And the actor that played the policeman in the dock who went onto to play Terry out of Terry & June

[@RealGRRRLz69]

6:49: "Who's Billy Gordon? Why don't you learn to read ?" 6:55 "I don't know. I can never get the hang of it. Only great delivery from great comedians can a comic bit so hackneyed be so hilarious.

[@1LSWilliam]

Not one step more and you get Footlights Review!

[@garyd3873]

mine too!

[@Cue-pv3jg]

Should have been titled “Too many snooks!” Nothing like dumb crooks.

[@DEANOTHEMAN2]

Never seen this..here goes...

[@justme-hh4vp]

Sid James plays an awful lot of characters called Sid. Quite an array of famous names in this one.

[@seanjamescameron]

It was part of the deals that he used his name.

[@GJCServices]

not bad .. I give it 3 bunny's

[@user-vv2gu6xn6u]

😂😂😂

[@garyproffitt5941]

The more wealthy the more rich and the more evil, the same thing.

[@skylongskylong1982]

If you want to watch a film with two of the best comedy actors in the world. Watch Terry Thomas, and Jack Lemon in the film How To Murder Your Wife. Not for people, who are easily triggered or woke.

[@cattymajiv]

Great show! But people who use the word "woke" are extreme reactionaries, literally right wing fanatics.

[@russcooke5671]

Seen it a few times great film. I can’t remember the wife’s name but she was gorgeous. 👌👌👌

[@jimihendrix991]

@@cattymajiv ...coming from a deranged communist...

[@MartinParsons-tr6wi]

An absolute classic

[@gunnerlangy]

@@russcooke5671 Virna lisi

[@johncapurso9313]

1funkyflyguy’s math is off. More like 10 to 1.

[@LouisBourett]

Don't get up

[@BrianRPaterson]

Arthur Daily selling a dodgy Welsh accent.

[@robkeeleycomposer]

welsh/Irish/scottish - brilliantly surreal! A tour de force.

[@garyproffitt5941]

Prison for you, Donald Trump.

[@bobbybigboyyes]

What a classic!