good back-story, and good acting

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This is a dark comedy that is a bit slow paced but not slow enough to lose the audience. As remaking earlier films is so popular, this movie would be an ideal candidate, particularly for someone with a biting sense of humor who could give it some punch for the modern audience.

Droll British humor rises to the level of art form in this understated comedy. I first heard of "Kind Hearts and Coronets" in relation to Sir Alec Guinness's multiple roles in the story, and the film has been on my watch list ever since. All of the characters he portrays wind up dead, which is probably an all time record in movies for one actor. Usually someone of his caliber would have reservations about dying just once in a picture, so you have to give the man some credit. The film's pace probably wouldn't be for everyone, but if you go for the dry wit and sarcasm, there's a lot to wrap your head around here. The dialog, particularly that of Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) talking to himself and the viewer, is quintessentially suited for his murderous heart, as he plots the death of all the potential Dukes (and one Duchess) of Chalfont. This is just the type of stuff the Monty Python folks might have come up with if that whole gang of idiots had been subject to a regimen of sedatives.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is a morality tale and social satire combined into one. Although it is well known for the eight roles played by Alec Guinness, you will discover that some of the roles he plays are rather brief.Louis Mazzini is played coldly and rather understated by Dennis Price. He is the grandson of the Duke of D'Ascoyne whose mother married beneath herself to a singer and was exiled by her rich family and died destitute.Louis is toiling in a shop and ends up losing his job thanks to a D'Ascoyne and wants to get revenge against the pompous family. So he brutally bumps them off one by one and gets nearer to the line of inheritance and at the same time his social and financial status elevates.This film is one of the well known Ealing comedies which has a dark heart. In fact the film opens in prison as Louis is facing the gallows which indicates that he might had not got away with his plans. Even then there are further twists to emerge as Louis complicated love live threatens to derail him.Although Guinness grabs the headlines this is Price's film and he is well supported by a sly, witty and literate script.

***While both reviews have spoilers, I recommend Felix-28 ("One of the Very Best", Felix-28 from Melbourne, Australia, 5 February 2006). Also, ackstasis ("It is so difficult to make a neat job of killing people with whom one is not on friendly terms", ackstasis from Australia, 27 March 2008).***"Kind Hearts and Coronets" (1949, Robert Hamer) is a masterpiece of black comedy. Set during the nineteenth century (i.e., the 1860s), it is one of the best acted, written and filmed comedies about murder and class relations ever made. This quintessentially British film is an exquisite pleasure, and make sure you watch it on the big screen.A poor but ambitious cousin of a family of royals takes on the project of removing all the obstacles preventing him from becoming the Duke. He is sentenced to hang only after being convicted of a murder he did not commit. While not (for me) laugh-out-loud funny, there is a great deal of dry wit on hand. Each cast member is superb. Joan Greenwood embellishes the vamp Sibella with her much-envied voice, which has been often compared to a cat's purring. Valerie Hobson (Edith), adds beauty, grace and poise. (I've become a real fan of hers, having also seen her as the Countess in "The Card", three weeks ago.) Miles Malleson, as the agreeable and respectful hangman, has his own cult following. However, the two male leads are amazing. Alec Guinness famously plays the entire royal D'Ascoyne family comprised of eight (!) members. While each is doomed, Guinness portrays them all differently. Even though some of the D'Ascoynes have few lines and limited screen time, this is still an astonishing feat. Guinness (then 35 and largely unknown to the public) finds so many details with each character representing a wide spectrum of ages (i.e., 35-80) and both genders (Lady Agatha is the sole female) that thespians everywhere should be inspired. It has been said of Guinness that every role he has ever played is different than any other, and here he puts on an acting master class.In most movies, this would be enough. However, Dennis Price as Louis, the smooth-talking, serial killer with aristocratic ambition is another character not soon forgotten. In his career performance, Price inhabits the role of Louis and is just as interesting as Guinness throughout. Price also portrays Louis's opera-singing father. I assume that Price is actually the tenor singing early. This fragment sounds great to my ears. The title is inspired by a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The screenplay is (by Robert Hamer and John Dighton) and is loosely-based on Roy Horniman's novel. The dialogue is very precise. The story has some unusual plot turns. I like how each murder is off-screen and accomplished in a different way. Visually, Hamer's direction is excellent. He uses the entire frame; and it is always interesting to see the background details. It is impossible to appreciate the skill with which "Coronets" is made without seeing it in a movie theater."Kind Hearts and Coronets" is a crowd-pleasing screen gem with legendary qualities. Once the concept of "comic serial killing" can be explained, it is kid-friendly, too.