IMDb RATING
7.1/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
An assassin is annoyed by a vacuum cleaner salesman determined to stop him.An assassin is annoyed by a vacuum cleaner salesman determined to stop him.An assassin is annoyed by a vacuum cleaner salesman determined to stop him.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film had a long gestation. It began life as a play by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat called "The Body Was Well-Nourished", originally written in 1937, but not staged until 1940. At that time, the character of the assassin was a supporting role. The play lasted less than three weeks in London, although this was less due to unpopularity than to the Blitz. Launder and Gilliat were never quite satisfied with the play, and, after the war, revised and updated it, retitling it "Meet A Body". This was first staged in 1954 (produced by Laurence Olivier, who did not act in it), but the authors still felt it could be improved, and turned it into a film vehicle for Alastair Sim, who originally wanted to direct, or at least co-direct, it. He had some disagreements with Robert Day, so several scenes were directed either by Basil Dearden or by Launder and Gilliat themselves.
- GoofsThe voiceover explaining how great men are undone by trivial things says King John died from a surfeit of Lampreys; traditionally this was said about King Henry I.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Talkies: Remembering Dora Bryan/Our Dora (2019)
- SoundtracksGaudeamus igitur
(uncredited)
Traditional
Heard when the school photo is seen at the start of the film.
Featured review
Brilliant Black Comedy
This little gem ranks with MONSIEUR VERDOUX and THE LADYKILLERS as the best black comedies.
The hilarious Alastair Sim stars as Hawkins, a freelance assassin who merrily goes round the world blowing up pompous twits. He runs into trouble, however, when he writes some notes on his girl friend's (Avril Angers) desk, not knowing there is carbon paper underneath. His notes about her boss' (Raymond Huntley) stay at an inn called The Green Man arouse her suspicions.
She investigates but goes to the wrong (and vacant) house runs gets bumped off by Hawkins' associate who then and runs into a pushy vacuum cleaner salesman (George Cole). When the new owner (Jill Adams) suddenly appears, the two begin a hilarious chase to tracks down Hawkins at The Green Man and stop the assassination.
Of course they have no idea who Hawkins is and Huntley registers under an assumed name. They assume that a guest (Terry-Thomas) is the intended victim and turn the inn into a mad house.
Sim, Cole, and Thomas are hilarious, each playing his patented British eccentric. Adams is very pretty. Good support from Angers and Huntley. Also good are the inn keepers (Arthur Brough and Dora Bryan), the associate (John Chandos), Colin Gordon as the fiancé, and the boozy music trio (Marie Burke, Lucy Griffiths, and Vivien Wood).
Interesting to see Brough (Mr. Granger on ARE YOU BEING SERVED?) years before his television stardom.
The hilarious Alastair Sim stars as Hawkins, a freelance assassin who merrily goes round the world blowing up pompous twits. He runs into trouble, however, when he writes some notes on his girl friend's (Avril Angers) desk, not knowing there is carbon paper underneath. His notes about her boss' (Raymond Huntley) stay at an inn called The Green Man arouse her suspicions.
She investigates but goes to the wrong (and vacant) house runs gets bumped off by Hawkins' associate who then and runs into a pushy vacuum cleaner salesman (George Cole). When the new owner (Jill Adams) suddenly appears, the two begin a hilarious chase to tracks down Hawkins at The Green Man and stop the assassination.
Of course they have no idea who Hawkins is and Huntley registers under an assumed name. They assume that a guest (Terry-Thomas) is the intended victim and turn the inn into a mad house.
Sim, Cole, and Thomas are hilarious, each playing his patented British eccentric. Adams is very pretty. Good support from Angers and Huntley. Also good are the inn keepers (Arthur Brough and Dora Bryan), the associate (John Chandos), Colin Gordon as the fiancé, and the boozy music trio (Marie Burke, Lucy Griffiths, and Vivien Wood).
Interesting to see Brough (Mr. Granger on ARE YOU BEING SERVED?) years before his television stardom.
helpful•195
- drednm
- Oct 29, 2011
- How long is The Green Man?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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