Rent The Wrong Box (1966)
3.2 of 5 from 124 ratings
1h 41min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Ralph Richardson and John Mills star as two elderly brothers who are the last surviving members of a Tontine - a bizarre lottery in which the last man still alive scoops a fortune. While the two old buffers steadfastly refuse to die, some of their relatives decide to sort things out once and for all. While ineffectual Cousin Michael (Michael Caine) and ever-so-slightly demented Cousin Julia (Nanette Newman) fumble their way into romance, venal Cousin Morris (Peter Cook) and lothario Cousin John (Dudley Moore) plot to get their sweaty hands on the fortune. Unfortunately, when they accidentally mistake the corpse of the infamous Bournemouth Strangler for dear Uncle Joseph and ship him in a barrel back to London, they set off a farcical chain of misunderstandings with hilarious consequences. Further confusion is provided by Peter Sellers as the cat-obsessed Dr. Pratt and Tony Hancock as a detective as everyone tries to work out who's really alive and entitled to the money. With an all-star cast featuring some of Britain's best-loved comedy talents, 'The Wrong Box' is a truly black comedy farce in the best traditions of British cinema. - Actors:
- John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Michael Caine, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Nanette Newman, Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, Cicely Courtneidge, Wilfrid Lawson, Thorley Walters, Gerald Sim, Peter Graves, Irene Handl, Norman Bird, John Le Mesurier, Hilton Edwards, Norman Rossington, Diane Clare, Tutte Lemkow
- Directors:
- Bryan Forbes
- Producers:
- Bryan Forbes
- Writers:
- Robert Louis Stevenson, Lloyd Osbourne, Larry Gelbart, Burt Shevelove
- Others:
- Julie Harris, Ray Simm
- Studio:
- DD Home Entertainment
- Genres:
- Classics, Comedy
- Collections:
- A History of British Queens in Film, Cinema Paradiso's 2023 Centenary Club: Part 1, Cinema Paradiso's 2024 Centenary Club: Part 2, Cinema's Most Memorable Comedy Double Acts, Films & TV by topic, Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: John Mills, inema Paradiso's 2023 Centenary Club: Part 2, A Brief History of Film..., Top 10 Titles About the Golden Age of Radio
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 26/11/2018
- Run Time:
- 105 minutes
- Languages:
- English LPCM Mono
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.75:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- The BEHP Interview with Bryan Forbes (1994, 102 mins): an archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the celebrated filmmaker in conversation with Roy Fowler
- Audio commentary with film historians Josephine Botting and Vic Pratt
- Box of Delights (2018, 21 mins): award-winning actor Nanette Newman talks about The Wrong Box and her work with husband Bryan Forbes
- Box Cutting (2018, 10 mins): a new interview with assistant editor Willy Kemplen
- Chasing the Cast (2018, 11 mins): second assistant director Hugh Harlow recalls his experiences on set
- Original theatrical trailer
- Image gallery: promotional photography and publicity material
- World premiere on Blu-ray
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Reviews (2) of The Wrong Box
A farce with top actors - The Wrong Box review by Maureen
This is a most entertaining film, pure farce but with most of the top actors of the day. If you want to watch a film you can thoroughly enjoy even if the whole thing is absurd this is worth a try. Just don't expect anything serious or believable.
George Roby.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
A Classic Cast; a Dated 1960s Film. Excellent in Parts - The Wrong Box review by PV
I really enjoyed this if only for the character acting and scenes of Peter Sellers in particular - his portrayal of a northerner 'venal' doctor, surrounded by cats and losing his mind is one of his very best. Classic even and clearly adlibbed in part. Brilliant stuff! I laughed out loud twice at those scenes. Just beautiful. he steals it.
Ralph Richardson excels as the wiseacre old bore academic - I have known people like that! John Mills plays his brother.
I never really like Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in acting roles but if you do, here they are.
Tony Hancock appears briefly, looking a bit unwell, and this is about a year before his suicide.
Michael Caine here too, and John Le Mesurier and Irene Handl.
Worth watching JUST for the cast, if not the farcical swapped-box plot.
4 stars.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.