Watch The League of Gentlemen

The League of Gentlemen is a 1960 British heist film starring Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, and Roger Livesey. Directed by Basil Dearden and written by Bryan Forbes, the film follows a retired army officer named Major Hyde (played by Hawkins) who recruits a group of fellow ex-soldiers to carry out a daring bank robbery. Hyde has become disillusioned with his post-military life and is resentful of the way society treats former soldiers. He believes that the government and the banking system have let him and his comrades down, and he sees the robbery as a way to strike back against the establishment.

Hyde gathers together a group of seven men, each with their own unique skills and personality traits. The group includes an expert safecracker, a demolition expert, a driver, and a forger, among others.

The men spend several months planning the heist, carefully studying the layout of the bank and its security measures. As they prepare for the robbery, the men also deal with their own personal demons, including alcoholism, financial problems, and existential angst.

When the day of the heist finally arrives, the men put their plan into action. They enter the bank disguised as a group of soldiers on a tour, and quickly take control of the building. However, things do not go exactly as planned, and the men must improvise in order to get away with the loot.

The League of Gentlemen is a tense and exciting heist movie, filled with twists and turns. Despite its somewhat grim premise, the film also has a sense of humor, particularly in the interactions between the of the gang.

The performances in the film are uniformly excellent, with Hawkins in particular standing out as the brooding and complex Major Hyde. Patrick is also memorable as the group's resident hothead, while Livesey brings a touch of gravitas to his role as a former general.

The film's direction by Basil Dearden is understated but effective, letting the tension build slowly over the course of the film. The script by Bryan Forbes is sharp and witty, with memorable dialogue and well-drawn characters.

Overall, The League of Gentlemen is a timeless classic of the heist genre, and a must-see for fans of British cinema. Its themes of disenchantment and disillusionment are as relevant today as they were in 1960, and its message about the treatment of soldiers remains a powerful one.