The League of Gentlemen

In 1958, John Boland published his novel The League of Gentlemen, which quickly caught the attention of British filmmakers. Director Basil Dearden, known for his work with Ealing Studios, saw potential in this story of ex-military men planning an elaborate bank robbery. Working with screenwriter Bryan Forbes, who also took a role in the film, Dearden assembled an impressive cast including Jack Hawkins, Richard Attenborough, and Nigel Patrick. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we return to our Heist Films series with a conversation about Dearden’s 1960 film The League of Gentlemen.

The film follows a group of former military officers who, feeling cast aside by society (and kicked out of the military), band together to execute a sophisticated bank robbery. As we discuss the film, we explore how it handles character development within its large ensemble cast. While some characters receive more attention than others, the film mostly effectively balances its numerous players. Furthermore, we examine how the film’s visual elements, particularly the smoke-filled heist sequence with gas masks, create memorable and striking imagery in black and white.

Throughout our discussion, we delve into several—Hold on there! This is currently only available for members. It’ll be available to everyone else soon, but why not become a member so you can listen to it now? We’d love it if you became a member to support our show, but you’d love it because of everything you get. We have monthly member bonus episodes that only members can access. You also get access to members-only Discord channels, and early ad-free releases for every episode. Plus, you get to vote on the movies we discuss in our members only episodes! What can we say? It pays to be a member. Learn more about supporting The Next Reel film podcast through your own membership — visit TruStory FM.