The Wrong Box

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The Wrong Box

1966,

1h 45m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

88%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

The Finsbury brothers, Masterman (John Mills) and Joseph (Ralph Richardson), are the last surviving members of a tontine that will pay a huge sum to whoever lives longest. Hoping to bankroll his feckless grandson Michael (Michael Caine), Masterman asks Joseph to visit with the intention of killing him. Meanwhile, Joseph has two scheming nephews (Dudley Moore, Peter Cook) who also want the money. When they think Joseph has died en route to seeing his brother, they attempt to cover it up.

TIME Magazine

Apr 21, 2010

Some of the gags crumble on impact, others are stretched out like taffy, but there is enough fun left over to leave most moviegoers happily wallowing in greed, sex, homicide, body snatching and other nefarious diversions.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Mills amusingly hams his way through two or three sequences as one of the dying brothers. Richardson, bland, imperturable old bore, is superb. He and Wilfrid Lawson, portraying a decrepit butler, virtually carry away the acting honors.

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

May 9, 2005

3/4

Some sections and bits are funnier than others. Some are labored and dull. It is that sort of story, that sort of comedy. But it adds up to a lively lark.

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Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

Nov 5, 2011

B

It is a farce with a lot of class and style, carried off with some brilliant acting. It also has what most films with idiot plots lack, restraint, subtlety and sly wit.

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TV Guide

Apr 21, 2010

3/4

All of the smaller roles are deliciously cast, with several of the best comic actors England had to offer in that decade, a heyday of British humor.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jun 3, 2009

B-

Mildly amusing silly black comedy set in Victorian England.

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Hagrid P

Dec 15, 2018

Watching this you realise that Michael Cain is the same in every film he has ever done, this is no exception! The film however is very enjoyable, but Cain is tiresome in this comedy romp.

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Abraham P

Jun 19, 2017

Very clever typical Brit comedy of that era. Completely entertaining and easy to watch multiple times.

Han P

May 10, 2017

Increasingly tiresome comedy vehicle centred around the fight to win the proceeds from a will. A good, eclectic cast of comedians and respected thesps, some occasionally witty lines/sequences, plush production design, but unfortunately it's just not very funny. I defy anyone to unravel the plot, but it's nice to see the likes of Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Peter Sellers, Ralph Richardson, John Mills, Wilfrid Lawson, Tony Hancock et al sharing screen time at least.

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Bryan Forbes

Director

John Mills

Masterman Finsbury

Ralph Richardson

Joseph Finsbury

Michael Caine

Michael Finsbury

Nanette Newman

Julia Finsbury

Peter Cook

Morris Finsbury

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Synopsis

The Finsbury brothers, Masterman (John Mills) and Joseph (Ralph Richardson), are the last surviving members of a tontine that will pay a huge sum to whoever lives longest. Hoping to bankroll his feckless grandson Michael (Michael Caine), Masterman asks Joseph to visit with the intention of killing him. Meanwhile, Joseph has two scheming nephews (Dudley Moore, Peter Cook) who also want the money. When they think Joseph has died en route to seeing his brother, they attempt to cover it up.

Director: Bryan Forbes
Producer: Bryan Forbes, Larry Gelbart, Burt Shevelove
Production Co: Columbia
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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