Retired Major Rayne (Terry Thomas), ex-con Lily (Billie Whitelaw), eccentric dowager Dame Beatrice (Athene Seyler) and disgruntled teacher of etiquette Nanette Parry (Hattie Jacques) are among the peculiar residents of a boarding house who turn into modern-day Robin Hoods, stealing furs for charity.
The plot deals amusingly with all of the bungled fur robberies and the interplay between the eccentric boarding house characters who adopt different disguises for every robbery.
One of the funniest sequences has Terry-Thomas believing he’s stumbled upon a den of thieves and fences so he can sell some of the stolen goods – until he realises the patrons are all members of the Salvation Army.
It’s a first-class British comedy and a great film for star-spotters, for apart from the four principals there’s Ron Moody, Kenneth Williams, Irene Handl, Jack Hedley, Raymond Huntley and even Clement Freud.
Major Rayne
Terry-Thomas
Dame Beatrice
Athene Seyler
Nanette Parry
Hattie Jacques
Lily
Billie Whitelaw
Pinkie
Elspeth Duxbury
Jim Benham
Jack Hedley
Inspector Pape
Raymond Huntley
Freddie Warrington
Kenneth Williams
Burglar
Noel Purcell
Madame Spolinski
Irene Handl
Spanager
Sydney Tafler
Mrs Spanager
Joan Heal
Gertrude
Penny Morrell
Jelks
Ron Moody
Croupier
Clement Freud
Director
Robert Asher
