Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
        • 1960s Movies
        • 1970s Movies
        • 1980s Movies
        • 1990s Movies
      • Movies by Country
        • UK Movies
        • USA Movies
        • Australia & NZ Movies
        • Canada Movies
        • Europe Movies
        • Japan Movies
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»1950s Movies»Movies 1959
    Movies 1959 Movies T 2 Mins Read

    Too Many Crooks (1959)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    A gang of crooks drive their car – which has been customised with a battering ram – through the window of a jewellers shop in the wee hours of the morning. The passenger, Sid (Sid James), advises his boss, Fingers (George Cole), not to speed up too much, just tap the window and it should break. But true to bungling form, he is too enthusiastic and the shopfront collapses after the vehicle smashes through it. The crooks barely manage to get away and regroup back at their cottage hideout.

    Next, the incompetent crooks (George Cole, Sid James and Bernard Bresslaw) unsuccessfully attempt to rob a tight-fisted millionaire Billy Gordon (Terry-Thomas) but after a number of failed attempts, they decide to kidnap his daughter Angela (Rosalie Ashley) instead – only to end up with his wife Lucy (Brenda de Banzie).

    To add insult to injury, Gordon is delighted and refuses to pay any ransom, offering Terry-Thomas every opportunity he needs to play the cad to the hilt. There then follows a tug of war between Gordon and the gang over who gets his money as the criminals find an unlikely ally: Lucy tells them that she’ll assist them to get her own back, in fact, she’ll coordinate the whole scam to get those funds, which are half hers by rights, much to Fingers’ dismay. Not to mention Gordon’s dismay.

    The cast is a Who’s Who of British comedy and the script by Michael Pertwee is based on a devilish premise. But the picture never really lives up to its billing, largely due to the less-than-inspired direction of Italian exile Mario Zampi.

    The whole concept behind the film was lifted and reused for the far more lucrative Ruthless People three decades later, with Danny DeVito in the plum Terry-Thomas role.

    Billy Gordon
    Terry-Thomas
    Fingers
    George Cole
    Lucy Gordon
    Brenda De Banzie
    Snowdrop
    Bernard Bresslaw
    Sid
    Sidney James
    Whisper
    Joe Melia
    Charmaine
    Vera Day
    Beryl
    Delphi Lawrence
    Magistrate
    John Le Mesurier
    Angela
    Rosalie Ashley
    Tommy Weston
    Nicholas Parsons
    Police Constable James Smith
    Terry Scott
    Gordon’s mother
    Edie Martin
    Inspector Jensen
    John Stuart

    Director
    Mario Zampi

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Tales from the Crypt (1972)
      Tales from the Crypt (1972)
      While touring some catacombs five people lose the rest of their party and are ushered into a cavernous vault by…
    • Behemoth The Sea Monster (1959)
      Behemoth The Sea Monster (1959)
      The monster with the biblical name took the form of a Palaeosaurus as tall as Big Ben and nearly 200…
    • Wasp Woman, The (1959)
      Wasp Woman, The (1959)
      Janice Starlin (Susan Cabot) is the founder and owner of a large cosmetics company and former glamour model who is…
    • Tiger Bay (1959)
      Tiger Bay (1959)
      A Polish sailor on leave in Cardiff murders his unfaithful girlfriend, Anya (Yvonne Mitchell). A lonely young girl is a…
    • Suddenly Last Summer (1959)
      Suddenly Last Summer (1959)
      This wonderfully overheated drama - an adaptation of a one-act play by Tennessee Williams with a screenplay by Gore Vidal…
    • Top of the Heap (1972)
      Top of the Heap (1972)
      Christopher St. John wrote, produced, directed and starred in this tale of embittered, violence-prone black Washington DC cop George Lattimer…
    • Watusi (1959)
      Watusi (1959)
      What do you do when you shoot too much footage for one movie? The answer that MGM came up with…
    • Together Brothers (1974)
      Together Brothers (1974)
      Five-year-old Tommy (Anthony Wilson) witnesses the murder of tough but kindly policeman 'Mr Kool' (Ed Bernard) - a well-respected and…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleToomorrow (1970)
    Next Article Too Hot To Handle (1960)

    Comments are closed.

    A Labour of Love

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small – to help me with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Dwight Twilley Band
      Raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Twilley met 15-year-old Phil Seymour […]
    • Sons and Lovers (1960)
      This romantic melodrama adapted from DH Lawrence’s best […]
    • Perils of Penelope Pitstop, The
      1 9 6 9 – 1 9 7 0 (USA) 17 x 30 minute episodes When […]
    • Kids of Degrassi Street, The
      1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 6 (Canada) 26 x 30 minute episodes […]
    • Only Fools and Horses
      1 9 8 1 – 2 0 0 2 (UK) 63 x episodes Only Fools and Horses […]
    • Renegades, The
      1 9 8 3 (USA) 6 x 60 minute episodes The Renegades was […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today

    theb.fi

    Not everything is at it seems about the shooting locations for this classic story of a Yorkshire daydreamer.
    1 day ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    “I’ll tell you what Charlie, there’s always been a Holroyd at Holroyd’s mill and by god there always will be” Love this film.

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-65006801 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Terry Hall: Coventry scooter ride-out pays tribute to singer

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Hundreds of people ride through Coventry on what would have been the singer's 64th birthday.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    metro.co.uk/2023/03/13/the-whos-roger-daltrey-thinks-theres-no-point-releasing-an-album-18434779/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Who's Roger Daltrey thinks there's 'no point' releasing another album

    metro.co.uk

    Bad luck.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64963359 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Sir Michael Caine's first Rolls Royce sells at Duxford for £120K

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The Italian Job actor hired a chauffeur to drive the 1968 Silver Shadow, with its doors still intact.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV star, whose real name was Margaret Lake, was a well-known TV figure in the 1990s.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Do you think she know it eas going to happen

    PlayTalk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay

    Talk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 8
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Gary Rossington had survived a 1977 air crash that killed several of his bandmates.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    What a talented man. Lucky enough to see original band in concert. BRILLIANT.

    Rest in peace Dickie Davies. An absolute giant of British sports broadcasting.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dickie Davies, World of Sport presenter, dies at 94

    www.theguardian.com

    The broadcaster became something of a cult figure after fronting the ITV show for 20 years
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Yes, one of the great presenters. R.I.P.

    For fans of the radio series Round The Horne (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty close to the edge, even by modern standards. Bona! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA

    For fans of the radio series "Round The Horne" (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty "close to the edge", even by modern standards. Bona!

    open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA
    ... See MoreSee Less

    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    For those interested, the complete “Jules and Sandy” is available on Audible…

    Bona to vada your jolly old eek. Lovely riah....

    RIP the beautiful Stella Stevens, who has died at the age of 84.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Stella Stevens: Nutty Professor and Poseidon Adventure star dies at 84

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The co-star of Elvis Presley also worked in TV on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Bubblegum music Canada Civil rights Cold War Computer games Crime Disc Jockeys Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Folk rock Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen James Bond JFK Kraütrock Labels Madchester Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave New Zealand Nixon Northern Soul NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Reggae Rolling Stones Scotland Ska Ska revival Skiffle Soul music Space Race Sport Surf music Video games Vietnam war
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.