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The Wrong Arm of the Law

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6.4/10 • 36

1963-03-171h 34m

CrimeComedy

Meet the Mastermind Who Pulls the Strings in the Underworld...and all his mobs and dolls...filling the London fog with laughter and lunacy!!!

The crooks in London know how it works. No one carries guns and no one resists the police. Then a new gang appears that go one better. They dress as police and steal from the crooks. This upsets the natural order of the police/criminal relationship and the police and the crooks join forces to catch the IPOs (Impersonating Police Officers), including an armoured car robbery in which the police must help the gangs to set a trap.

Directors
Cliff Owen
Writters
Alan Simpson, Ray Galton, John Antrobus
Editors
Alan Simpson, Ray Galton, John Antrobus, Tristam Cones

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Peter Sellers

    Peter Sellers

    Pearly Gates

  2. Lionel Jeffries

    Lionel Jeffries

    Inspector Fred 'Nosey' Parker

  3. Bernard Cribbins

    Bernard Cribbins

    Nervous O'Toole

  4. Nanette Newman

    Nanette Newman

    Valerie

  5. Davy Kaye

    Davy Kaye

    Trainer King

  6. Bill Kerr

    Bill Kerr

    Jack Coombes

  7. Ed Devereaux

    Ed Devereaux

    Bluey May

  8. Reg Lye

    Reg Lye

    Reg Denton

  9. John Le Mesurier

    John Le Mesurier

    Assistant Commissioner

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jan 16, 2024

7/10

Ostensibly, "Pearly Gates" (Peter Sellers) is a French couturier selling posh frocks, but we know in reality he's a crook. Imagine his chagrin when his latest crime falls foul of the police! Imagine how much worse it gets when he discovers that it wasn't the police at all, but a gang who "IPO" (Impersonate Police Officers). That's below the belt! Meantime, the rather supercilious police inspector "Parker" (Lionel Jeffries) starts to get embroiled in this too as his bosses don't much like the idea that there are fake officers out there robbing with impunity. The most unlikely of truces now ensues as both have to bury the hatchet and concoct a plan to entrap their rather shrewd, and well briefed, protagonists. The enormous sum of £500,000 is to be used as bait but what's the betting the plan goes pear-shaped? There's a good dynamic between Sellers and Jeffries here with a well paced and engagingly daft story unravelling over a quickly paced ninety minutes. Some familiar faces make up the supporting cast and the denouement - well I quite liked that! The humour is simple and uncomplicated, relying on some characterful performances and some spirited efforts on screen, and I did quite enjoy this.

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
london, englandrobberypolicebank robberdark comedyblack humorimpostorinformantdisguisepoliceman