Kind hearts and coronets is a thoroughly British film, not only in its setting but also in its humour. The film is a deliciously dark comedy of a distant relation murdering his way to become a duke. It is a very old, literate and intellectual sort of humour which permeates throughout rather than more overtly funny screwball comedies and farces of the time. The script is impeccably witty as to provide a few chuckles now and then. The film also relies heavily on voiceover, which I think adds greatly to its deadpan humour. My qualms with the film however lies with its pace- it is oddly paced, as if the first few murders happen too quickly before being followed by a lull. I think the film delights most people in how Louis find more inventive ways to kill people, and in this respect it might falter- the deaths of lady Dasconye, the general and the admiral are glossed over, and the Dukes death is not exactly inventive. The ending also strikes me as slightly odd and unsatisfying- perhaps it might've benefitted from a scene where we overtly see His memoir being discovered. All in all Kind hearts and coronets offer a literate, Intellectual sort of dark humour which might be delicious to some, but might be overly droll for others. I sit on the fence on this one- I find it slightly too restrained, though still clever and enjoyable.
Review of Kind Hearts and Coronets
