Favourite Film: The Ladykillers (1955)

This post has been reposted here

Whenever asked my favourite film I say The Ladykillers, without hesitation.  Considering I have difficulty deciding my favourite colour this speaks volumes.  The 1955 black comedy blends social-commentary caricatures, meaningful music, and a perfect cast, to create something that is, in my mind, unparalleled in charm.

The film is set in post-war Britain, close to King’s Cross railway station.  Policemen stand dutifully on every street corner, a red telephone box is never more than a stone-throw away, and steam trains endlessly billow by.  These are relics of a fleeting British dynasty.  Sitting amongst the remnants is a sweet little house, advertising rooms to let.  It is here a gang, who caricature all that threatens society, decide to base their operation.  They intend to use the owner, a dotty old dear called Mrs. Wilberforce, in their plan to steal £60,000, by having her carry the money without her knowledge.  To paraphrase ‘Professor’ Marcus, leader of the criminal ‘quintet’ (their cover story is that they are a travelling musical group), what could possibly go wrong?

Book Review: Quiet

"Speak with conviction.  Even if you believe something only fifty-five percent, say it as if you believe it a hundred percent."  This quote was exorcised from Harvard Business School, an institution within which a significant number of CEOs and influential politicians are educated.  It is a scary reflection of a society that recently verged upon financial ruin, and has suppressed 1/3 to 1/2 of its population -- who are, by nature, introverted.

Quiet by Susan Cain is a wake-up call.