On the way, they stop for a drink and Hare hears from Fergus, a local henchman of villain Danny McTavish, that Dr Knox pays for cadavers, especially now demand has gone up.

They accidentally dig up a long-dead body and are then caught by the militia, who chase them out of the cemetery, shooting Burke in the rear end in the pursuit.

Surprisingly, she thinks it a good idea and makes Hare give her a pound per corpse as a tax between husband and wife.

Meanwhile, the Solicitor General and the Lord Provost want to keep the scandal out of the papers, as the news would ruin the reputation of Edinburgh's medical schools and the money they generate.

The credits then tells of the fates of all the characters in the story, concluding with the actual skeleton of William Burke at the Anatomical Museum of the University of Edinburgh Medical School.

[4] Burke & Hare was developed by Ealing Studios, who had been known for producing acclaimed black comedy films such as Kind Hearts and Coronets and The Ladykillers.

[5] David Tennant was originally cast in the role of William Hare, but left the production before principal photography began; he was replaced by Andy Serkis.

[6][7] Many cast members of the sitcom Spaced appear, including Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes, Bill Bailey, Reece Shearsmith and Michael Smiley.

Filming took place around Edinburgh[8] with some scenes also being shot in Stirling, London and at Knole in Kent,[9] and also at Ealing Studios.

The script was written by Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft, who previously wrote St Trinian's, also for Ealing, which was the highest grossing British independent film of the last 10 years.

The website's critics consensus reads: "Marked by timid scares and flat-footed humor, Burke and Hare is a missed opportunity for its talented cast and a disappointing return for director John Landis.

[15] Charles Gant of Variety called it an "amiable, creaky comedy" that represents "a step back from the brink" for Landis.