Crooks and Coronets

Crooks and Coronets (U.S. title: Sophie's Place) is a 1969 British crime comedy film written and directed by Jim O'Connolly and starring Telly Savalas, Edith Evans, Warren Oates, Cesar Romero and Harry H.

[3] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Rather too obviously designed with one eye on the American market, where the eccentricities of the British aristocracy are presumably still considered a strong selling point, this mildly amusing comedy is so sedately paced that even its splendidly idiotic climax is not nearly as funny as it should have been.

The finale, with the crooks repulsed by a concerted attack involving cross-bows, a lion, and Edith Evans at the controls of a vintage German plane, is in the best Ealing tradition and almost makes up for the periods of slack.

"[4] The Radio Times wrote: "strange casting – a sort of Carry On meets The Dirty Dozen – gives the film a certain interest, not to mention eccentricity...but the overall tone is far too frantic and full of those terribly dated, Swinging Sixties fads and fashions.

"[6] Sky Movies wrote, "at times, the pace is as sedate as the English aristocracy portrayed: but the magnificently lunatic climax is worth waiting for, as crooks ... are finally repulsed by a concerted counter-attack involving crossbows, a lion, and Edith Evans at the controls of a vintage German plane.