The Ladykillers (2004) is a black comedy film directed, written and produced by the Coen brothers and starring Tom Hanks, with a supporting cast that includes J. K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, Ryan Hurst and Irma P. Hall. It is based on the 1955 British Ealing comedy film of the same name.
This was the first film in which Ethan and Joel Coen share both producing and directing credits; previously Ethan had always been credited as producer and Joel as director. It was originally to have been directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, the Coens' former cinematographer. The brothers were originally commissioned to write the script only. When Sonnenfeld backed out, the Coens were eventually hired as directors, with Sonnenfeld retaining a producer credit.
This was the first film in which Ethan and Joel Coen share both producing and directing credits; previously Ethan had always been credited as producer and Joel as director. It was originally to have been directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, the Coens' former cinematographer. The brothers were originally commissioned to write the script only. When Sonnenfeld backed out, the Coens were eventually hired as directors, with Sonnenfeld retaining a producer credit.
Plot
Mrs. Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), an elderly, God-fearing widow meets "Professor" Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr (Tom Hanks), who expresses his interest in the room she has to let and asks to use her basement for rehearsals of an early music ensemble he directs. She accepts the terms and agrees. The fellow musicians in the pretend ensemble are actually a gang of criminals, named Lump (Ryan Hurst), The General (Tzi Ma), Garth Pancake (J. K. Simmons), and Gawain (Marlon Wayans).
With all of their talents combined, the group of criminals plan to dig a tunnel through the crumbling, dried earth that has piled up in Mrs. Munson's basement and conclude that they will emerge in the vault of a nearby casino. The earth they dig up is taken out at night and tossed off a bridge into a barge below.
After a series of comical mishaps that threaten to derail their plan, they break through the wall of the vault and snatch the loot. Mrs. Munson subsequently finds out what her tenant has done, and outraged, she tells Dorr to return the money and go with her to church on Sunday or else she will call the police. Dorr attempts to persuade her otherwise by saying that there is no victim, since the insurance will cover it all and in all they have only stolen one penny from every person at the casino, he also offers to donate half the money to the Bob Jones University, but, after some consideration Mrs. Munson refuses.
The gang decides they have no choice but to murder her. None of them are eager to kill an old lady so they draw lots. Gawain is selected to kill Mrs. Munson, but, he is unable to when he realises that Mrs. Munson reminds him of his mother, Garth and Gawain argue and they start a fight which results in Garth accidentally shooting and killing Gawain. The body is dumped off of the bridge and onto a barge. Garth then attempts to run off with all the money with his girlfriend, Mountain Girl, however, he and Mountain Girl are both murdered by The General and their bodies are thrown onto a barge as well. The three remaining criminals draw lots again and The General is selected, as he is about to kill Mrs. Munson in her sleep the cuckoo clock shocks him into swallowing his cigarette, as he chokes he slips and falls down the stairs, breaking his neck. As Lump and Dorr dispose of The General's body onto a barge, Lump has a change of heart and tells Dorr he wants to do what Mrs. Munson says, Dorr claims he will still kill the old woman and keep all the money for himself. Lump attempts to shoot Dorr to stop him, however, there appear to be no bullets, he looks down the barrel of his own gun and pulls the trigger again, this time shooting himself in the head, falling off the bridge and onto a barge. Dorr is the only criminal left alive and as he pauses to quote some poetry, he is hit with the head of a decaying grotesque and falls, his coat getting caught in the bridge and hanging him before he too falls into a barge.
Mrs. Munson finds all the money in her basement and believes that the criminals were unable to meet her terms, but, decided to leave the money. She attempts to return the money to the police, but, the police refuse to believe her story about the robbery, and humourously tell her to keep the money she found, which she decides to donate to the Bob Jones University.
Mrs. Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), an elderly, God-fearing widow meets "Professor" Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr (Tom Hanks), who expresses his interest in the room she has to let and asks to use her basement for rehearsals of an early music ensemble he directs. She accepts the terms and agrees. The fellow musicians in the pretend ensemble are actually a gang of criminals, named Lump (Ryan Hurst), The General (Tzi Ma), Garth Pancake (J. K. Simmons), and Gawain (Marlon Wayans).
With all of their talents combined, the group of criminals plan to dig a tunnel through the crumbling, dried earth that has piled up in Mrs. Munson's basement and conclude that they will emerge in the vault of a nearby casino. The earth they dig up is taken out at night and tossed off a bridge into a barge below.
After a series of comical mishaps that threaten to derail their plan, they break through the wall of the vault and snatch the loot. Mrs. Munson subsequently finds out what her tenant has done, and outraged, she tells Dorr to return the money and go with her to church on Sunday or else she will call the police. Dorr attempts to persuade her otherwise by saying that there is no victim, since the insurance will cover it all and in all they have only stolen one penny from every person at the casino, he also offers to donate half the money to the Bob Jones University, but, after some consideration Mrs. Munson refuses.
The gang decides they have no choice but to murder her. None of them are eager to kill an old lady so they draw lots. Gawain is selected to kill Mrs. Munson, but, he is unable to when he realises that Mrs. Munson reminds him of his mother, Garth and Gawain argue and they start a fight which results in Garth accidentally shooting and killing Gawain. The body is dumped off of the bridge and onto a barge. Garth then attempts to run off with all the money with his girlfriend, Mountain Girl, however, he and Mountain Girl are both murdered by The General and their bodies are thrown onto a barge as well. The three remaining criminals draw lots again and The General is selected, as he is about to kill Mrs. Munson in her sleep the cuckoo clock shocks him into swallowing his cigarette, as he chokes he slips and falls down the stairs, breaking his neck. As Lump and Dorr dispose of The General's body onto a barge, Lump has a change of heart and tells Dorr he wants to do what Mrs. Munson says, Dorr claims he will still kill the old woman and keep all the money for himself. Lump attempts to shoot Dorr to stop him, however, there appear to be no bullets, he looks down the barrel of his own gun and pulls the trigger again, this time shooting himself in the head, falling off the bridge and onto a barge. Dorr is the only criminal left alive and as he pauses to quote some poetry, he is hit with the head of a decaying grotesque and falls, his coat getting caught in the bridge and hanging him before he too falls into a barge.
Mrs. Munson finds all the money in her basement and believes that the criminals were unable to meet her terms, but, decided to leave the money. She attempts to return the money to the police, but, the police refuse to believe her story about the robbery, and humourously tell her to keep the money she found, which she decides to donate to the Bob Jones University.
