612:
in the pursuit of crime, John Le
Mesurier, a Scotland Yard official lightly disguised as an ice-cream salesman but clinging to the dignity of his Whitehall hat, Peter Sellers, training his gang by way of home movies and pampering them with holidays on the Costa Brava, are at their accomplished best."
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of London, which they have recently set up to divide up the areas and protect each others interests. However, when it emerges that they are both being scammed by the same interloping gang, they join forces, along with Police, using
Inspector Fred "Nosy" Parker as their liaison, to flush the so-called
611:
wrote: "Cliff Owen's considerable competence shows in the way he takes good and bad jokes equably in his stride, cutting sharply as soon as a comedy point has been made, getting pretty well every ounce of value out of his script. ... Lionel
Jeffries, desperately eager and despairingly confused
634:
wrote: "It is strictly lightweight clowning, longer on plot than on wit and wholly dependent on the archness of Mr. Sellers to give it a cachet. Others in the cast are amusing, especially Mr. Jeffries as the cop, but the enterprise stands by the stiffening of Mr. Sellers's cunning roguishness."
562:. Filming locations include: the early Post Office robbery at Burkes Parade/Post Office Lane Beaconsfield, the gang meeting at Havens Court, Ealing, the Bullion Transport robbery at Cowley Mill Road/Waterloo Road Uxbridge combined with Bushy Park Road Teddington, and the escape flight from
319:, which is much more profitable line of work for him ā finds his criminal takings cut severely. It quickly transpires that Pearly's girlfriend and model, Valerie, is secretly in cahoots with the Australians, feeding them details of the crimes being arranged by Pearly and his associates.
31:
620:
wrote: "A slightweight cops and robbers idea has been pepped up into a briskly amusing farce thanks to a combo of deft direction, thesping and writing. ... Cliff Owen has directed with verve. Locations and all technical credits help to give polish to a breezy, likeable comedy."
645:
gave the film 4/5 stars, writing: "Peter
Sellers is at his funniest as a cockney criminal mastermind who uses a West End dress salon as a front for the illegal activities of his inept gang. He's up against inspector Lionel Jeffries, whose bungling would give the future
346:
in order to bring the I.P.O. Mob to justice. To ensure the safety of the cash stolen, the Asst
Commissioner insists that Parker join Pearly's gang to be committing this daylight robbery, but after the bullion robbery, Pearly is unwilling to forego the proceeds.
302:
led by Jack
Coombes impersonate policemen to carry out robberies: stealing stolen cash and jewels from the crooks who had taken it. Meanwhile, local gang leader "Pearly" Gates ā who operates with the front of an effete French
338:
After the London criminal underworld call a 24-hour no-crime truce to allow for a full search, the IPO Mob almost literally slip through Parker's fingers on their first attempt, so Parker suggests a large crime to the
650:
a run for his money. Cliff Owen directs the marvellously inventive script with due care as
Scotland Yard and Sellers decide to co-operate to apprehend a bunch of Australian crooks posing as policemen."
282:ā also written by John Warren and Len Heath ā where similarly Sellers and Cribbens played crooks (incarcerated) against Jeffries as on officer of the law, in that case as their
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used in the high-speed get-away so much that he bought the car after shooting the film, contingent on the engine being replaced with a 4.0-litre
Lagonda Rapide.
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Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of
British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 360
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as
Educated Ernest confidence trickster delegate at the underworld syndicate's meeting (uncredited)
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as "Pearly" Gates, chairman of the London criminal underworld syndicate and couturier Charles Jules
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745:"Most Popular Films Of 1963." Times 3 Jan. 1964: 4. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 11 July 2012.
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276:. It reunited Sellers, Jeffries, and Cribbens who appeared together in the 1960 film comedy
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335:"I.P.O. Mob" (Impersonating a Police Officer) out the shadows to be arrested.
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as "Nervous" O'Toole, vice-chairman of the London criminal underworld syndicate
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Initially, Pearly blames rival crook "Nervous" O'Toole in a breakdown of their
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It was one of the 12 most popular films at the British box office in 1963.
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as woman delegate at the underworld syndicate's meeting (uncredited)
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as "Siggy" Schmoltz, hired hand from Hamburg for the bullion robbery
805:"Sellers Keeps Crime Rate Up:'Wrong Arm of Law' Opens at Coronet"
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as adulterous man in flat 307, Haven Green Court (uncredited)
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as van driver and seller of women's dresses (uncredited)
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449:as "Misery" Martin, criminal associate of Nervous
443:as "Brassknuckles", criminal associate of Nervous
307:called Charles Jules in a London fashion house,
792:(12): 6. 13 February 1963 – via ProQuest.
768:(348): 62. 1 January 1963 – via ProQuest.
455:as Annette, associate of Pearly, administering
394:as "Bluey" May, IPO Mob accomplice with Coombes
400:as Reg Denton, IPO Mob accomplice with Coombes
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406:as Trainer King, criminal associate of Pearly
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518:Jack Silk as police station PC (uncredited)
388:as Jack Coombes, the sergeant of the IPO Mob
412:as Sid Cooper, criminal associate of Pearly
1195:Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane
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682:British Film Institute Collections Search
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585:in London's West End on 14 March 1963.
509:as police station Sergeant (uncredited)
1307:Films scored by Richard Rodney Bennett
1069:Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...
260:. The final screenplay was written by
515:as PC in basement garage (uncredited)
7:
1337:English-language crime comedy films
524:as PC at Scotland Yard (uncredited)
803:Crowtherr, Bosley (3 April 1963).
14:
1128:The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins
530:as airfield official (uncredited)
298:, a gang of three criminals from
1061:The Galton and Simpson Playhouse
736:The Times, 14 March 1963, Page 2
701:the film's copyright credit line
16:1963 British film by Cliff Owen
372:as Inspector Fred "Nosy" Parker
382:model and girlfriend of Pearly
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1282:British black-and-white films
1037:The Galton and Simpson Comedy
711:Edsall, Larry (14 May 2018).
569:Peter Sellers loved the 1961
428:as Superintendent J.S. Forest
1327:1960s English-language films
1302:Films directed by Cliff Owen
717:The ClassicCars.com Journal
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1297:British crime comedy films
1152:Steptoe and Son Ride Again
830:Radio Times Guide to Films
780:"The Wrong Arm of the Law"
756:"The Wrong Arm of the Law"
678:"The Wrong Arm of the Law"
467:Barry Keegan as Mr Pointer
1213:Associated London Scripts
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832:(18th ed.). London:
761:The Monthly Film Bulletin
608:The Monthly Film Bulletin
35:Theatrical release poster
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1287:British Lion Films films
1277:1960s crime comedy films
1112:The Spy with a Cold Nose
1096:The Wrong Arm of the Law
908:The Wrong Arm of the Law
897:The Wrong Arm of the Law
884:The Wrong Arm of the Law
873:The Wrong Arm of the Law
862:The Wrong Arm of the Law
434:as Dowager, customer of
225:The Wrong Arm of the Law
24:The Wrong Arm of the Law
834:Immediate Media Company
581:The film opened at the
558:areas of what was then
497:as mailman (uncredited)
491:as Maurice (uncredited)
172:14 March 1963
836:. 2017. p. 1041.
422:Assistant Commissioner
344:assistant commissioner
131:Richard Rodney Bennett
546:The film was made at
1243:Albert & Herbert
1227:Fleksnes Fataliteter
1136:Up the Chastity Belt
548:Beaconsfield Studios
284:chief prison officer
1332:1960s British films
1317:British heist films
1312:Films set in London
986:Hancock's Half Hour
571:Aston Martin DB4 GT
332:criminal underworld
330:arrangement to the
1250:Skyll inte pƄ mig!
1179:Room at the Bottom
1163:Galton with others
953:Galton and Simpson
809:The New York Times
648:Inspector Clouseau
627:The New York Times
602:Critical reception
228:is a 1963 British
157:British Lion Films
74:E.M. Smedley Aston
1322:1963 comedy films
1292:1960s heist films
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436:Maison Jules
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410:Graham Stark
392:Ed Devereaux
380:Maison Jules
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270:Alan Simpson
232:directed by
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189:Running time
165:Release date
62:Alan Simpson
18:
1230:(1972ā2002)
1045:Clochemerle
814:26 November
641:Radio Times
507:John Harvey
489:John Junkin
328:closed shop
317:Westminster
230:comedy film
71:Produced by
64:John Warren
41:Directed by
1272:1963 films
1266:Categories
1104:The Bargee
964:Ray Galton
722:8 November
687:27 January
655:References
594:Box office
542:Production
528:Gerald Sim
483:Dick Emery
266:Ray Galton
234:Cliff Owen
193:94 minutes
176:1963-03-14
138:Production
59:Ray Galton
51:Written by
45:Cliff Owen
1246:(1974ā82)
1222:(1972ā77)
1182:(1986ā88)
1174:(1979ā82)
1088:The Rebel
1072:(1996ā97)
1032:(1962ā74)
1016:(1961ā62)
989:(1954ā60)
589:Reception
560:Middlesex
404:Davy Kaye
386:Bill Kerr
324:syndicate
305:couturier
300:Australia
254:Bill Kerr
180: (UK)
119:Edited by
103:Bill Kerr
66:Len Heath
1020:Series 2
1014:Series 1
902:AllMovie
556:Uxbridge
217:Ā£233,570
206:Language
127:Music by
83:Starring
1002:Hancock
978:Sitcoms
911:at the
785:Variety
617:Variety
577:Release
398:Reg Lye
209:English
198:Country
174: (
140:company
1252:(1978)
1238:(1974)
1198:(2005)
1190:(1997)
1155:(1973)
1147:(1972)
1139:(1971)
1131:(1971)
1123:(1970)
1115:(1966)
1107:(1964)
1099:(1963)
1091:(1961)
1064:(1977)
1056:(1973)
1048:(1972)
1040:(1969)
1022:(1963)
1005:(1961)
997:(1960)
840:
311:, on
296:London
268:, and
214:Budget
1080:Films
1120:Loot
867:IMDb
838:ISBN
816:2019
724:2018
689:2024
639:The
554:and
351:Cast
326:, a
290:Plot
256:and
159:(UK)
915:'s
913:BFI
900:at
888:at
876:at
865:at
790:229
624:In
418:as
294:In
1268::
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