Crooks in Cloisters (1964)

Film Overview
"Crooks in Cloisters" is a 1964 traditional British funny film directed by Jeremy Summers and produced by Peter Rogers. The movie stars Ronald Fraser, Barbara Windsor, Melvyn Hayes, Grégoire Aslan, Davy Kaye, Bernard Cribbins and Wilfrid Brambell. It offers an excellent ensemble cast who offer lots of laughs as well as a well-crafted movie script by Michael Pertwee and John Antrobus.

Plot Summary
The plot of "Crooks in Cloisters" revolves around a gang of London lawbreakers who, after performing a successful break-in, retreat to a separated abbey on the Cornish coast to lay low and enjoy their loot. The gang, led by the pleasant 'Little Walter' (played by Ronald Fraser), handle to buy the monastery from its debt-ridden owner Brother Benedict (played by Wilfrid Brambell) and start impersonating monks, complete with full monastic clothing and an adopted way of life that inadequately emulates the devout.

The Gang's New Life
While the 'monks"brand-new life appears picturesque, it's not long prior to they start missing their old city lives while they deal with the restraints of religious beliefs, farm work, and abstinence. They continue their fraudulent life but begin to deal with obstacles as they attempt to blend in. Barbara Windsor (playing the gang's moll, Bikini) is likewise not keen on their seclusion and discovers ways to smuggle alcohol and music, adding to the hilarity.

Blend of Comedy, Intrigue, and Pathos
"Crooks in Cloisters" offers a clever blend of funny, intrigue, and pathos. Comical scenarios develop when the expected monks battle to suit their brand-new lives-- they now have to do fishing, brewing beer, and raising pigs, which they find challenging due to their city backgrounds. On the other hand, they likewise attempt to keep their cover from the locals and tourists.

The Unexpected Twist
Nevertheless, everything starts unraveling due to a note from London that brings the law searching for them. And in the climax, among the gang members, Squirts (played by Bernard Cribbins), unconsciously 'blesses' the day's catch of fish, which begins glowing, and is viewed as a miracle by the local neighborhood and the media. The occurring statewide attention threatens to expose their whole operation.

Conclusion
Despite their initial greed and selfish intentions, the gang members grow fond of their adopted lifestyle and eventually choose to return the money they took to the authorities anonymously. In a turn of occasions, they are pardoned for their sincerity, but the whimsical twist strikes when, despite now being totally free to go back to their old London way of lives, they select to stay on in the monastery and continue living as monks.

On the whole, "Crooks in Cloisters" combines a light-hearted plot, funny series and appealing characters who evolve in a way that keeps the audience charmed throughout. The movie manages to entertain with its smart script and engaging performances, offering more than just the standard humor anticipated from a funny of its time.

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