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The Ladykillers 2004

A group of criminals attempts to pull off a heist by posing as a sophisticated musical ensemble. To carry out their plan, they rent rooms in a boarding house and try to win over the kindly, elderly widow who owns it. However, the thieves' clumsy nature and unusual habits soon jeopardize their operation, leading to chaotic and humorous complications as they struggle to maintain their charade.

A group of criminals attempts to pull off a heist by posing as a sophisticated musical ensemble. To carry out their plan, they rent rooms in a boarding house and try to win over the kindly, elderly widow who owns it. However, the thieves' clumsy nature and unusual habits soon jeopardize their operation, leading to chaotic and humorous complications as they struggle to maintain their charade.

Does The Ladykillers have end credit scenes?

Yes!

The Ladykillers does have end credit scenes. Stay until the very end!

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The Ladykillers

Explore the complete cast of The Ladykillers, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for The Ladykillers

See how The Ladykillers is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Ladykillers stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

56

Metascore

5.9

User Score

IMDb

6.2 /10

IMDb Rating

Take the Ultimate The Ladykillers Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of The Ladykillers with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


The Ladykillers Quiz: Test your knowledge of the comedic crime caper 'The Ladykillers' with this diverse quiz.

What character does Mrs. Marva Munson portray in the movie?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Ladykillers

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Read the complete plot summary of The Ladykillers, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


In a lively and picturesque Mississippi community, we meet Mrs. Marva Munson, a kind-hearted elderly widow burdened by her faith. One sun-drenched morning, her tranquil life takes an unexpected turn when she opens her door to the charming yet duplicitous Professor Goldthwaite H. Dorr (Tom Hanks), a smooth-talking Southern gentleman seeking not only a place to stay but also access to her basement for “musical recitals.” Trusting his intentions, Mrs. Munson agrees to his peculiar terms.

However, unbeknownst to her, Mr. Dorr is not the musician he claims to be; he leads a ragtag crew of inept criminals. This eclectic group includes Lump, an absurdly unintelligent yet brawny football player, The General, a taciturn yet menacing Vietnamese cook skilled in more than just donuts, Garth Pancake, a mustached animal trainer with a flair for explosives, and Gawain, their desperate inside man working at the local riverboat casino, the “Bandit Queen.”

Together, they hatch a scheme to tunnel from Mrs. Munson’s basement directly into the casino’s underground vault. To mask the noise of their digging, they cleverly play orchestral CDs, convincing her they are simply practicing music. They stash the excavated dirt in Hefty trash bags, as their operation teeters on the edge of chaos.

Amid a slew of comedic mishaps—like Gawain getting fired from the casino and Garth missing a digit during a botched demonstration of safety with C4 explosives—they finally break into the vault and snatch the precious loot. With Gawain reinstated at the casino, they think they’ve crossed their T’s and dotted their I’s; however, plans quickly unravel when they realize the pressure of possible exposure is mounting.

When Mrs. Munson discovers what has transpired, she confronts Mr. Dorr. In a tense moment, she demands he return the stolen money or face the consequences of her involving the police. Torn between morality and greed, the group opts for drastic measures, leading to a series of darkly comic attempts to eliminate Mrs. Munson.

Ultimately, fate deals a hand: after an argument involving Gawain and a tragic accident, the plans for murder unravel, resulting in chaos that leaves many of the criminals dead or in severe disarray, all while providing a comical reflection on their incompetence. Those remaining face each other as they draw straws, leading to a farcical yet grim showdown.

As events spiral out of control, Mrs. Munson awakens oblivious to the madness that transpired overnight. Discovering a strange crack in her wall, and the gang’s sudden disappearance, she makes a decision to return the money to authorities. In a twist to add to the absurdity, the sheriff dismisses her claims as the ramblings of an old woman, suggesting she keep the cash for charitable purposes.

In the film’s whimsical conclusion, the beloved family cat, Pickles, runs off carrying a gruesome memento—Pancake’s severed finger—shedding light on the chaotic chain of events that had engulfed her peaceful life. Thus, the tale of deceit, hilarity, and unexpected morality wraps up with Mrs. Munson emerging as an unknowing victor in a world rife with absurdity.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for The Ladykillers

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The Ladykillers. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


The Ladykillers (trailer)

The Ladykillers - Trailer

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


money falling through the airheistbridgedead bodyamerican remake of european filmamerican remakeamerican remake of british filmganggang of thievesgang of criminalscriminal gangfailed expectationintrusive landladylandlady tenant relationshipplan goes wrongdeathplan gone wrongschemechristianpoetic justicef ratedolder personold womankilled one by onecharacters killed one by onedark comedyhumorriver bargeriverboat casinopet catroot cellargarbage scowrevolvermississippi rivergrifterjanitorreference to bob jones universitydirector also editorcat stuck in treeteamworkrear viewreference to a tribe called questprofessorlandladyremakeirony of fateaccidental deathfalling from a bridgeflashbackrocking chair

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