11 Harrowhouse (1974)

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Apparently someone had a really good idea to save 11 Harrowhouse. They added a voice-over narration by star Charles Grodin, sharp and laconical that really lifts the film from the mediocre to the good. There seems to be another version of the film without it, but I can't imagine it being as good as this.11 Harrowhouse is the name of the address where a few people headed by John Gielgud control the diamond market of the world. They have billions of dollars or English pounds if you will of gems in their vaults and manipulate the world market value like a yo-yo. Gielgud is a cold and forbidding man and he's one who delights in screwing the little people in his employ. One of them is diamond cutter James Mason who is as reliable as Alec Guinness was in The Lavendar Hill Mob. He's also got a plan. When Grodin and Candice Bergen come up short with 'the System' as Gielgud's consortium is called, Mason has them as allies.The three of them have the backing of billionaire Trevor Howard who also likes messing with people. He messes with Grodin and Grodin has no choice but to aid in the robbery.The best part of the film is the robbery itself. Someone has to be sacrificed, but the idea is incredibly ingenious and bloody simple.Mason comes off best in this, a little man who just wants to get even with those who have treated him like a doormat all his working life.An enjoyable caper film, diamond exchange in Amsterdam, take note.

This is a pretty good caper film, stylish and witty, but it loses its grip a little in the last 15 minutes.Charles Grodin plays a small time jewellery dealer, Howard R. Chesser, who travels to London to conduct business with 'The System' located at 11 Harrowhouse, an enormously prestigious and snooty diamond trading house. 'The System' is run by the equally snooty Mr Meecham, played by John Gielgud – one of the film's trio of top British actors who were a fair way along in their careers by the mid 70's.Chesser is offered a big diamond deal by mega-wealthy Clyde Massey, played by Trevor Howard with the ham gauge set on the highest level. Events lead to Chesser breaking into 11 Harrowhouse to steal the entire stock of diamonds. He is helped by Charles Watts, an unassuming Harrowhouse assistant out for revenge. Watts is played by James Mason, an actor with one of cinema's most distinctive voices, like George Sanders, he was smooth from the start to the finish of his career.Chesser is also helped by his girlfriend, Maren Shirell, played by Candice Bergen in a role that is reminiscent of Grace Kelly in "Rear Window" – glamorous, poised, and adventurous.The film is in the same spirit as "Arabesque", "How to steal a million" and "Charade" and quite a few others of the 60's and 70's. It features an inventive jewel robbery, much of it played out on the rooftop of 11 Harrowhouse; although that sequence is marred by bad matching between the location and the studio shots.Charles Grodin's offbeat style was not unlike Bob Newhart's – a bland, milquetoast exterior concealing underlying insolence. Grodin also supplies droll, running commentary on the action in voice-over, somewhat like someone showing home movies. This works pretty well up until the end where the commentary seems disconnected with what is happening on screen. When Grodin says at some length that he can't understand why Howard and his associates are chasing him, it's obvious why they are.Apparently there was another version of the film without Grodin's voice-over, but I suspect it was added because it was felt something was needed – the long chase sequence at the end is as drawn out and tedious as those things often were in this kind of film.Despite the odd lapse, the film still has much that works – an ingenious robbery, the tongue in cheek delivery of Grodin, a dazzling Candice Bergen, and a line-up of legendary, albeit aging, British stars of the period.

Charles Grodin lends his distinctively dry comic persona to this somewhat tongue in cheek adaptation of a more serious novel by Gerald A. Browne. He also narrates, and does a good job at maintaining a fairly light tone. He plays a diamond merchant who regularly visits the worlds' largest clearinghouse for gems, located at 11 Harrowhouse in London. He ends up approached by a slimy, yet genial, oil baron named Clyde Massey (Trevor Howard) to steal the places' inventory, and although that usually isn't his trade he and his spirited female companion Maren (Candice Bergen) prove up to the challenge, coming up with an ingenious way to pull off the robbery. For one thing, it involves using a cockroach, but more importantly, it includes an angry employee, Charles Watts (James Mason) who they convert to their cause. At first glance, Grodin (who also is credited with adapting the story) would seem an unlikely lead for such a film, but his presence gives it a little something extra; his narration ensures that this feels like kind of a parody of the genre. Bergen is lovely, of course, and appealing as his girlfriend, a wealthy widow and ace getaway driver who's skillful, not reckless. The mostly British cast includes some very big names who give "11 Harrowhouse" some gravitas; Mason is a real standout as the willing participant in the robbery who wants to make sure that his family is provided for. John Gielgud is excellent as his serious-minded boss, and appearing as well are Helen Cherry, Peter Vaughan, Cyril Shaps, Leon Greene, Jack Watson, and Clive Morton. Director Aram Avakian handles it all in style, cranking up the excitement factor for a breathless final act involving a chase. All in all, this is pretty enjoyable; even if it's not that memorable it's hard to resist while it lasts; the climactic robbery sequence is fun and great use is made of the various locations. Worth a look for fans of the caper film and of the actors on hand. Seven out of 10.

This is an entertaining caper film given a little extra special something by Charles Grodin's deadpan voice-over. I'm alarmed to note from other comments that there's a version without the voice-over at large, wreaking untold damage and stopping the film gaining the cult rep it would surely otherwise enjoy. This is a desecration and those responsible must be hunted down with hounds.Grodin is by turns funny and cool as hell as a small-time gem dealer forced to mount an ingenious large-scale heist against London's biggest diamond monopoly, the snobbish and deadly cabal at 11 Harrowhouse, enjoyably personified by an ice-cold John Gielgud and Peter Vaughan in full troll mode. James Mason is touching as the only decent man in the organisation and Trevor Howard on great form as the shady/barking-mad aristocrat who finances the robbery. Candice Bergen is adorable as Grodin's smart, beautiful, feisty paramour and accomplice.In some ways the film is of its time (1974), mostly in a good way. In fact the only potentially laughable/winceable groovy-London moment is when Bergen casts the I-Ching while speeding along in her sports car; even that struck me as pretty cool actually. The schmaltzy piano-bar soundtrack works wonderfully, I think. London itself - buildings, vehicles, Pools-playing cockney security guards - looks gorgeously down-at-heel and I never watch this film without a twinge of nostalgia.Catch it if it's ever on TV and you're in the mood for escapist fun - do make sure it's the version with the voice-over, though.