The Ladykillers is a 2004 dark comedy film directed, written and produced by the Coen brothers and stars 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 of the same name. It is 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. The film was originally to be directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, the Coens' former cinematographer. They were commissioned to write the script. When... Sonnenfeld backed out, the Coens were eventually hired as directors, with Sonnenfeld retaining a producer credit. Mrs. Marva Munson , an elderly, God-fearing widow meets Professor Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr , 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 , The General , Garth Pancake , and Gawain .
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| Release date: | March 26, 2004 |
| Directed by: | Joel Coen, Ethan Coen |
| Rated: |  |
| Runtime: | 104 Minutes |
| Producer: | Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tom Jacobson, Barry Sonnenfeld, Barry Josephson |
| Editor: | Ethan Coen, Joel Coen |
| Music by: | Carter Burwell |
| Cinematography: | Roger Deakins |
| Screenplay by: | Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, William Rose |
| Estimated budget: | $35,000,000 |
| Adapted from: | The Ladykillers |
| Genre: | Thriller, Comedy |