Art & Hue
Kind Hearts & Coronets Poster stylish pop art print.
Kind Hearts & Coronets Poster
Stylish pop art print reimagining the poster for the classic Ealing comedy “Passport to Pimlico“, available in three sizes & 21 colour options.
This alternative movie poster combines a heraldic shield with a heart and features the four main stars of the film: Dennis Price, Joan Greenwood, Valerie Hobson & Alec Guinness.
With a background of hearts and coronets, this new remixed poster design and colour scheme takes its inspiration from the original press materials that were distributed to cinema bookers & journalists to promote the classic film ahead of its release.
This new stylish pop art print is part of the Ealing Comedies Posters collection by Art & Hue to mark 75 years of Ealing Comedies.
Also available as part of a group of six, 10, & 12 prints.
Kind Hearts & Coronets poster by Art & Hue
On the 23rd of June 1949, “Kind Hearts & Coronets” opened at the Leicester Square Odeon cinema in London, appropriately enough on Dennis Price’s birthday.
The studios had released comedies previously, such as “Hue & Cry” in 1947, but Ealing’s prolific output in 1949 was a boom period for the studios, with critical and commercial success.
Regarded by many as the finest Ealing comedy, “Kind Hearts & Coronets” sees Dennis Price’s disowned character Louis Mazzini plot to kill off the entire D’Ascoyne family, all played by Alec Guinness, so he can inherit the dukedom.
Produced under the stewardship of Michael Balcon at Ealing Studios, “Kind Hearts & Coronets” was one of the most popular films of 1949 and, along with “Passport to Pimlico” and “Whisky Galore!”, all released in the same year within the space of two months, firmly established the Ealing Comedies.
Nominated for a BAFTA, along with the Ealing Comedies “Passport to Pimlico” and “Whisky Galore!”, it missed out to Carol Reed’s film noir “The Third Man“, which is also celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024.
Widely considered to be one of the best (if not THE best) of the Ealing comedies, “Kind Hearts & Coronets” frequently appears on “best films” lists by various publications and critics.
Starring Alec Guinness as all nine members of the D’Ascoyne family who stand in the way of Dennis Price‘s goal, the film sees Louis Mazzini torn between the affections of Edith D’Ascoyne, played by Valerie Hobson, and his childhood friend Sibella, portrayed by Joan Greenwood.
To illustrate the change in audience expectations, it’s of interest to note that the film originally warranted an “A” classification upon its 1949 release (for Adults only) whereas the reissue was “U” (universally suitable for all ages). One reviewer at the time regarded the 8th Duke’s dispatching to be “brutal and shocking”.
It would also be of interest to know the opinion of the cinema bookers who were invited to the trade-only screening, which took place on the 14th of June 1949 according to the film’s files in the archives, but as two previous Ealing Comedies had already proved so successful at the box office, they probably weren’t troubled with many ethical doubts.
Kind Hearts & Coronets Poster Pop Art
Art & Hue had the pleasure to delve into the archives of the Ealing Comedies to create a new collection of stylish pop art prints related to the films, all available in three sizes and many colour options.
Available in A4, A3, and A2 sizes to fit standard-size picture frames. Please note that black frame is not included – for a guide on choosing a frame size take a look here.
An official collaboration with Studiocanal, this print is part of the Ealing Comedies collection of stylish pop art prints inspired by the classic British comedy films made at Ealing Studios, featuring Art & Hue’s signature halftone style (halftone is an age-old technique that uses dots to make up the printed image, similar to newspapers or comic books).
Rewatch, or discover anew, the film on DVD & Bluray from Amazon or watch on iTunes now.
“Kind Hearts & Coronets” Copyright © STUDIOCANAL Films Ltd. (1949). All rights reserved.
Copyright © Art & Hue® 2024. All rights reserved.
