


Professor Marcus (Alec Guinness), ostensibly a musician and academic, rents a London flat from a sweet old lady (Katie Johnson). He tells her that, from time to time, several other musicians will visit in order to rehearse. In truth, the professor can't play a note, nor can his visitors: he's a criminal mastermind, holding court over his gang of thieves, including the likes of punkish Harry (Peter Sellers), the homicidal Louis (Herbert Lom) and punch-drunk One-Round (Danny Green). The gang use Professor Marcus's flat as headquarters as they conceive a daring 60,000 pound robbery.