1949 / Robert Hamer > As a pleasantly told story of lineage-based revenge, Kind Hearts and Coronets is chockful of smile-enducing comedic moments that point towards the brilliant, charismatic performance of star Dennis Price and the multiple personas of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Wait, what? To be specific, Alec Guinness plays eight different roles in the Ascoyne family tree that’s the target of Price’s ascension to dukeship, and each is played with hilarious aplomb. It’s a well-made dark comedy, though I can’t help but think that the straightforward manner of its storytelling holds it back from being a far better film. The story is purposefully predictable (as the many hints would indicate), but I find that a bit of a cop-out. Had Hamer insisted on a more novel approach to the film’s progression, it wouldn’t simply be an issue of “Who’s next?”