NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Network Blu-ray (February 2020): Network have transferred Basil Dearden's The League of Gentlemen to Blu-ray. It was released on DVD in the US as part of Criterion's Eclipse Series 25: Basil Dearden’s London (reviewed HERE) and we have compared some captures below. The 1080P is brighter, has a higher degree of detail and the 1.75:1 loses some information at the top and bottom of the frame. There is plenty of depth and the transfer looks very pleasing in-motion.

NOTE: 27 more high resolution Blu-ray  captures (in uncompressed PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Network use a linear PCM mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. It isn't dynamic audio but authentically flat with a supportive score by Philip Green (The Girl Hunters, The Man Who Finally Died, Basil Dearden's Victim, Sapphire and All Night Long) sounding effective in the uncompressed. Network offer optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

Like Network's Blu-ray of Seance on a Wet Afternoon there is an older commentary by Bryan Forbes and his wife Nanette Newman. Forbes tells how he wrote the script of The League of Gentlemen for Cary Grant, who passed on it and discusses 'Allied Film Makers' the short lived British production company formed in November 1959 by Basil Dearden, Michael Relph, Jack Hawkins, Richard Attenborough and Bryan Forbes. The League of Gentlemen was the first of six films made by the production company. Newman discusses her bathtub scene and having her ears pinned back. They discuss Forbes' small part as Porthill, and other details that they recall about the production. There is also an hour-10-minute long episode of The South Bank Show: Richard Attenborough from November 1992 which has some edits for contractual reasons. It has brother Richard, John Barry, Bryan Forbes, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Kingsley, John Mills, Sven Nykvist and others. There is also a 20-minute segment entitled Cinema: Bryan Forbes where he states that he thought he was going to be an accountant. It seems to be a rough cut with many outtakes but results in being an interesting interview. Included is a theatrical trailer, image gallery and in a root folder of the Blu-ray disc is a PDF file of the script for The League of Gentlemen.

The League of Gentlemen has Basil Dearden's measured pace and a building edginess typical of a heist film. What makes it special is the great cast and attention to detail. It's a cracker of a Brit crime-thriller and one I am very pleased to own on Blu-ray. With the commentary and 1.5 hours of video extras this is a strong recommendation! 

Gary Tooze